Imagine the excitement and joy of finding a rare classic sitting abandoned in someone’s back yard or shed, just begging for a little restoration work and a stretch of open road. Now multiply that by a hundred and you’ll have an inkling of how it must have felt when the classic car department of French auction house Artcurial first learned of the 100-car collection of the late Roger Baillon.

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The lineage of the cars stretch from the early days of the automobile through to the 1970s, with a variety of marques present including illustrious French brands such as Avions Voisin and Facel Vega as well as the likes of Bugatti, Ferrari and Maserati. Sadly, the cars, discovered just three months ago, have sat abandoned for almost five decades, with many in such a poor state that they’re no longer salvageable.

Yes, only 60 of the 100 cars found will go under the hammer, at an auction to be held on February 6 by Artcurial at the 2015 Salon Rétromobile classic car event in France. A 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider, one of 37 ever built, is expected to attract the highest bid, with current estimates ranging from about $10 million to $15 million. Other standouts should be a 1956 Maserati A6G Gran Sport Frua, a 1956 Facel Vega Excellence and a Bugatti 57 Ventoux from the 1930s.

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The cars were found tucked away in a property in the West of France, under makeshift corrugated iron shelters and in various outbuildings. They were bought over the years by Baillon, a French transport magnate that hoped to one day restore them and showcase them in a museum. Unfortunately, Baillon was forced to give up that dream due when his business went sour, with almost half of the original 200-car collection sold in the late '70s.

The remaining cars are now being sold on behalf of Baillon’s family. Hit the next page to see a list of all the cars going up for auction.

Below is a complete list of the cars from the Baillon barn find going up for auction:

Amilcar C6 berline
Amilcar CGS1
Ariès coach
Auto Union cabriolet
Avions Voisin C15
Avions Voisin limousine C152
Avions Voisin C7 par Gallé
Ballot 8 Cyl limousine
Barré torpédo
Berliet coupé chauffeur
Berliet Type VIGB 10HP Taxi Landaulet
Bugatti 57 Ventoux
Citroën Trèfle
Delage D6
Delage D8 coach
Delahaye 135 cabriolet Faget Varnet
Delahaye 135 coach Chapron
Delahaye 235 coach Chapron
Delahaye 235 coach Chapron
Delahaye 235 coupé Chapron
Delahaye Type 43 coupé chauffeur
Delahaye GFA 148 L
Delahaye Type 43 camionnette
Delaunay Belleville limousine VL8
Facel Vega Excellence
Ferrari 250 GT California SWB3
Ferrari 308 GTS i
Ferrari 400
Ferrari Mondial 3.2L cabriolet
Hispano Suiza H6B cabriolet Millon-Guiet
Hotchkiss cabriolet
Innocenti S cabriolet
Jaguar type S 3.4 L
La Buire 12 A
Lagonda LG45 cabriolet
Lancia Thema 8.324
Lorraine Dietrich B3/6 plateau
Lorraine Dietrich B3/6 torpédo par Grumman
Lorraine-Dietrich torpédo
Maserati A6G 2000 berlinetta Grand Sport Frua
Mathis cabriolet
Mathis FOH
Packard cabriolet Super Eight
Panhard-Levassor Dynamic berline X77
Panhard-Levassor Dynamic coupé X76
Panhard-Levassor limousine X72
Porsche 356 SC ex-Sonauto
Renault AX torpédo
Renault Vivastella cabriolet
Sandford cyclecar 3 roues
Singer Cabriolet
Talbot Lago 11/6 cabriolet
Talbot Lago Baby cabriolet
Talbot Lago Baby cabriolet
Talbot Lago Cadette 11
Talbot Lago coach
Talbot Lago T26 coach
Talbot Lago T26 Grand Sport coupé Saoutchik
Talbot Lago T26 Record coupé Saoutchik
Talbot Lago T26 cabriolet Saoutchik ex-Roi Farouk

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