Bonhams offer great classic cars at Retromobile

Bonhams will offer great cars from leading classic car marques at Retromobile on 7 February 2009 (starting 6pm) – these iconic cars include a 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante (estimate Euro 2.75m-4m), a 1913 Bugatti Type 18 (Garros) `Black Bess’, a 1929 Duesenberg Murphy J Roadster (Euro1.5m-2m) and a 1961 Ferrari 250GT SWB (Euro 1.6m – 1.8m).

James Knight, International Managing Director of Collectors’ Cars at Bonhams comments: “Once again we are in a position to offer some of the finest cars in the world at this prestigious venue. It is our second annual sale at Retromobile and we are selling cars that have captured the imagination of the world of collectors as well as the world’s media. Their provenance, looks, and rarity make them ideally suited to offer in Paris before such a discriminating audience.”

EX-EARL HOWE BUGATTI ‘BARN-FIND’ EMERGES INTO SPOTLIGHT AFTER 50 YEARS

The 1937 Bugatti Type 57S originally owned by Earl Howe, whose existence has only been known to a handful of people during the last 50 years. This highly significant motor car is conservatively estimated to realise in .

The Bugatti with Atalante coachwork retains all the attributes that will ensure its appeal to the world’s most discerning collectors. It has a spectacular provenance having been owned by Earl Howe, Lord Ridley, Harold Carr and others; it has a continuous and chronicled history; and it has exceptional originality retaining original chassis, engine, drivetrain and body. It even has what appears to be a remarkably low mileage with an odometer reading of just 26,284.

James Knight, International Head of Bonhams' motoring department said: "I have known of this Bugatti for a number of years and, like a select group of others, hadn’t dared divulge its whereabouts to anyone. It is absolutely one of the last great barn discoveries, and we at Bonhams are honoured to have been selected to handle its sale.”

Bugatti Type 57S, chassis no. 57502, was completed at the Bugatti works on 5 May, 1937 sporting two-seat Atalante coupe coachwork. It was ordered new by no less than the motor sport great – and the BRDC’s (British Racing Driver’s Club) first President - Earl Howe via UK Bugatti agents, Sorel of London. Howe had a long association with Ettore Bugatti and his machines, and developed a close friendship with Ettore and his son Jean, having raced their Grand Prix motor cars.

Earl Howe took delivery of 57502 on the 9 June 1937 and was to retain his Bugatti for over eight years. He added a personal touch by fitting his own bumpers, rear-view mirrors on the A-pillars and a luggage rack, which it still retains to this day. It was to become his personal companion, escorting him to Brooklands and other race meetings. The car would have seen relatively little use during the Second World War as Earl Howe served with the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve.

‘BLACK BESS’ TO STAR IN BONHAMS’ RETROMOBILE SALE

The 1913 5-litre Bugatti Type 18 Sports Two-Seater known as ‘Black Bess’ and widely regarded as the most important Type 18 in existence is another star in Bonhams’ Retromobile sale.

With continuous history from new, this Bugatti has the most extraordinary provenance and in 95 years has had just a handful of owners – featuring many distinguished names. This is the first time that ‘Black Bess’ has come to auction and Bonhams anticipates interest from connoisseurs around the world. It is estimated to fetch €1,300,000 – 1,600,000

One of only three surviving examples of just seven Type 18s built, ‘Black Bess’ is widely regarded as the most desirable example available. One is entombed in the Schlumpf Collection (French National Motor Museum) and the other is privately owned in the UK. ‘Black Bess’ is very original, retaining its original chassis, engine and body. It is also chain drive which is most desirable on a motor car of this period.

This car was delivered new to the pioneer French aviator Roland Garros, the first aviator to fly the Mediterranean. In 1913 he had been invited by Ettore Bugatti to the factory at Molsheim and, impressed by the Type 18, ordered a chassis - number 474 - with a sporting two-seater body by notable French coachbuilder Labourdette. To check on its progress, Garros would regularly fly down to Molsheim in the aeroplane, a Morane-Saulnier, that he had used on his epic trans-Mediterranean flight.

When hostilities commenced in 1914 Garros joined the flying corps and is believed to have driven to a flying meeting in Vienna in the Bugatti. Although he survived being shot down in 1915, he was killed three weeks before the Armistice when he was shot down again. Ettore Bugatti, who had become a close friend, named his last child - born in 1922 - ‘Roland’ in honour of Garros.

His Bugatti was acquired by another pilot, Audemars, who passed it on to Louis Coatalen, Chief Engineer of the Sunbeam Motor Company Ltd in Wolverhampton. Coatalan was responsible for the war-time Sunbeam aero-engines, and he used the fast and reliable 5-litre car on his regular trips between London and Paris.

After the war, the 1913 Bugatti was bought by Miss Ivy Cummings. Introduced to competitive motor sport by her father, she successfully competed in many speed hill-climbs and speed-trials in the car between 1919 and 1924. She named the Bugatti ‘Black Bess’ after Dick Turpin’s legendary steed, and this affectionate title has stayed with the car ever since.

DUESENBERG: AMERICA’S MOST SOUGHT AFTER AUTOMOBILE

The 1929 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Coupé Coachwork by Walter M Murphy, will also turn heads at Retromobile in Paris. Estimate €1,500,000-2,000,000

Arguably America’s most sought-after automobile, the fabulous Duesenberg Model J enjoys a reputation like few others. A monument to the ambition of one man - Erret Lobban Cord - and the engineering brilliance of two others - Frederick and August Duesenberg - the Model J was revealed to a awe-struck public at the New York Automobile Salon in December 1928.

The Model J was endowed with outstanding performance: the top speed – achieved at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway - was 116mph (187km/h) with 90mph (151km/h) reachable in second gear, making the new Duesenberg one of the fastest road cars of its day. And for those who found the standard model too slow there was the supercharged ‘SJ’, introduced in 1932 and endowed with 320bhp - more with the later ‘ram’s horn’ manifolding. Model J buyers ranged from movie stars to gangsters to politicians, with one-off custom-made bodies abounding. The finished cars were some of the largest, grandest, most beautiful and elegant ever made. Clark Gable, Gary Cooper, Howard Hughes and the HRH Duke of Windsor were counted among their owners. Deusenberg’s advertising claimed that theirs was the best car in the world, and the Model J’s exceptional performance and extreme opulence fully backed that assertion.

Like other luxury car manufacturers, Duesenberg was adversely affected by the Wall Street Crash but although the company survived the Depression it could not survive the collapse of Cord’s business empire, perishing together with Auburn and Cord in 1937.

This outstandingly original Model J was sold new in 1929 to multi-millionaire, John R MacKinney, of East 52nd Street, New York City, a partner of Standard Oil’s John D Rockefeller, Sr. Both men had their own seats on the New York Stock Exchange and MacKinney also owned his own company, MacKinney & Weicher. The Model J was bought via the New York City Duesenberg agency for $14,500, approximately the price of two dozen Model A Fords! MacKinney’s car, chassis number ‘2239’, was delivered with convertible coupé coachwork, complete with ‘rumble’ or ‘dickey’ seat, by the highly respected Californian coachbuilder, Walter M Murphy.

A FERRARI THAT OFFERED THE BEST INTRODUCTION TO GRAN TURISMO RACING IN 1960-61

1961 Ferrari 250GT SWB ‘Alloy’ Berlinetta, Coachwork by Pininfarina design. Estimate €1,600,000-1,800,000

If you were a young, well-to-do racing enthusiast in 1960-61, the finest introduction into the enthralling world of Gran Turismo racing was to invest in a brand-new Ferrari 250GT Short-Wheelbase Berlinetta. Fast, safe, near unburstable and user-friendly – the alloy cars were the ultimate.’

Introduced at the 1959 Paris Salon, the 250GT SWB Berlinetta went on to dominate its class in international GT racing in the years 1960 to 1962. A true dual-purpose car, it was arguably more capable than any Ferrari before or since of coping equally well with the conflicting demands of racetrack and highway. A quick change to cooler spark plugs, racing tyres and the addition of a roll bar and the SWB could contest its class at Le Mans or Sebring.

The 250GT SWB achieved numerous class wins in international events and in 1961 won the Tourist Trophy yet again with Stirling Moss at the wheel, taking the GT class of the World Sportscar Championship with almost contemptuous ease.

The 74th of its type built, Ferrari 250GT SWB, left-hand drive chassis number ‘2501GT’ was sold new on 4th April 1961 and delivered via Luigi Chinetti Motors in Greenwich, Connecticut, USA to its first owner, a Mr Del Balso. ‘2501GT’ was completed with steel coachwork and finished in blue sera (dark blue). It was supposedly delivered with a roll bar and two sets of seats (‘Lusso’ and bucket type) almost certainly indicating that its owner had racing in mind.

In 1988, ‘2501GT’ was sold to the Swedish collector Hans Thulin but belonged to him only briefly, passing into the ownership of noted Swiss Ferraristi Albert Obrist, of Gstaad in May 1989. While in Mr Obrist’s care the car’s body was completely restored by Franco Ferrari receiving an all-new body in aluminium alloy. Ferrari worked for Fiorenzo Fantuzzi at his eponymous and well respected Carrozzeria in Modena. When Carrozzeria Fantuzzi ceased trading Franco Ferrari established his own Carrozzeria, continuing the good work. ‘2501GT’ was painted dark blue and its interior trimmed in red leather by Tappezzeria Luppi. New bumpers were fitted at front and rear.

Albert Obrist sold the restored Ferrari in 1995 to Formula 1 supremo, Bernie Ecclestone who in turn sold it to UK dealer, William Loughran, of Preston, Lancashire in 1996. Loughran kept the car for more than ten years before selling it to the current owner, via Bob Houghton Ferrari, in May 2007.

In June 2007, ‘2501GT’ was displayed by the vendor during the Ferrari Owners Club’s 40th Anniversary Meeting at Silverstone, where it was placed 1st in the Connoisseurs Class of the Concours, receiving the Peter Stubberfield Trophy.
Versatile and highly desirable, exciting yet road legal, ‘2501GT’ represents a wonderful opportunity to acquire an example of the much sought after 250GT SWB, eligible for a wide variety of Ferrari-related and other prestigious historic events worldwide.