Vehicle Description
In 1904, an inspired partnership between an adventurer and an
engineer gave birth to the most enduring automotive legacy: the
Rolls-Royce. Just two years later, they created what many agree was
the most influential automobile in the early decades of motoring:
the legendary Silver Ghost. In the context of its day, a Silver
Ghost was an awe-inspiring sight. At a time when many had not seen
- let alone owned - an automobile, here was a truly majestic
creation. Most automobiles on the road then were light one- and
two-cylinder machines whose wooden chassis, wagon wheels and tiller
steering clearly attested to their roots as horseless carriages.
Frederick Henry Royce was an incomparable engineer; the Silver
Ghost offered the power and refinement of a six from the very
beginning. More than that, its abundant torque and virtually silent
operation astounded anyone fortunate enough to drive one. This was
the first true luxury automobile, capable of carrying the most
elegant bespoke coachwork and able to accelerate almost from rest
in top gear. If the performance of the Silver Ghost was startling,
it was the legendary quality of the Rolls-Royce that made its
owners happy - and kept them coming back. Royce was a man who
referred to the assembly of his cars as a careful sewing together
of precision parts; it was a radical concept at a time when other
vehicles were constructed more akin to blacksmithing methods. The
Silver Ghost presented here, chassis no. 1204, was delivered in
January 1910 to Mr. Andrew T. Reid, Esq. of Auchterarder, Scotland.
Research indicates Mr. Reid to have been the son of Sir Hugh Reid,
who was the Chairman of the North British Locomotive Co., Ltd. The
younger Reid was the Managing Director and, like his father, also
greatly interested in artwork. Born in 1863, he had a sizable
collection of his own, some of which was later sold at auction
following his passing in 1941. Correspondence between the vendor
and Andrew Reid's nephew indicates his will decreed that all his
possessions be sold after his passing. Remarkably, this very car,
chassis 1204, lay in storage at Auchterarder House during World War
II, and it was post-war, shortly after the conflict ended, that it
was sold by Andrew Reid's brother alongside two other Rolls-Royces
also in storage. In the late 1950s, the Neal brothers, renowned
restorers of Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts, acquired the vehicle.
Correspondence between a previous owner and Mr. M.R. Grist sheds
further light on the car's coachwork and its path to the Neal
brothers. The lovely landaulette body was built by Brainsby,
purportedly for a 1908 Minerva owned by a judge. It was removed in
the 1920s as the Minerva was rebodied. Thereafter, the body
remained in storage until it was purchased by Mr. Grist in 1958
from an individual in Plymouth for just £15. The body was collected
on a trailer supplied by Cecil Bendall, as evidenced by a black and
white photograph obtained by the vendor. Mr. Bendall of course was
an important car collector in his own right and a founding member
of the Veteran Car Club of Great Britain. The body was then
purchased by John Birchell, who it is believed sold it to the Neal
brothers, who in turn married the body with chassis 1204. So,
although the Brainsby coachwork is of the period and contemporary
to chassis 1204, it is not known which coachbuilder originally
supplied the body on this Silver Ghost. Nevertheless, an inventory
and valuation of Andrew Reid's property in 1912 includes, among
many other items, a "Rolls-Royce Landaulette," which supports the
theory that chassis 1204 was sold new with landaulette coachwork.
It should be noted that Thomas Brainsby & Sons was founded in 1905
in Peterborough, building bodies for such cars as Crossley, Fiat,
Hotchkiss and occasionally even Rolls-Royce. The company seems to
have faded away in the 1920s, around the time that Brainsby-Woolard
arose, a supplier of coachbuilt bodies which were contracted out to
such houses as Lancefield or John Charles. According to British
coachwork expert Nick Walker, "it seems likely that the firm was a
partnership between the original Brainsby and a salesman by the
name of Charles Harry Woolard." This company ceased operation in
1936. The age of the body on 1204 and plate on the door sill both
indicate the coachwork on this car to have been done by Thomas
Brainsby & Sons. Mr. George Hardwick of West Ewell, London
purchased 1204 in about 1964 and kept it for over two decades,
during which time he participated with the car in the 1977 Royal
Jubilee. A copy of a period photograph shows him in this parade,
driving past H.M. Queen Elizabeth II. In 1988, Tim Scott of
Ilkeston, UK assumed ownership of 1204, maintaining stewardship for
another two decades before selling it to its present owner in 2010.
It had been driven rather sparingly and received cosmetic and
mechanical work over the years, only as needed. In its current
ownership the car has received mechanical attention from marque
specialist Steve Littin of Vintage & Auto Rebuilds in Chardon,
Ohio, as documented by invoices on file totaling over $40,000.
Restored over 60 years ago, 1204 remains in lovely condition with a
charming, mild patina that belies the restoration's age. It is
finished in maroon with an intriguing, unidentified coat of arms on
the doors, which has been on the body since at least the late 1950s
when it was acquired by Mr. Grist. The front seats are upholstered
in black leather, and the passenger seats are worsted wool with
tapestry window pulls. Various period features included extensive
brass trim and lamps, which included opera lamps, as well as a talk
tube, allowing passengers to communicate from the rear with the
chauffeur in front. The elegant interior fabrics are protected from
the weather by glass windows, while the chauffeur's compartment
relies on side curtains to keep out the elements. Even today, a
Silver Ghost is remarkably refined, outperforming cars a dozen or
more years newer. The steering is refreshingly light and
responsive, and the action of the clutch and transmission is that
of a much newer car. It is difficult to imagine a more usable and
comfortable steed for brass era tours - and certainly none with the
elegance and style of the incomparable Silver Ghost. Moreover, as a
very early 1909/1910 Silver Ghost, this car benefits from
exceptional rarity. The current USA Rolls-Royce Owners Registry
only lists five pre-1911 cars that are known to exist. Few
brass-era cars can match theRolls-RoyceSilver Ghost for their
charm, presenceand outstanding reliability. This presents a
marvelous opportunity to acquire a desirable"parallel bonnet"
Ghostwith striking coachwork,that is ready for participation in
Silver Ghost & Brass events across the globe. Offers welcome and
trades considered For additional details please view this listing
directly on our website
https://hymanltd.com/vehicles/7614-1910-rolls-royce-silver-ghost-landaulette/
