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| Chassis No. | ||
| 54PB | ||
| Estimate: | ||
| $1,500,000-$2,000,000 US | ||
| AUCTION DATE: | ||
| To be auctioned on Friday, January 16, 2009 |
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| 48bhp 7,248 cc side valve six-cylinder engine, four-speed manual transmission, front semi-elliptic leaf spring and rear three-quarter elliptic leaf spring, two wheel drum brakes, right hand drive. In December of 1904, an adventurer and an engineer joined their creative forces and developed a high performance automobile that was flawless in its workmanship and marketed with passion and ingenuity. Forty of these 20-horsepower, four-cylinder models were produced in 1905 and 1906, but this was just the start of one of the greatest automotive stories in history. In March 1906, Rolls-Royce Limited was registered as a company and in the same year, the Honorable Charles Stewart Rolls and Frederick Henry Royce created the 40/50 six-cylinder Silver Ghost – a model that in the minds of many automotive historians is the most revolutionary automobile ever built. Rolls was an automotive enthusiast, race car driver and aviator, who was also a marketing and promotional master. Royce was a fanatical engineer who would accept nothing short of perfection, and once described the crafting of his cars as “sewing” parts together. This unlikely pair was in fact the perfect union to sell a motorcar that would become the world standard, a fact that Rolls wanted to establish in the minds of the wealthy elite. He accomplished this through sensational publicity garnered from victories in the world’s most important automobile events. The Tourist Trophy Race was one of the most prestigious events of the era, and was won by Rolls and Royce in commanding fashion in 1906, when the pair beat their nearest competition by 27 minutes. This was followed by the famous 15,000-mile reliability run of 1907, where the original Silver Ghost finished the event and required an incredible £22s 7d to restore it to as-new specification (or about $10 at 1907 exchange rates). Of course, the hoods for all competitors were sealed shut for this competition to prevent any in-race maintenance. Rolls also understood the importance of image when marketing and selling the most luxurious and advanced motor car to the upper crust of high society. He accomplished this by “supplying” Silver Ghosts to British royalty, which further established the place of the Silver Ghost in the minds of the influential and wealthy elite. This observation, coupled with the fact that the Silver Ghost was the most comfortable luxury car built and the only one available that was quiet enough to allow for normal conversation at speed, made the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost the obvious choice for those who wanted the ultimate motoring experience. Powered with a 454 cubic inch L-head, six-cylinder, side valve engine, the Silver Ghost was a mechanical marvel with its aluminum alloy crankcase and a timing drive and ignition that was driven by gears, not chains. The timing gears were made of phosphor bronze and nickel steel, which were ground and polished by hand. The crankshaft itself was ground to an accuracy of .025 on its bearing surfaces and then hand polished to remove any minute scratches left by the grinder. The result was an automobile that ran in complete silence without a puff of smoke – a feat that could not be matched at the time and has never been duplicated since. Three specially equipped cars were prepared for an important trial in 1911 – the London to Edinburgh run. The Rolls-Royce entries dominated the field, and following their great success, this enhanced specification became available to client order. Later, three such L to E chassis were upgraded to provide enhanced performance and entered in the Austrian Alpine trials. When Rolls-Royce won the event outright, this improved specification became available, known as the Alpine Eagle specification. Most of these cars were ordered for sporting applications, and 54PB appears to be no exception. Although there is no official record of the original coachwork, the car was fitted with a low rake steering column, indicating that it was intended to receive sporting open coachwork. 54PB was placed on test on April 29th, 1914. Upon completion, it was shipped to Garage Majestic in Brussels, Belgium for delivery to its initial owner, a Mr. F. Herman. By June of 1919, the car was still in Brussels, owned by a Mr. A. Lancer. However given the historic climate of the time it is difficult to ascertain if the car was in fact even driven or remained as a bare chassis awaiting its custom coachwork. In 1911, an ambitious young man named Ernst Schebera founded Carrosserie Schebera GmbH in Berlin. Almost from the company’s inception, they were favored by some of the leading manufacturers of the day to create lavish and stylish coachwork for their wealthy clientele. During World War I, Schebera’s reputation led to a number of contracts to build staff cars and ambulances for the German army, and his success in doing so made him a leading supplier. In 1919, Jacob Shapiro became managing director of Carrosserie Schebera. A wealthy businessman, Shapiro held seats on the boards of several major companies, including Benz, BMW, Cyklon, and NSU. Unfortunately, his speculation in the stock market turned bad during the recession of 1922/23, and NSU took over the coachbuilding business, changing the name to Karosseriewerke Schebera AG, and Shapiro’s involvement with the firm came to an end. The history of the firm is important in that it establishes the approximate date of construction of 54PB’s coachwork. The car’s original coachbuilder’s sill plates read “Shapiro – Schebera”. Since Shapiro did not join the firm until 1919, the body cannot precede this date – and since NSU took over the firm in 1923, the body must have been built prior to that date. In short the outstanding coachwork on this Rolls-Royce is thought to have been installed during this period. The car is quite well known in the coachbuilding world. According to The Beaulieu Encyclopedia of Automobile Coachbuilding by Nick Georgano, “Schebera bodies on NSU, Dixi, Protos, Benz, Stoewer and Audi chassis were beautifully finished, while a boat-tailed 1914 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost two-seater made history as the most unusual car ever to carry [a] Schebera body.” As noted earlier, there is no record of any prior body on the chassis, leading historians to speculate that the chassis may have been delivered to Schebera prior to the war, but not finished until 1919. The factory records show no intervening owners until 1925, when Messrs. A. Souraty & Cie of Cairo, Egypt, acquired the car. They were presumably automobile agents, and subsequently passed the car on to Mr. Achmed Naguib Bev, also of Cairo, in 1926. The next owner of record is Gregory Malacos, another Cairo resident, in 1947, followed by H. Williamson (Cairo, 1949), and then finally to a Mr. Platt, also in Cairo. In 1956, Dr. Robin O. Barnard of Chiddingfold, Surrey, and Mr. H. Vivian of London. learned of the car. When they tracked down the owner, Mr. Platt, he offered to loan them the car if they would return it to the UK and look after it, restoring it as necessary. They began a restoration, during the course of which it was discovered that the car’s condition was remarkably good, requiring only relatively minor mechanical work. The condition of the engine’s internals seemed to indicate that the car was in largely original condition, and had done very little mileage since new. The bodywork was original and very solid, exhibiting no wood rot at all, and requiring only a minimal amount of wood replacement as a result of minor damage to the top decking, and a sympathetic refinishing. The brightwork received fresh nickel plating, and missing or non-original components were replaced with the proper pieces. After visiting Dr. Barnard and Mr. Vivian in London, Mr. Platt was pleased with the work the pair had undertaken and decided to sell them the car, and they became joint owners of 54PB. They kept the car for almost thirty years before passing it on to the next keeper, and finally, in 1985, 54PB was acquired by Bob Barrymore of California, where it joined one of America’s great collections. Today, 54PB stands almost alone among the great examples of the Edwardian Silver Ghost. There is no denying the charismatic beauty of the coachwork, and its status as the only surviving example of wooden skiff coachwork from the period makes it an unforgettable example even in the very rarified world of important coachbuilt Rolls-Royce. The skill with which the lines were drawn emphasizes the car’s rakish design. The sportiness of the body is evident in the vee windshield, flying fenders, and gracefully tapered tail. The car’s sleek lines dictated a narrow body, while the unique staggered seating gives ample room for both driver and passenger. Although the actual designer of the car been lost in the mists of history, German automotive historian Hans Newbauer believes that the car was penned by Ernst Neuman-Neander, who created several boat-tailed designs for German clients around 1920. The overall paint condition is really quite nice, having acquired a pleasant patina since it was applied almost fifty years ago. The wood appears to be two different species, with the body and side panels in mahogany and the car’s deck in cherry or something similar. The stain and varnish are also in well-preserved condition and show quite well. The car’s brightwork is in very nice condition, some of it appearing to be unrestored. It should be noted that the headlamps, tail lights and side lights all match and are likely original to the car, having all been manufactured by C.A. Vanderville. The interior was replaced more recently, during the car’s tenure in the Barrymore collection, and the leather remains in well maintained overall condition. The gauges displayed appear to be correct period pieces, including a rare and highly desirable Elliot Brothers speedometer. The chassis, underbody and running gear are finished in black and appear largely original. Upon examination, it does not appear that the body has been off the frame, although this is obviously difficult to verify. The springs are clearly original to the car and feature the original stamping marks. In addition, the engine compartment features a set of belly pans that also appear to be original to the car. The four-speed gearbox is correct to the car given the year. The Boa Constrictor horn is an original example and is in excellent original condition. One clever aspect of the Schebera Skiff is the raked vee windshield that allows the top portion to fold for increased drive comfort. After its acquisition by the current owner, the car was sent to RM Restorations in 2004, where it received a new convertible top and sidemount covers, among other cosmetic work. The engine bay was detailed and all aluminum, brass and copper were polished. Additionally, the car received mechanical work, with attention paid to the fuel and electrical systems, transmission and engine. Fully serviced, the car was then exhibited at Pebble Beach in 2005, and participated in the adjoining tour, performing flawlessly in the process. Furthermore, the car received a Grand Marshall Award at the Cranbrook Concours and a Chief Judge Award at the Concours d’Elegance of the Eastern United States. As presented, the car continues to be in superb, running and driving order. Few cars achieve iconic status among collectors, and a case can be made that 54PB is such a car. Well known in Rolls-Royce circles, it is also one of the twenty cars selected by noted author Phil May for his seminal work Twenty Silver Ghosts; The Incomparable Pre-WW I Rolls Royce. In addition, 54PB was chosen by Franklin Mint to commission a scale model as a part of their limited edition series of collector’s models. These late prewar cars are very sought after as they have better brakes and gearbox than the earlier cars and are much faster. In addition, they make superb touring cars, with handling and performance unmatched by any other car of the time – and 54PB’s build date ensures that it will be eligible for the most desirable of the early car tours. 54PB is almost certainly one of the lightest, sportiest Silver Ghosts ever built. It is a remarkably compact car that will continue to show beautifully as it has aged gracefully and kept in excellent condition while having received a complete cosmetic freshening for Pebble Beach as previously indicated. On the road, its combination of Rolls-Royce’s highest mechanical specification with Shapiro-Schebera’s ultra lightweight body will allow 54PB to show off its lovely tail to any other car of the time. |
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