Fans of Jon Pertwee’s run in Doctor Who are in for a treat with an incredible new auction. When Jon Pertwee took over as the Doctor in 1970, his incarnation was very different. For one thing, this Doctor was no longer a wandered in the fourth dimension; he was exiled to Earth, working with an organization called UNIT. Pertwee’s Doctor was also a lot more physical (skilled in “Venusian Aikido”), and the show cultivated something of a James Bond secret agent aura. In fact, the Doctor even had his own car – albeit with a Doctor Who spin, because Bessie was a delightful yellow roadster.
Now, collectors can get their hands on their very own Bessie. Newcastle United season ticket holder Dale Brotherton had collected Doctor Who memorabilia over the course of his life. He sadly passed away in 2024, aged just 54, and his collection is going up for sale at Anderson House in Westerhope, Newcastle, beginning at 10am on June 10. Incredibly, the collection includes a replica of the Doctor’s beloved Bessie, carrying the registration plate “WHO 244.” “This is a proper ‘TARDIS’ of a collection – bigger, brighter and more exciting the more you look inside it,” auctioneer Hamish Trower told the Hexham Courant.
The Siva Edwardian Tourer kit car has been registered with the DVLA, meaning it can actually be driven (although may cause something of a stir). It’s estimated to sell at between £4,000 and £6,000 (roughly $5,300 to $8,000), and will be accompanied by signed correspondence from Pertwee as well as signed photographs of Sixth Doctor Colin Baker. The collection also includes some other thrilling mementos:
Speaking to Cultured Northeast, Trower explained, “[The collection has] been lovingly built over many years by a hugely enthusiastic Doctor Who fan, and it’s full of character, nostalgia and real fun. We’re delighted to be bringing it to auction, where we’re sure it will find a whole new universe of admirers.”
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
