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• Auction House:
  Theodore Bruce
• Sale Name:
  Motorclassica 2015
• Sale Date:
  24 Oct 2015 ~ 7pm
• Lot #:
  27
• Lot Description:
  A 1914 Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Landaulet B-series Silver Ghost" (Body by Barker Co.)"
  Chassis: 54ABEngine: 6 cylinder, 7428 cc 53 BHP @ 1250 rpmF.H. Royce was called Fred" by his fellow apprentices, "Henry" in more respectful company and finally "Sir Henry" by the King. He designed and built the 40/50 hp car that would later be named the Silver Ghost. He wanted to produce an engine more robust than the finest four-cylinder, with hitherto unattainable standards of silence and flexibility. He was confident that he could build the best car in the world, but his partners Charles Rolls and Claude Johnson, were determined that it should also be the most beautiful. A number of pre-production cars were built before any were delivered to customers and Johnson, well aware of the superiority of the 40/50 to practically everything else on the market, set himself the task of promoting it in his usual thorough manner.Two cars were set aside and one, chassis number 60551, the 13th to be built, was mounted with a Roi-des-Belges body by Barkers, finished in aluminium paint with silver-plated fittings and named The Silver Ghost. It was destined to establish the marque in the front rank of world automobile design and to give its name, unofficially, to the entire series of 40/50 side-valve Rolls-Royces.This vehicle is a 1914 Limousine-Landaulet with body by Barker Co. Its bodywork was commissioned by its first owner, T.A. Williams Esq. of Harewood Grange, near Rose, Herefordshire, to be similar to the Olympia Showcar Rolls-Royce Landaulet built by Hooper.Specifications included the patented window lifters fitted to the Olympia showcar and the extra rear seats which fold away. Ordered on 13th November, 1913 the car was completed on 1st May, 1914.Mr Williams is believed to have owned the vehicle until 1924 and after moving to Cefutilla Court, Newport, Monmouth, had all servicing done by the Morris Motor Repair Works, also of Monmouth.Early repairs consisted mainly of replacing brake shoes for the foot brakes and replacing batteries.Factory records indicate Mr F.H. Morris, understood to be the proprietor of the Morris Motor Repair Works, subsequently became the next owner of the car. Some idea of the thoroughness of the Rolls-Royce records is indicated in the following extract from the car's service record, dated 17th February, 1915. "Our man Hare sent to ..... Monday to inspect car and carry out any necessary adjustments."The service record is only available up to 23rd June, 1936, when it is recorded handbrake liners were despatched to Messrs Brook Bros. No further information is currently available on the car until 1967 when it was entered in the Rolls-Royce and Bentley International Pageant at Goodwood in the United Kingdom. It was entered in the Team 3 - "Later Silver Ghosts" event, as No. 17, entered by P.W. Neale. M.R. Neale also entered in a Barker bodied 1909 Silver Ghost and D.W. Neale competed in the Trophy Event for the best open Silver Ghost (Class 1) in a Hooper bodied 1914 Silver Ghost (chassis 48YB).P.W. Neale also entered the Museum car in Class 2, for Closed and Formal Silver Ghosts. In Section IVA, for Rolls-Royce cars, (Multi-owner) all three Silver Ghosts were entered. The Museum car became well known in the hands of the Neales and is believed to be featured in several books on Rolls-Royce cars.In 1972 the car was purchased from Frank Dale and Stepsons by the well known Perth collector, Percy Markham. It was one of the last cars purchased by Mr Markham. It was given a major cosmetic restoration by Auto Body Specialists in Perth in 1981. Little else was done, as the car was in very fine original condition and features the original upholstery in the rear section.Percy Markham later sold the car to Malcolm Jones of Austmark in Perth. When that company was subsequently taken over by the Bond Corporation, the car was included as a company asset.The car was used very little following its arrival in Australia. It was then advertised for sale by Percy Markham as the Vendor's Representative, in the Australian Rolls-Royce Club Magazine issue no. 83, 6th February, 1983, with the comment that it was "considered to be possibly the most original Veteran Silver Ghost in Australia". Late in 1983 the car was purchased for display at the York Motor Museum.It is used and displayed regularly at various events around Perth and competed successfully in the 1984 Veteran Car Club Perth to York Rally. In September 1985 it was entered in the Rolls-Royce Owners Club 27th Federal Rally Concours event held at Guildford Grammar School, where it won first place in the Silver Ghost category. At the Rolls-Royce Owners Club (WA Branch) Concours D'Elegance held at Fremantle on Sunday 6 April 1986, the Rolls-Royce was a clear winner in the age and authenticity division. The Rolls-Royce competed again in the Concours event of the 33rd Rolls-Royce Federal Rally held on 14 September 1991 at Aquinas College in Perth. On this occasion the Silver Ghost won the "Silver Ghost" category, and again the prestigious "Age and Authenticity" category, after being driven to the event.At the 57th Annual Federal Rally of the Rolls-Royce Owners Club of Australia in Fremantle, the car won the E (Jack) Vidler Shield for Age and Authenticity and it won Class 1 for Pre-Ghosts and Silver Ghosts. At the Rolls-Royce Owners Club (WA Branch) Concours D'Elegance held at Houghton's Winery in 2015 it won its class again."
• Estimate:
  A$750,000 - 950,000
• Realised Price:
  *****
  

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• Category:
  Automobiles & Accessories

This Sale has been held and this item is no longer available. Details are provided for information purposes only.