To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION WITHOUT RESERVE at RM Sothebys' The Taj Ma
Garaj Collection event, 28 September 2019.
Estimate:
$40,000 - $60,000
- Long displayed at the Casa Linda restaurant in Montecito,
California
- Approximately 2,600 floral curlicue designs hand-crafted from
wrought iron
- Built by master blacksmith Rafael Esparza-Prieto
- Inspired by the 1968 Olympics art car
Volkswagen's relationship with Mexico got off to a fruitful start
in the early 1960s, when the German automaker's representatives
realized the potential for the Latin American market. Not only was
its labor force eager, the burgeoning economy was in need of its
own people's car. By the time Mexico City hosted the 1968 Summer
Olympics, VW was already ingrained in the City of Palaces. Beetles
were increasingly common both on the capital city's wide boulevards
and in its narrow, historic alleys. Two Beetle bodies were created
using a relatively simple wrought-iron design to promote Volkswagen
when the world's athletes traveled to Mexico City. The wrought-iron
cars were a lasting icon that would become ingrained in VW de
Mexico lore.
A few years later, artist and master blacksmith Rafael
Esparza-Prieto was asked to celebrate the car's already monumental
achievement by recreating the iconic Beetle body in wrought iron
for automakers Aguascalientes' Mexico assembly plant. So thrilled
with the project was Montecito, California, Mexican restaurant
owner Jose Barajas that he commissioned his own wrought-iron Beetle
in the early 1980s. The material had long been associated with
Mexican design, particularly in the fences and gates that
surrounded every level of abode. The design Esparza-Prieto created
features 2,600 individual floral-inspired curlicue designs and was
crafted using only a hammer and an anvil prior to being painted
white.
The fully functional lace-patterned Beetle was unveiled at Barajas'
Casa Linda restaurant in Montecito in 1985 and long remained with
the restaurant, serving as an occasional shuttle to transport
restaurant-goers back to nearby Santa Barbara. The intricate car
was as much a draw for some as the restaurant's legendary cuisine.
Its wrought-iron body sits over a 1970 Beetle interior, chassis,
and powertrain, which is stock down to the Blaupunkt AM radio and
90 mph speedometer. The car's exceptional craftsmanship and
exacting silhouette maintain that iconic Beetle shape. This
masterpiece is as much a piece of art as it is a car, a true "art
car" that will be the center of attention in nearly any
collection.To view this car and others currently consigned to this
auction, please visit the RM website at
rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/tg19.
