22
Lot
22
1923 ROLLS-ROYCE SILVER-GHOST PICCADILLY ROADSTER
Registration Number: DS 7752
Chassis Number: 401HH
Recorded Mileage: 39,600 miles
- Highly original and well known example
- Several times veteran of the historic Alpine Rally
Upon its launch in 1906, the 40/50hp model, later referred to as the 'Silver Ghost', was a major leap for (at the time) the fairly new firm of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited. This was a larger, more powerful car than previous efforts; praise was heaped upon the new model for its proportions and powerful yet very quiet engine and running gear. An instant success, the 40/50 was soon adopted as the carriage of choice for the aristocratic and well-healed of Edwardian Britain. The 40/50 was of fairly conventional design; a ladder chassis mounted with a large 7.4 litre six cylinder engine, strictly speaking two three-cylinder blocks with built-in cylinder heads and side valves. Fuelling was via a carburetor of Royce?s own design, twin ignition with single coil/distributor and a secondary magneto ensured its reliability. Lubrication was via an innovative pressurized system, with additional oil being fed directly to the cylinder walls when starting or running at high speed. From 1913, 40/50s had four-speed gearboxes and a modern torque-tube drive system. Henry Royce continually developed the Silver Ghost into a very reliable, and when fitted with a light body, fast and highly competent motor car. With Britain struggling economically after the Great War, Messrs Rolls and Royce looked across to the United States to grow their empire. A few years prior to then, a New York holding depot was established with coachbuilders Brewster & Co., who were responsible for applying bodies to most imported Ghost chassis. Ultimately it made sense to assemble vehicles in the US, as a means to avoid import duties for American customers. So in 1919, Rolls-Royce purchased the American Wire Wheel Co. factory building in Massachusetts, and the Springfield Silver Ghosts were born. Silver Ghosts were bodied by many prestige coachbuilders, a number of them under the hallmark of Rolls-Royce Custom Coach Work. Included in this bevy of eastern craftsmanship were such companies as Biddle & Smart, Willoughby, Merrimac, and Holbrook. In order to expedite deliveries to customers, a range of ?off the showroom floor? designs was prepared, to be built by the aforementioned firms. Included were the Pall Mall tourer, the Oxford seven-passenger tourer, the Piccadilly roadster, and the Mayfair and Riviera town cars. The Piccadilly Roadster was inspired by the landmark central to London city, encircling the Eros water fountain. Bodies were delivered to the Waltham Avenue works ?in the white?, primed and ready for painting and trimming to order. The Springfield Ghosts evolved over the years with locally sourced components such as American Bosch ignition in place of the Watford magneto, American wheels replacing Dunlops, six-volt electrics, and towards the end of production Left Hand Drive chassis and an American-style three-speed transmission with centre change. Chassis 401HH rolled off the Springfield production line in mid-1923, being acquired by a Mr. Lashar on 28th September of that year as the first owner, and specified originally with a Mayfair Town Car body by Holbrook. Mr. Lashas owned the Ghost for several years before passing ownership to a Mr. August Sauer of Great Barrington in Massachusetts. Mr. Sauer sought a more sporting body and so in March 1931 a Rolls Royce Custom Coach Works ?Piccadilly Roadster? body was fitted. This body has remained on the car ever since. Always an East Coast car, the Ghost later travelled down to Lahaska, Pennsylvania and into the ownership of WWII naval aviator Rear Admiral John K. Leydon (later to become the Chief of Naval Research for the U.S. government), then to a Dr. Clyde D. Marlow, a dentist in Macon, Georgia. By the 1970s the Rolls-Royce resided in the temperate climate of Florida, with a founding member and a former president of the Rolls-Royce Owner?s Club respectively, Mark Sheppard (1971) and Ed White (1978) of St. Petersburg. During its ownership in the US the car led an active life, and was actively campaigned in events, notably when shipped to Europe to participate in the Alpine Rally in 1973. Around 1988 British enthusiast and active RREC member Terence Stone recognised the car, having seen it perform in that 1973 Alpine Rally. Mr. Stone was fortunate to drive the Ghost whilst in Florida in 1984, however it took a further four years to persuade Ed White to part with his beloved Rolls-Royce Mr. Stone acquired the 55 year old Rolls-Royce in 1988 and brought it to the UK, treating it to a comprehensive mechanical rebuild in preparation for completing another two Alpine Rallies (the 1993 and 2003 editions), before passing to the current owner in 2010. Upon acquisition care of 401HH was passed to leading world-leading marque specialists P & A Wood of Essex. Chassis 401HH has additionally participated in a number of other major events such as the Lakes and Scottish Tour, the Euro Rally of Spain in 1998, the Jordan rally of 1999 (in harsh desert conditions of up to 45 degrees Celsius), the 2007 Silver Ghost Centenary Scottish Tour and the 50th Anniversary Event of the Rolls Royce Enthusiast?s Club at Kelmarsh Hall. Prior to its entry into the Alpine Rally in 1993 we understand in a letter by the previous owner that the Ghost was subject of mechanical rebuild to the tune of £44,000 at specialist Hofmann?s of Henley. The Rolls-Royce was subsequently maintained by Hofmann?s and Priory Vintage Company and in current ownership P & A Wood of Essex, with bills totalling approximately £80,000 in maintenance and refurbishment works over the years. In the history file are an original Instruction Book, copies of Rolls-Royce ownership records, older correspondence, articles and photographs, several invoices and a UK V5C document. This outstandingly beautiful and well traveled motor car represents a wonderful opportunity for the Rolls-Royce enthusiast.
Once paid for, lots can be collected from Dore and Rees by appointment. We can recommend shippers to assist with the collection and transport of lots to you.
.VIEWING
Viewing for Classic Cars will be held at the Cattle Market car park, next to the
Cheese and Grain, Market Yard, Frome BA11 1BE
Friday 17 June 10am to 7pm
Saturday 18 June 9am to 1pm
AUCTION
The auction will be held at Dore & Rees Auction Salerooms, Vicarage Street, Frome BA11 1PU
Saturday 18 June at 2pm
REGISTRATION TO BID
All new bidders will be requested to provide a copy of identification (Passport/Driving Licence) and proof of address (utility bill, Council Tax bill)
BUYERS PREMIUM
Buyer's premium for all lots in this Classic Cars auction is 10% of the hammer price plus VAT
ONLINE BIDDING
Additional charges for online bidding apply
PAYMENT
Lots must be paid for in cleared funds prior to collection.
COLLECTION & STORAGE
All cars are to be collected after the auction, up to 18:00 on Saturday 18 June or by 12:00 on Monday 20 June.
Lots that cannot be collected from the viewing site by 12.00 on Monday 20 June will be taken into secure storage at the buyer’s expense.
Costs are as follows:
Transport - £140 + VAT
Storage - £14 + VAT per day for the first 14 days, £10 + VAT per day thereafter
Storage details:
Rudler Car Transportation and Storage
P.O. Box 11, Royal Wootton Bassett, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN4 7SY
Tel: +44 (0)1793 73 11 07
Terms and Conditions of Sale - BUYER
This document acts to confirm the terms and conditions under which Dore & Rees, acting as agent, will sell Lots by auction to Buyers on behalf of Sellers.
i. you will not bid on a Lot you do not intend to pay for
ii. you have the funds to complete the purchase at the total value of Hammer Price, Buyer’s Premium together with VAT at the prevailing rate and any applicable charges;
iii. the funds are not connected with any criminal activity including tax evasion, and that you are neither under investigation nor have you been charged with or convicted of money laundering, terrorist activities or other crimes
iv. if the Lot you purchased is to be removed to a country outside the UK, all duties, taxes and licences on the export of the Lot are your responsibility.
i. Information provided to us by the Seller of the Lot (for which we are not liable); and
ii. Our opinion (although it is likely that we will not be able to carry out a detailed inspection of each Lot).
i. The Hammer Price;
ii. Buyer’s Premium of 25% of the Hammer Price (except Classic Car auctions Buyer's Premium of 10% of the Hammer Price)
iii. Any artists resale right royalty payable on the sale of the Lot
iv. Any VAT due
i. You are in breach of your warranties in clause 3; or
ii. We have not completed our enquiries pursuant to the Money Laundering Regulations and related legislation to our satisfaction; or
iii. We have reason to believe that the transaction might be unlawful for any reason, or that the sale might put us under any civil or criminal liability,
we may delay the completion of the sale, delay a release of a Lot or cancel the sale of a Lot
i. Pay to us the Total Amount Due by one of the following methods:
i. Not later than 5 working days following the day of the auction
ii. Not later than 5 working days following the date that we have received payment of the Total Amount Due in cleared funds, if later.
i. Take action against you for damages for breach of contract
ii. Reverse the sale of the Lot to you and/or any other Lots sold by us to you;
iii. Resell the Lot by auction or private treaty (in which case you will have to pay any difference between the price you should have paid for the Lot and the price we sell it for as well as the charges outlined in Clause 8. Please note that if we sell the Lot for a higher amount than your winning bid, the extra money will belong to the Seller;
iv. Remove, store and insure the Lot at your expense;
v. If you do not pay within 5 days of your successful bid, we may charge interest at a rate not exceeding 1.5% per month on the Total Amount Due;
vi. Keep that Lot or any other Lot sold to you until you pay the Total Amount Due
vii. Reject or ignore bids from you or your agent at future auctions or impost conditions before we accept bids from you; and / or
viii. If we sell any Lots for you, use the money made on these Lots to repay any amount you owe us.
V1.1
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1923 ROLLS-ROYCE SILVER-GHOST PICCADILLY ROADSTER
Registration Number: DS 7752
Chassis Number: 401HH
Recorded Mileage: 39,600 miles
- Highly original and well known example
- Several times veteran of the historic Alpine Rally
Upon its launch in 1906, the 40/50hp model, later referred to as the 'Silver Ghost', was a major leap for (at the time) the fairly new firm of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited. This was a larger, more powerful car than previous efforts; praise was heaped upon the new model for its proportions and powerful yet very quiet engine and running gear. An instant success, the 40/50 was soon adopted as the carriage of choice for the aristocratic and well-healed of Edwardian Britain. The 40/50 was of fairly conventional design; a ladder chassis mounted with a large 7.4 litre six cylinder engine, strictly speaking two three-cylinder blocks with built-in cylinder heads and side valves. Fuelling was via a carburetor of Royce?s own design, twin ignition with single coil/distributor and a secondary magneto ensured its reliability. Lubrication was via an innovative pressurized system, with additional oil being fed directly to the cylinder walls when starting or running at high speed. From 1913, 40/50s had four-speed gearboxes and a modern torque-tube drive system. Henry Royce continually developed the Silver Ghost into a very reliable, and when fitted with a light body, fast and highly competent motor car. With Britain struggling economically after the Great War, Messrs Rolls and Royce looked across to the United States to grow their empire. A few years prior to then, a New York holding depot was established with coachbuilders Brewster & Co., who were responsible for applying bodies to most imported Ghost chassis. Ultimately it made sense to assemble vehicles in the US, as a means to avoid import duties for American customers. So in 1919, Rolls-Royce purchased the American Wire Wheel Co. factory building in Massachusetts, and the Springfield Silver Ghosts were born. Silver Ghosts were bodied by many prestige coachbuilders, a number of them under the hallmark of Rolls-Royce Custom Coach Work. Included in this bevy of eastern craftsmanship were such companies as Biddle & Smart, Willoughby, Merrimac, and Holbrook. In order to expedite deliveries to customers, a range of ?off the showroom floor? designs was prepared, to be built by the aforementioned firms. Included were the Pall Mall tourer, the Oxford seven-passenger tourer, the Piccadilly roadster, and the Mayfair and Riviera town cars. The Piccadilly Roadster was inspired by the landmark central to London city, encircling the Eros water fountain. Bodies were delivered to the Waltham Avenue works ?in the white?, primed and ready for painting and trimming to order. The Springfield Ghosts evolved over the years with locally sourced components such as American Bosch ignition in place of the Watford magneto, American wheels replacing Dunlops, six-volt electrics, and towards the end of production Left Hand Drive chassis and an American-style three-speed transmission with centre change. Chassis 401HH rolled off the Springfield production line in mid-1923, being acquired by a Mr. Lashar on 28th September of that year as the first owner, and specified originally with a Mayfair Town Car body by Holbrook. Mr. Lashas owned the Ghost for several years before passing ownership to a Mr. August Sauer of Great Barrington in Massachusetts. Mr. Sauer sought a more sporting body and so in March 1931 a Rolls Royce Custom Coach Works ?Piccadilly Roadster? body was fitted. This body has remained on the car ever since. Always an East Coast car, the Ghost later travelled down to Lahaska, Pennsylvania and into the ownership of WWII naval aviator Rear Admiral John K. Leydon (later to become the Chief of Naval Research for the U.S. government), then to a Dr. Clyde D. Marlow, a dentist in Macon, Georgia. By the 1970s the Rolls-Royce resided in the temperate climate of Florida, with a founding member and a former president of the Rolls-Royce Owner?s Club respectively, Mark Sheppard (1971) and Ed White (1978) of St. Petersburg. During its ownership in the US the car led an active life, and was actively campaigned in events, notably when shipped to Europe to participate in the Alpine Rally in 1973. Around 1988 British enthusiast and active RREC member Terence Stone recognised the car, having seen it perform in that 1973 Alpine Rally. Mr. Stone was fortunate to drive the Ghost whilst in Florida in 1984, however it took a further four years to persuade Ed White to part with his beloved Rolls-Royce Mr. Stone acquired the 55 year old Rolls-Royce in 1988 and brought it to the UK, treating it to a comprehensive mechanical rebuild in preparation for completing another two Alpine Rallies (the 1993 and 2003 editions), before passing to the current owner in 2010. Upon acquisition care of 401HH was passed to leading world-leading marque specialists P & A Wood of Essex. Chassis 401HH has additionally participated in a number of other major events such as the Lakes and Scottish Tour, the Euro Rally of Spain in 1998, the Jordan rally of 1999 (in harsh desert conditions of up to 45 degrees Celsius), the 2007 Silver Ghost Centenary Scottish Tour and the 50th Anniversary Event of the Rolls Royce Enthusiast?s Club at Kelmarsh Hall. Prior to its entry into the Alpine Rally in 1993 we understand in a letter by the previous owner that the Ghost was subject of mechanical rebuild to the tune of £44,000 at specialist Hofmann?s of Henley. The Rolls-Royce was subsequently maintained by Hofmann?s and Priory Vintage Company and in current ownership P & A Wood of Essex, with bills totalling approximately £80,000 in maintenance and refurbishment works over the years. In the history file are an original Instruction Book, copies of Rolls-Royce ownership records, older correspondence, articles and photographs, several invoices and a UK V5C document. This outstandingly beautiful and well traveled motor car represents a wonderful opportunity for the Rolls-Royce enthusiast.
Once paid for, lots can be collected from Dore and Rees by appointment. We can recommend shippers to assist with the collection and transport of lots to you.
.VIEWING
Viewing for Classic Cars will be held at the Cattle Market car park, next to the
Cheese and Grain, Market Yard, Frome BA11 1BE
Friday 17 June 10am to 7pm
Saturday 18 June 9am to 1pm
AUCTION
The auction will be held at Dore & Rees Auction Salerooms, Vicarage Street, Frome BA11 1PU
Saturday 18 June at 2pm
REGISTRATION TO BID
All new bidders will be requested to provide a copy of identification (Passport/Driving Licence) and proof of address (utility bill, Council Tax bill)
BUYERS PREMIUM
Buyer's premium for all lots in this Classic Cars auction is 10% of the hammer price plus VAT
ONLINE BIDDING
Additional charges for online bidding apply
PAYMENT
Lots must be paid for in cleared funds prior to collection.
COLLECTION & STORAGE
All cars are to be collected after the auction, up to 18:00 on Saturday 18 June or by 12:00 on Monday 20 June.
Lots that cannot be collected from the viewing site by 12.00 on Monday 20 June will be taken into secure storage at the buyer’s expense.
Costs are as follows:
Transport - £140 + VAT
Storage - £14 + VAT per day for the first 14 days, £10 + VAT per day thereafter
Storage details:
Rudler Car Transportation and Storage
P.O. Box 11, Royal Wootton Bassett, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN4 7SY
Tel: +44 (0)1793 73 11 07
Terms and Conditions of Sale - BUYER
This document acts to confirm the terms and conditions under which Dore & Rees, acting as agent, will sell Lots by auction to Buyers on behalf of Sellers.
i. you will not bid on a Lot you do not intend to pay for
ii. you have the funds to complete the purchase at the total value of Hammer Price, Buyer’s Premium together with VAT at the prevailing rate and any applicable charges;
iii. the funds are not connected with any criminal activity including tax evasion, and that you are neither under investigation nor have you been charged with or convicted of money laundering, terrorist activities or other crimes
iv. if the Lot you purchased is to be removed to a country outside the UK, all duties, taxes and licences on the export of the Lot are your responsibility.
i. Information provided to us by the Seller of the Lot (for which we are not liable); and
ii. Our opinion (although it is likely that we will not be able to carry out a detailed inspection of each Lot).
i. The Hammer Price;
ii. Buyer’s Premium of 25% of the Hammer Price (except Classic Car auctions Buyer's Premium of 10% of the Hammer Price)
iii. Any artists resale right royalty payable on the sale of the Lot
iv. Any VAT due
i. You are in breach of your warranties in clause 3; or
ii. We have not completed our enquiries pursuant to the Money Laundering Regulations and related legislation to our satisfaction; or
iii. We have reason to believe that the transaction might be unlawful for any reason, or that the sale might put us under any civil or criminal liability,
we may delay the completion of the sale, delay a release of a Lot or cancel the sale of a Lot
i. Pay to us the Total Amount Due by one of the following methods:
i. Not later than 5 working days following the day of the auction
ii. Not later than 5 working days following the date that we have received payment of the Total Amount Due in cleared funds, if later.
i. Take action against you for damages for breach of contract
ii. Reverse the sale of the Lot to you and/or any other Lots sold by us to you;
iii. Resell the Lot by auction or private treaty (in which case you will have to pay any difference between the price you should have paid for the Lot and the price we sell it for as well as the charges outlined in Clause 8. Please note that if we sell the Lot for a higher amount than your winning bid, the extra money will belong to the Seller;
iv. Remove, store and insure the Lot at your expense;
v. If you do not pay within 5 days of your successful bid, we may charge interest at a rate not exceeding 1.5% per month on the Total Amount Due;
vi. Keep that Lot or any other Lot sold to you until you pay the Total Amount Due
vii. Reject or ignore bids from you or your agent at future auctions or impost conditions before we accept bids from you; and / or
viii. If we sell any Lots for you, use the money made on these Lots to repay any amount you owe us.
V1.1