Spanky is the chief auctioneer at the 37th Annual Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Event, held each January in Scottsdale, Arizona.

At a table on a platform where the piano used to stand sat the chief auctioneer with his ivory hammer.

Ray White NSW chief auctioneer Alex Pattaro received an opening bid of $825,000.

Chief auctioneer Joe Walls said the sector had had lean times lately and this had lifted things.