- Believed unique fastback coachwork by Barker - Exhibited during October 1931 Salon d'Automobiles, Grand Palais, Paris - Purchased in 1933 by the then-Marquis de Portago (father of Alfonso de Portago) - Subject to a painstaking two and a half year restoration to exacting standards completed in 2011 - 2012 Best in Class and Best in Show at RREC Annual Rally - 2013 Best in Show at NEC Classic Motor Show - Known as "Arabella", she is finished in her original colour scheme of Green and Cream We are indebted to the vendor for his assistance in producing the following description: My quest for a 20/25 began in 2007. After inspecting many cars, I heard rumours of a Barker bodied example in Lincolnshire. Having met the owner, I had to accept she was not for sale! However, I continued to visit on a regular basis and eventually, in May 2008, he agreed to sell. By now an RREC member I began researching the car's history. The first thing of consequence was that the engine plate was in French and the fuel gauge and speedometer were calibrated metrically. All became clear when I obtained copies of the build sheets containing the magic words "Paris Show Car" therein. My enthusiasm hit the roof! Having located photocopies of the October 1931 editions of Motor and Autocar it was evident she had two tone paintwork but, of course, the illustrations were in black and white! They did reveal, however, that the top half of the car was darker than the bottom. They also showed she originally sported wheel discs and a sunroof. The rear bumper had been remanufactured by the previous owner who made an excellent match to the original. We decided to progress with the body repairs, keeping an eye for traces of the original colour scheme. I remember our first sight of this as if it was yesterday - green and cream! It took time to be satisfied with a colour match, but after weeks of experimentation we felt it was perfect. I was lucky to be using a small body shop outside Grantham whose approach was as fastidious and perfectionist as my own. The chromework was re-plated and the bonnet hinges remade in stainless steel because, having seized, they caused it to distort when opened. In removing the hinges the original rivets had to be sacrificed. I purchased replacements but they stood too proud. A retired friend heard of the problem and offered to machine over 400 rivets so their profile matched the originals! He also remade the Barker patented dipping system in stainless steel, putting a grease nipple in the concentric tubes that operate it. At the same time all the dome headed coach bolts on the body were remade in stainless steel. A commercial supplier supplied new wheel discs at enormous cost which were painted to match the body. The original windscreen had delaminated so a new one was obtained. The chrome went back on, the locks were laboriously repaired and the headlamps sent to Sheffield to be refurbished and re-plated. It was time to tackle the trim. Around 1960 'Arabella' (as she is known) had been sold to America spending the next 25 years in Florida. Apart from painting her copper bronze, discarding the wheel discs, and fitting Buick bumpers, the hot weather had played havoc with the interior. The original horse hide leather had become dry and cracked and subsequently re-upholstered in vinyl. Fortunately the original leather was left so upon stripping the vinyl away it was revealed. A small tannery in Southern Spain, who tanned leather by hand in a non-industrialised way, were able to colour match using cow hide instead of the original horse hide. I had tried to locate horse hide but was unable to find a supplier. I already knew a trimmer whose work was of a very high standard and was confident he would maintain the standards already achieved. I wanted the seats upholstered in a 'baggy' way, replicating a 'gentleman's club chair' and am delighted with the outcome. The original stuffing of horse hair and latex was re-used. There were no carpets or headlining present so we chose colours that suited the colour scheme. New door cards were made from marine ply and upholstered to match the interior. Basically the engine and drive train were in good condition, but some original equipment had been "plundered" over time and a number of items were needed to restore the engine compartment. The most difficult were the under trays, which had disappeared, and the starter solenoid, which had been replaced with a modern version. The engine had been worked on by the previous owner and already boasted an aluminium cylinder head and re-metalled bearings. The carburettor proved unreliable and difficult to set up but the addition of new needles solved the problem and she has run perfectly ever since. The engine compartment was tidied and all electrics re-wired using correct colours. After steam cleaning the chassis and re-painting she was much admired by all who saw her. I have been ably assisted throughout by members of the RREC who were always on hand to offer advice and assistance when necessary. During the course of the restoration, which lasted two and a half years, research into the car's history proved very interesting. The first owner, who saw it at the Paris Show in the Grand Palais was a well-known enthusiast for the marque, Captain JF Kruse MC. He owned more than 20 Rolls-Royces in his time and bought 'Arabella' for his wife - a fashionable young lady who enjoyed visiting the clubs of London. The next owner, the Marquis de Portago, who bought the car in 1933, was a personal friend of Captain Kruse having met on the polo pitch at the Hurlingham Club. In 1928, he had had an only son named Alfonso, whose mother used the car until it was disposed of just pre-war. Alfonso became a famous racing driver before his death in the 1957 Mille Miglia. The car spent the war in storage in Montpelier Square, London, emerging in the ownership of another Captain - Captain Drummond MC, a member of the banking family and a distant relative of the Queen Mother. Around 1960 she was sold to an American Serviceman based at Bicester who shipped it to Florida. He registered her '1931 RR', repainted her copper bronze and over 20 years allowed her to descend into dilapidation. She was spotted in Miami and brought back to the UK by Porters of Kensington and, shortly afterwards, c.1985, acquired by the retired motor engineer in Lincolnshire from whom I bought her in 2008. Built as a 'one off' for the Paris Show of 1931, she remains unique although rumours exist of a similar body built on a Phantom chassis. Since completion 'Arabella' has travelled c.16,000 miles. The first ride overseas was to the Classic Le Mans meeting, then a tour was made under the auspices of the "Club d'Auto" around the Champagne vineyards of Epernay. We then attended the Circuit des Remparts at Angouleme before being invited to attend the British Car Club Meeting in St Moritz where we participated in the Rally, negotiating two Alpine Passes of seven and eight thousand feet before coming second in the Concours. She has made two trips to the Goodwood Revival and in 2012 she won Best in Class and Best in Show at the RREC Annual Rally at Rockingham. The achievement shortly afterwards of winning 'Best in Show' at the 2013 NEC Classic Car Show is a fitting testimonial to the craftsmen and friends who have helped to create the masterpiece that is the first Rolls-Royce to win this coveted award.
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- One of just 54 examples built - Coachwork by H J Mulliner - Silver with black hide - Three previous owners - Believed genuine c.37,000 miles - Options include: factory air-con, rev counter, adjustable spot & fog lights, leather dash top, interior / exterior thermometer Further Info: By the late 1950s, Rolls-Royce's long-serving six-cylinder engine was no longer a match for the more contemporary powerplants of its rivals. With America being the company's most important export market, it was perhaps inevitable that the British firm would turn to the V8 units of such manufacturers as Cadillac and Chrysler for inspiration. The result was the all-alloy, eight-cylinder, 6.25 litre, 90 degree engine of V-configuration, that made its debut in 1959 below the imposing bonnets of the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II and Bentley S2. The change in powerplant was very well received and even the related slogan coined by David Ogilvy's advertising agency - `At 60mph the loudest noise in this new Rolls-Royce comes from the electric clock' - became a classic in its own right. While the engine upgrade was the only significant difference between Cloud II/S2 and the Cloud I/S1 that preceded them, the Cloud III/S3 that came to market three years later carried a variety of further improvements. For example the engine was treated to larger carburettors, a new distributor and an increase in compression ratio, while a General Motors-derived four-speed automatic transmission became standard equipment. Internal changes included an increase in rear passenger space and a move to separate front seats, while the adoption of a lower radiator shell and a quad headlamp system endowed the model with a more contemporary look. Critics argued that drum brakes and a separate chassis and body were no longer fitting on a motorcar of this ilk, but that had little or no effect on the model's many admirers from home and abroad, who encouraged Rolls-Royce to continue production into 1966, at which point the line was finally supplanted by the monocoque Silver Shadow. By that stage no less than 2809 examples had been produced, 375 of which featured coachbuilt bodies. 54 of the 375 were commissioned from London-based H J Mulliner, 52 of which were clothed in four-door, six-light bodies to design number 2042. They are frequently referred to as `Flying Spur' models but, according to marque expert and author of the book `The Flying Spur', Bernard L King, Rolls-Royce themselves only used that moniker in connection with the equivalent Bentleys, so the Rolls-Royces are perhaps more accurately referred to as having Flying Spur-style coachwork by H J Mulliner. His take on the derivation of the Flying Spur name itself is equally interesting - evidently the crest of the Johnstone clan is a winged spur and it just so happened that the Managing Director of H J Mulliner from 1944 to 1960 was one Harry Talbot Johnstone. You can draw your own conclusions. The stunning sale car is one of the treasured 52 motorcars built to the above specification and is believed by Rolls-Royce circles to be the most original and lowest mileage example of this very rare model - it has had just three owners from new (two of whom apparently had an extensive collection of cars) and is understood to have driven just 37,300 miles to date. A number of interesting items of special equipment were factory-fitted, including: air conditioning, rev-counter, adjustable spot and fog lights, leather dash top and an interior/exterior thermometer. `JLM 204' is finished in Silver and trimmed in Black hide and is currently considered by the vendor to have `excellent' coachwork, paintwork, interior trim, V8 engine and automatic transmission. One thing's for sure, standard Cloud IIIs of this quality are now exceedingly few and far between, while those with Flying Spur-style bodywork now rarely come to market. `JLM 204' therefore represents a unique and exciting opportunity for Rolls-Royce aficionados everywhere.
- Rare 'Short Chassis' Phantom II (precursor to the Continental) - Four-door, four-light coachwork by Harrison & Son - Tim Payne overdrive, full-flow oil filter, stainless steel exhaust Further Info: Last of the truly grand six-cylinder Rolls-Royces and indeed the final one to be overseen from start to finish by F. Henry Royce himself, the Phantom II was introduced at the October 1929 Olympia Motor Show. Something of a radical departure from its Silver Ghost and New Phantom predecessors, the newcomer was built around a discernibly more modern chassis. Topped by a new aluminium alloy crossflow cylinder head, its pair-cast 7668cc six-cylinder overhead valve engine was not only mounted in unit with a four-speed manual gearbox but also bolted directly to the chassis side rails. With its radiator positioned aft of a specially reworked beam front axle, the Phantom II was notably low-slung. An enticing platform for the coachbuilder's art, its elongated bonnet line and short overhangs proved conducive to elegant design. Reputedly capable of over 90mph, the model was in production for six years during which some 1,394 are thought to have been made. This splendid-looking motorcar, chassis 167 XJ, was ordered in October 1929 by Car Mart of Park Lane, London on behalf of U J Phillipson of Richmond, Yorkshire. The creation of the six-seater coachwork was entrusted to Harrison & Son of Stanhope Street, London and featured that company's patented `flexible' bodywork with felt joints for the wooden frame and screws encased in rubber bushes. The Rolls' unique specification included a pair of spare wheel carriers and a 28-gallon fuel tank. Once the property of connoisseur collector Terry Cohn, `GF 8793' was acquired by the previous owner at the Bonhams auction of June 2001, following which it underwent a comprehensive engine overhaul and was equipped with Tim Payne overdrive, full-flow oil filter, stainless steel exhaust and new P100 headlights and side mirrors. Extensively rallied throughout Europe, this delightful long-legged Saloon is being offered complete with old-style logbook and sundry restoration invoices.
- 1 of 606 made and current RREC member ownership since 1993 - Said to drive very well and to have had summer use only - Engine overhauled in 2012 by Swedish specialist Bengt Stange Further Info: Hand-crafted by Mulliner Park Ward, the Silver Shadow Two-Door Saloon was introduced in 1966. The work of in-house stylist W.G. Allen, the saloon-cum-coupe boasted wonderfully sleek lines. Blending speed with refinement in a way that few rivals could match, it was powered by a 6230cc OHV V8 engine allied to automatic transmission. Trimmed with a superlative mix of sumptuous leather hides, rich wood veneers and deep lambswool carpets, the model was every bit as luxurious as it was expensive. Despite being in production for five years, just 606 MPW Two-Door Saloons are thought to have been made. Still recorded on the DVLA and HPi databases under its former UK registration number `XBY 130F', this particular right-hand drive example has belonged to a Swedish RREC member for the past twenty-two years. Said to `drive very well', the Rolls-Royce was reportedly treated to both a thorough engine overhaul by Bengt Stange and a respray in its original livery during 2012. Rated by the vendor as `very good' with regard to its 6230cc V8, automatic transmission, bodywork, paintwork and interior trim (while, the electrical equipment is apparently `good except the A/C'), this handsome Silver Shadow Two-Door is being offered for sale without reserve.
- Coachwork by Freestone & Webb and first registered to Erith & Co Ltd - Coming from long term ownership - Offered with history file containing service receipts and old MOT's Further info: The vendor informs us that 'BNH 330' was first registered to Erith & Co Ltd in 1949. However it subsequently spent many years in the USA, and it was in Texas in the 1980s that a considerable degree of restoration is understood to have been carried out. The Rolls was then repatriated in December 1988, and was for some years part of a large private collection in the Midlands before being sold via our July 2000 sale. The Four-Door Six-Light Limousine body No. 1502 is by Freestone & Webb to design No. 3050. The motorcar is finished in the eye-catching combination of Black and Yellow, the interior trimmed in Brown hide, and it rides on white-walled tyres. The vendor describes the Silver Wraith as a 'complete, very honest example that's on the button and only being sold due to the ill health of the owner'. It is offered complete with history file.
- Late Springfield Ghost with LHD and 3-speed centre change gearbox - Purchased from Ristes and reputedly 1 of just 25 Berwick Sedans - Meticulous 'body off' restoration during the 1990s but needs finishing Further Info: Rolls-Royce of America Inc was established to bypass the swingeing import duty that had hitherto restricted its parent company's transatlantic sales. Operating from factory premises in Springfield, Massachusetts, the new concern initially built carbon copies of the famous 40/50hp model. However, as time progressed so its product became more attuned to the US market. The beautifully wrought ladder frame chassis and enviably smooth 7428cc straight-six engine were little altered but later cars featured a three-speed, centre gearchange manual transmission and left-hand drive (interestingly just 600 or so of the 1,703 Springfield Silver Ghosts completed were to LHD specification). Designed to woo existing Packard, Cadillac and Pierce Arrow customers who had little truck with the idea of a chassis only purchase, a catalogued range of Rolls-Royce Custom Coachwork was soon made available. The various designs were given British names and subcontracted to the likes of Amesbury, Biddle & Smart, Holbrook, Locke, Merrimac, New Haven, Smith-Springfield and Willoughby. Visually distinguished by its rakish windscreen, just twenty-five examples of the undeniably handsome six-light Berwick Sedan are thought to have been made. Rumoured to have previously belonged to an American peanut farmer, chassis S298PK was purchased by the vendor from Steve Lovatt of renowned marque specialist Ristes Motors during the late 1980s. Treated to a meticulous `body off, chassis up' restoration thereafter, much of the work was carried out by the vendor's son (an ex-Ristes' employee). Albeit, his former mentor was called upon to fully overhaul the engine (number 21984). Unfortunately, the refurbishment has yet to be completed and while considerable attention has self-evidently been paid to the body frame, paintwork, dashboard, wood veneer door cappings and running gear etc, the seat frames need re-upholstering and sundry other jobs completing. Recently returned to running order by Ristes, this rare left-hand drive Springfield Ghost cries out to be finished.
- Offered with original Book Pack and Service Manual - MoT'd until May 2016 with no advisories - Engine, paintwork and interior rated as 'Excellent' Further Info: The third generation SL (R107) was launched in 1971, initially with just a 3.5-litre engine (350SL) mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. The car featured a two-door monocoque bodyshell with independent suspension and disc brakes all-round. Over its phenomenal 18-year reign, the R107 range was powered by eight different engines - two sizes of straight-six and six versions of Mercedes-Benz's silky smooth V8. The V8-powered 560SL was manufactured from 1986 to 1989 and only offered in the US, Japanese and Australian markets. With 227bhp on tap it was a genuine 130mph car, with ample reserves of effortless acceleration. The lefthand drive example on offer sports Red bodywork complemented by Mushroom-coloured interior trim. The vendor considers its bodywork, paintwork, interior, engine and automatic transmission to all be in `excellent' order and is selling the big Benz complete with its original owners' book pack and service manual, and an advisory-free MOT valid to May 11, 2016.
- 1 of only 41 examples built - Recent repaint, retrim and hood, overhauled mechanically - Finished in the original shade of Ming Blue For 1965, Rolls-Royce launched their new and unitary-construction four-door saloon which was available in either Rolls-Royce or Bentley versions. A limited number of Bentley two-door saloons followed with coachwork by James Young or Mulliner Park Ward whilst, from 1967 to 1971, just 41 convertible examples are believed to have been built wearing coachwork by Mulliner Park Ward. Initially powered by a 6230cc V8 (enlarged to 6750cc in 1970) coupled to a silky-smooth GM three-speed automatic transmission, progress in any T Series is rapid and completely effortless. This extremely rare convertible was, according to its copy sales invoice and build sheet, supplied via Rippon Bros. to a Mr Percy Lee of Sheffield in 1969, and first registered on 13th January 1970. It is interesting to note that the list price would have exceeded that of an Aston Martin DB6 Volante! Upon Mr Lee's death in 1999, the car was exported to the USA becoming the property of a Mr Anderson in Connecticut. During this period the colour was changed from its original blue to gunmetal grey whilst the dry climate took its toll on the leather interior. After its subsequent return to the UK, the car was purchased by the vendor in 2012 who set about returning it to its former glory. The works included a repaint in its original shade of Ming Blue whilst the interior was retrimmed in tan leather. A new hood and tonneau were fitted and a careful mechanical overhaul carried out including attention to the brakes, suspension and hood mechanism. The radiator was also replaced. Now described as having "very good" paintwork, bodywork and transmission, with "excellent" interior and "good" engine, this elegant Bentley convertible is accompanied by a current MoT to February 2016. The lucky new owner can certainly look forward to stylish motoring with an exclusivity that would normally command a far greater asking price.
Manufactured by Triang Ltd, model number TM 0105. Maroon livery with faux cream trim. Two owners from new, the last since 1980 who has stored it for the last 35 years. Offered requiring some renovation, the bodywork featuring a crack to one wing and the base of the seat pan - the windscreen, mascot and part of the hood cover are all missing. The rear lamp lenses are missing, but the surrounds have survived - all three lamp switches are there, however one of the bezels is missing. Both battery compartments are intact. Pedals, cranks and steering all work, but the steering column requires straightening. Bumpers, over-riders, lower side trims and door handle mouldings; hubcaps have all survived but require cleaning at least. Radiator shell is complete, but has suffered some splits. Beauty rings and hubcaps are all present and in good order. A worthwhile project.
A late 19th century mahogany longcase clock, the painted arched face with Arabic numerals, decorated with figures and flowers, an eight day movement, 'Burslem' painted to the face, the case having broken pediment, the central door and base having inlaid decoration, four turned supports, 324cm.
A superb late 18th/early 19th c. Mahogany Cupboard on Secretaire Chest having moulded cornice over the opposing pair of single raised and fielded panel doors, opening to reveal two adjustable shelves over lower twin rows of eight over two narrow and three wider drawers with original brass knobs, the base having upper fitted Secretaire drawer with eight pigeon holes, central single moulded panel door, miniature cupboard and four drawers, inset cloth writing area, brass hinges and folding supports, over three long drawers. All long drawers having Oak linings, brass swan neck handles, cock beaded edges and pierced, shaped escutcheons, standing on bracket feet. 43 1/2'' wide x 76 1/4'' high x 20 3/8'' deep
A reproduction Mahogany finished Georgian style Display Cabinet, reed edge top over single, thirteen pane astragal door, having glazed sides, two internal glass shelves, shaped and carved lower apron and carved shoulders, standing on cabriole legs. 20 1/2'' wide x 50 1/4'' high x 12 1/4'' deep
A very good and unusual Victorian Mahogany kneehole Dressing Chest having central arch top bevel plated mirror in swan pediment frame with carving and applied flower motifs, in elegant two pane single door corner cupboards on delicate spindle turned supports, flanked either side by bevel plate arched mirrors, the moulded rectangular top with moulded edge over central frieze drawer over carved and shaped apron, flanked by two flights of four graduated drawers, all drawers having brush stain decorated fronts, Mahogany linings, brass plate handles, and standing on twin plinth bases with castors. 54 1/4" wide x 73 1/2" high x 22 1/2" deep
EXTRA LOT: A 1996 Rover 114 SLi, registration number P394 JYD, red. With 32,000 believed miles from new, this automatic Rover version of BL's Metro is presented in very clean condition. A five door example with a grey cloth interior to complement the metallic red coachwork. At the guide price this Rover would make a great starter classic or inexpensive runabout. V5C, MOT to May 2016 See illustration
EXTRA LOT: A 1995 Rover 114 SLi, registration number N271 JRL, blue. This three door automatic Rover Metro is presented in very original and clean condition. With less than 28,000 miles on the clock, this Metro has been cherished by the former keepers. The Rover would now make an inexpensive starter classic or runabout. V5C, MOT to March 2016 See illustration
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235302 item(s)/page