To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION at RM Sothebys' Villa Erba event, 25 May
2019.
Estimate:
€390.000 - €450.000
- Rare and desirable Barcelona-built Hispano-Suiza
- Elegant one-off Baltasar Fiol body with superb proportions
- Fresh five-year restoration with many original materials
retained
La Hispano-Suiza F�brica de Autom�viles was founded in 1904 and
remained in business in Barcelona until 1946, manufacturing cars,
trucks, buses, aero engines and weapons. In 1911, a subsidiary was
formed in Paris, and due to the strength of the French market for
luxury automobiles, production and further development of large and
costly models such as the Type H6B was moved there in 1923. The
French and Spanish Hispano-Suiza companies continued to
collaborate, and some years after Hispano-Suiza France presented
the magnificent 8-litre Type H6C in 1924, the directors in Spain
decided that the model would also be manufactured at the factory
that had been established in La Sagrera.
The result was the T56 46CV, where the latter number indicated the
fiscal horsepower of the engine. T56 production began in 1929 and
ended in 1940; the Spanish model outlived its French progenitor by
five years. While approximately 345 H6C chassis saw the light of
day in France, only about 200 were made in Spain. The T56 Bis
variant was a technically improved and upgraded version using some
special parts imported from France.
T56 Bis chassis no. 34-16814 was delivered in 1933 to Baltasar Fiol
in Barcelona, one of the most highly regarded Spanish
coachbuilders, who habitually clothed fine chassis such as
Rolls-Royce, Cadillac, Packard and of course Hispano-Suiza. Founded
in 1914, Fiol bodies often had stylish, almost playful beltlines,
greenhouse and fender treatments that gave the large carrosseries
fitted to long-wheelbase luxury chassis a sporting, elegant and
supple beauty. T56 Bis chassis no. 34-16814 is a masterclass
example of Fiol's rare ability to turn what could easily have been
a heavy-looking pillarless sedan into an extraordinary and graceful
Berline de Voyage with exquisite proportions.
Unfortunately, the early history of chassis no. 34-16814, which is
presumed to have spent the majority of its life in Spain, is not
known. The current owner purchased the car in 2012 from a Yolana
Alonso Paez of Bilbao. It was then sensitively restored in the
Czech Republic from 2014 to 2019. The engine is said to have been
in perfect running condition prior to the restoration, so that was
not touched, as well as the interior, which retains most of its
lovely original leather, instruments, carpet and wood. The car has
not been shown anywhere since and is a rare opportunity to acquire
a unique automobile with impressive presence on the show field and
on the road.To view this car and others currently consigned to this
auction, please visit the RM website at
rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/ve19.
