It’s a label that piques the interest of any warm-blooded car enthusiast, but true and authentic ‘barn finds’ have become fewer and farther between. The term seems to be slapped on any car that’s gathered a few microns of dust nowadays, leading to some industry commentators stating that there are no more barn finds left to uncover. And yet almost as soon as someone says this, another treasure trove is discovered in a corner of the world.

In the past few days, news began to trickle out about the discovery of a farm with 81 classic cars in varying states of disrepair. A Frenchman named Henry Ruggieri was the owner of the collection, until his recent passing, leaving the discovery to the French authorities tasked with handling his estate. The most notable among them is a 1953 Porsche 356 Pre-A, and a 1968 Lamborghini Miura P400 – number 118 of 275 built.

Ruggieri was described as a ‘compulsive buyer’, never actually using any of his cars, instead leaving them to rot in his many barns and fields. To ensure none were stolen, Ruggieri would remove a key component from each of the vehicles, rendering them inoperable.

Amongst the many interesting and oddball cars, our favourites include a 1947 Packard Clipper, a 1937 Citroën Rosalie, a 1961 Jaguar E-Type 3.8 (flat-floor), a Chevrolet Corvette C3, an Oldsmobile Toronado, and a Citroën 2CV, which is not unlike that owned by Top Gear presenter Chris Harris.

All 81 vehicles will be sold by French auction house Adam Encheres on January 20, 2019. You can view the full catalogue here.