To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION WITHOUT RESERVE at RM Sothebys' The Guyton
Collection event, 4 - 5 May 2019.
Estimate:
$140,000 - $180,000
- Originally delivered in Madrid; fascinating known history since
new
- A genuine example with original chassis, engine, drivetrain,
and coachwork
- Acquired from the Philip Wichard Collection in 1995
- High-quality, well-preserved older restoration
- Classic Car Club of America (CCCA) Full Classic
On 30 November 1928, Do�a Teresa Mart�n de Saavedra, a noblewoman
of Badajoz, Spain, took delivery in Madrid of this new Cadillac
dual-cowl sport phaeton. Longstanding rumor indicates that she
acquired the car from the Paris Motor Show, though no documentation
to that effect currently exists. Chauffeur-driven in her use, it
reportedly fell into the hands of the Loyalists during the Spanish
Civil War of 1936-1939, then reverted to the original owner, whose
son, Jose Porras Martin de Saavedra, inherited it on 28 January
1958.
The car was sold in 1960 to Alvarez Esparrago, also of Badajoz, who
sold it eight years later through an advertisement in Road & Track
to American collector Phillip Wichard of Huntington Bay, Long
Island. Mr. Wichard was not only the car's first American owner,
but the first outside of the original Spanish province. When he
acquired the Cadillac, it had two bullet holes through the
windshield frame, a legacy of its wartime service. He was told that
even while in Loyalist "staff car" use, it had continued to be
chauffeur driven - it was, after all, "the best car in the
province."
Mr. Wichard commissioned Walter Seaburg of Sydney, Ohio, to carry
out a restoration, performed to the collector's usual outstanding
standards of fit and finish in this striking two-tone green livery,
with caned rear door fillet panels and a complementary rich green
leather interior. It was an Antique Automobile Club of America
National First Prize winner in 1980 and achieved CCCA Senior
status, badge no. 1267, and was reported to still be capturing
awards over a decade following its completion.
Recognizing the car's quality, Fred Guyton acquired the Cadillac
from the sale of the Wichard Collection in 1995. It has been
maintained in the Guyton museum since, and the restoration is
remarkably well preserved for work now well into its fourth decade,
with nary a crack in the paint and interior that shows only light
age and stretching; the engine compartment and undercarriage are
detailed well enough for local showing. Mileage recorded is 25,996
km, on the original European-specification odometer. The car is
lavishly accessorized, including Pilot Ray driving lights, a
center-mounted Trippe light, dual Cadillac accessory running board
spotlights, dual side-mounted spares, a radiator grille guard, and
a beautiful period Cadillac crest mascot - as well as its Badajoz
registration plate. A particularly charming feature is a vanity
mirror for the rear seat passengers, on the underside of the rear
tonneau - allowing them to check their appearance literally just
before disembarking. Storage is provided in a long cabinet
below.
Accompanied by a copy of its build sheet, an original operator's
manual, and other documentation, this gorgeous sport phaeton boasts
a story and preservation that few others of its ilk can match.
To view this car and others currently consigned to this auction,
please visit the RM website at rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/gc19.