A Scrapyard Full of Treasures
After Rick Jensen passed away, one of the best collections of Indian motorcycles and memorabilia was found at his business, RJ&C Metal Fabricators in Phoenix, AZ. Jensen locked the collection in a shed behind some other much less interesting and valuable items.
The collection included 15 motorcycles, several bicycles from the brand, signs, clocks, and other promotional items. Jensen kept his collection a secret from most people. It was only after his death that it appeared at a Mecum Auction.
The auction for the items happened in Las Vegas last week. The collection brought over $500,000 and the list of items spanned Indian Motorcycles’ beginning to the very end of the brand’s original run. Notable items according to Fox News, included 1908 Single Camelback that sold for $82,500 due to its extreme rarity. There was also a 1929 Ace Four that sold for a price of $88,000 and a 1941 Four that managed to snag $71,500.
Having any one of those unique motorcycles to sell, or to be able to buy would be a serious privilege. What makes Jensen’s collection so unique is the sheer scope of it. The man seemed to have collected everything he could get his hands on that had the Indian name attached to it.
Image from MecumWhile many of the pieces are museum-quality with a little cleanup, some of them were showing their age. Still, the rarity of the items means people with money to burn want them. Seeing as how there are plenty of worse ways to spend your money, I’m all for people buying and enjoying the pieces in Jensen’s collection.