1937 Rolls-Royce Phantom III Sedanca de Ville

In the 1930s, as designers sought to build the most sporting of closed cars, a handful of coachbuilders embraced the idea of a “windswept” look – as evidenced by the Rolls-Royce Brewster Coupe built for Tommy Manville and the Henry Bagley Rollston Minerva Convertible Sedan. This striking Rolls-Royce Phantom III belongs to that rareified category, its design clearly influenced by upper echelon American automotive couturiers. ‌ Chassis 3CM61 is one of only two examples fitted with coachwork built to this stylized, windswept design. Both cars were outfitted by respected London coachbuilder Park Ward & Co., and the sister car debuted on the Park Ward stand at the London Motor Show in fall 1937. This example, chassis 3CM61, was built to an exceptional standard by Park Ward in late 1937, with a final completion date of January 4, 1938. Its original owner was J.D. Clarke, a successful realtor and property surveyor, who likely would have seen many beautiful Art Deco interiors in his profession – possibly influencing this car’s exquisite detail finishes of bleached maple woodwork and cabinetry, as specified on the coachbuilder’s order sheet. ‌ In striking contrast to the austere times, Mr. Clarke was often chauffeured by a uniformed driver who sat in the open with the Sedanca roof panel stowed away, while he enjoyed the comfortable bright rear compartment, appointed with arm rests, tray tables, vanity units, and a well-stocked cocktail cabinet. The Phantom’s design is so versatile that on other days, Mr. Clarke would drive it himself, with the roof panel closed and the car appearing to onlookers as a stylish sports saloon. Those fortunate enough to see the Phantom in action witnessed a tour de force by Park Ward, from its helmet front fenders and low valances to its raked windshield and rear cabin, the lower section of which was painted in faux canework. Accents of Ewart wheel discs, rear wheels clothed in spats, and lighting – including a central Notek fog lamp – completed its eye-catching appearance. Registered with the London number “ELN7,” this example clearly suited Mr. Clarke, as he retained the car through WWII and was still noted as its owner in 1947. The Phantom’s next custodian is not recorded, though it may have been a movie studio, as the car made a cameo appearance in the 1952 British film Derby Day (marketed in the US as Four Against Fate). By 1978, it was owned by Patricia Geerke, and then left the UK for a brief period of US ownership with Tom Barrett. The Phantom returned to the British Isles in 1982 for restoration before resuming American ownership from 1989 onwards, beginning with Don Williams. Repainted in red, the Phantom resided for many years in Mr. Williams’ famed Blackhawk Collection in Danville, California. The car then passed to prominent East Coast collector Malcolm Pray, founder of Pray Auto in Connecticut, whose collection persists today as the Pray Achievement Center in Banksville, New York. The Phantom was among a select group of cars that were consistently displayed by Malcolm Pray, appearing at the Amelia Island Concours, Fairfield County Concours, and Greenwich Concours d’Elegance, and routinely garnering awards whenever it was shown. This rakish Phantom III caught the eye of Lord Bamford in 2014, and subsequently joined one of the finest stables of automotive machinery ever assembled. Lord Bamford’s collection features both sports racing and luxury automobiles – a backdrop against which the Park Ward Sedanca has sat well. ‌ Over the course of the last decade, the car has been treated to an engine rebuild by marque specialists Clark & Carter Restorations Ltd. of Braintree, Essex, while its cosmetics have been carefully detailed, with invoices amounting to more than £200,000 ($270,000). Its display history has continued, with appearances at the Cartier Style et Luxe Concours at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and Salon Privé at Blenheim Palace in the UK. With its roster of prominent owners, stunning and rare coachwork, and impressive concours history, this remarkable piece of design is poised to return to the US concours circuit, where it will without doubt make a statement once again. car

Stima:€578,987.5

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