Gooding & Company, the official auction house of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance acclaimed for selling the world’s most significant and valuable collector cars, is thrilled to present four automotive icons at its Pebble Beach Auctions on August 18 & 19: the Clark Gable 1935 Duesenberg Model JN Convertible Coupe; the “Green Hornet,” a 1931 Bentley 4 1/2 Litre SC “Blower” Sports 2/3 Seater Boattail; the 1957 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Prototype and a 1932 Bugatti Type 55 Cabriolet. These extraordinary automobiles, four of the 124 total lots offered, possess exceptional provenance and historical significance, and round out what […]
Gooding & Company, the official auction house of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance acclaimed for selling the world’s most significant and valuable collector cars, is thrilled to present four automotive icons at its Pebble Beach Auctions on August 18 & 19: the Clark Gable 1935 Duesenberg Model JN Convertible Coupe; the “Green Hornet,” a 1931 Bentley 4 1/2 Litre SC “Blower” Sports 2/3 Seater Boattail; the 1957 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Prototype and a 1932 Bugatti Type 55 Cabriolet. These extraordinary automobiles, four of the 124 total lots offered, possess exceptional provenance and historical significance, and round out what has become an unparalleled presentation of the finest collector cars ever offered.
“What’s incredible about these four cars is that since day one, they have been the ultimate models of sport and luxury for their marques as well as for their time,” says David Gooding, President and Founder of Gooding & Company. “These are the cars that connoisseurs dream about and we’re honored to have the opportunity to present them to the international collecting community later this month.”
Clark Gable’s 1935 Duesenberg Model JN Convertible Coupe
• Originally the property of “The King of Hollywood,” actor Clark Gable
• In 1935, Gable drove his new Duesenberg to the White Mayfair Ball in Beverly Hills, where he spent a great deal of time with actress Carole Lombard; this was the beginning of one of the most legendary and widely-publicized Hollywood love stories in history that tragically ended six years later with Lombard’s death in an airplane crash
• One of only 10 JNs built – an elegant and luxurious development from Duesenberg’s original model J – and one of only four examples bodied as a convertible coupe
• Following an amusing exchange between Gable and Lombard during a winter rainstorm, Gable took the Rollston-bodied cream over cognac Duesenberg to famed Pasadena-based coachbuilder Bohman & Schwartz for additional bespoke upgrades including a dramatically raked windscreen, scooped and V’d hood ventilators, rear-fender spats, “Continental-style” dual rear spares and a full-length hood that stretches past the firewall
• Throughout their passionate six-year relationship Gable and Lombard enjoyed many adventures in this famous Duesenberg, including a long drive up the West Coast to Vancouver, British Columbia
• Featured in the 1938 film Merrily We Live • Special Award Winner at the 2007 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance
• Lot 118, Sunday Auction
• Estimate Available Upon Request
1931 Bentley 4 ½ Litre SC “Blower” Sports 2/3 Seater Boattail
• Formerly the property of renowned Bentley enthusiast and collector E. Ann Klein
• Klein nicknamed this car the “Green Hornet,” a fitting name considering the car’s appearance and performance
• Among the finest of the 50 Bentley Factory Blowers and one of the most iconic and sought after pre-war sports cars in existence
• Arguably the most original Blower Bentley in existence
• Exceptional matching-numbers, original-bodied example with rare, original green fabric covering
• Superb provenance including a 54-year stewardship
• Coachwork by Gurney Nutting
• Chassis No. SM3916/Engine No. SM3922
• Lot 134, Sunday Auction
• Estimate: $8 million–$10 million
1957 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Prototype
• The first pre-production California Spider ever built, launching the most iconic series of sports cars in history
• This car is one of the finest, most collectible blue chip automobiles of the post-war era
• As the prototype California Spider, this car has many unique one-off features that never carried over into any of the production models
• Winner of the 1961 De Diego Trophy in Puerto Rico
• Matching-numbers, Ferrari Classiche certified
• Coachwork by Scaglietti, finished in rosso
• Chassis No. 0769 GT/Engine No. 0769 GT
• Lot 137, Sunday Auction
• Estimate: $6 million–$8 million
1932 Bugatti Type 55 Cabriolet
• One of the greatest extant examples of the Bugatti Type 55, an exceptional limited-edition sports car created by the great French marque during its legendary Grand Prix racing era
• Matching-numbers, original-bodied example
• Coachwork by famous Lyon-based coachbuilder Billeter & Cartier, designed in a two-tone black over green color scheme
• A participant in the 1933 Rallye des Alpes, one of the most prestigious rallies in the world in the early to mid-century
• Formerly the property of Dr. Jacques Kocher, a well-known Bugatti enthusiast and client from Valence, France
• Upon completion of its restoration, this car was selected by Bugatti to be the sole exhibit at the prestigious 2012 Retromobile in Paris
• Chassis No. 55206/Engine No. 6
• Lot 130, Sunday Auction
• Estimate $5 million–$6.5 million
Gooding & Company’s 2012 Pebble Beach Auctions will take place on Saturday and Sunday, August 18 & 19 at the Pebble Beach Equestrian Center, located at the corner of Portola Road and Stevenson Drive. Preview days will start on Wednesday, August 15, and continue through Sunday, August 19. The auctions will commence at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday and 6:00 p.m. on Sunday. Gooding & Company’s Pebble Beach Auctions catalogues are available for $100 and admit two to the viewing and the auctions. General admission tickets to the viewing and auctions may be purchased on site for $40. Auctions are broadcast live on Gooding & Company’s website. Bidder registration forms, press credentials and additional auction information are also available at http://www.goodingco.com.