Vehicle Description
Graham-Paige Motors Corporation made a rousing debut during the
1928 New York Auto Show week with a lavish reception at New York
City's Hotel Roosevelt. The Graham brothers, newly flush with cash
after selling their successful commercial truck business to the
Dodge Brothers in 1926, acquired the ailing Paige motors to enter
the hotly contested car market. All signs were positive from the
get-go, with Graham-Paige selling 73,195 cars in their maiden year
- eclipsing the previous record set by Pontiac. With the 1932 Blue
Streak, Graham also established itself as a style leader,
introducing skirted fenders and streamlining well ahead of the
competition, and the introduction of supercharging in 1934
transformed Graham into a formidable performance car as well. But
like many car companies, the Great Depression pushed the company to
the brink. Within just a few years, Graham-Paige was no more,
swallowed up by industrialist Joseph Frazer. Hoping for a revival,
Graham put their faith in a new body design conceived by Amos
Northup for 1938 they termed "Spirit of Motion" which later became
commonly known as the 'Shark Nose.' Unfortunately, American buyers
felt it was too radical, and sales never reached expectations. Much
like the preceding Chrysler Airflow, Shark Nose Grahams are now
celebrated for their advanced, revolutionary design. While US
interest lagged, Europeans were intrigued by Graham's bold style
and impressive performance - with the famous avant-garde
manufacturer Voisin adopting supercharged Graham engines in their
Type C-30. In 1939, a small number of bare Model 97 chassis were
consigned to European coachbuilders including Saoutchik, Van Vooren
and the Belgian firm Vesters & Neirinck. The car offered here,
chassis number 501450, is one of a handful of Model 97s reportedly
delivered to Marcel Pourtout. The famed Parisian firm was
responsible for some of the most spectacular designs of the 1930s
including the Peugeot Darl'mat, 'Embiricos' Bentley, Peugeot
Eclipse, and Delage D8-120S AeroCoupe. Some experts suggest five
chassis went to Pourtout, accounting for four coupes and one
cabriolet - the car offered here - although precise production
numbers are not known. Regardless of exact production, this is
undoubtedly an exceptionally rare automobile with a fascinating
history. Combining the robust Graham 97 chassis and powerful 115bhp
supercharged engine with a striking coachbuilt body, it is an
intriguing Franco-American hybrid. According to published history,
this car, chassis 501450, was completed at Pourtout in June 1939 as
a two-door cabriolet and was sold to Paris dealer Chapat for 25,000
francs. The first private owner's name was not decipherable in
period registration documents, though it is known that in 1953, the
car still resided in Paris, registered as 4516 BX. That year, it
was reportedly purchased by French engineer and motoring enthusiast
Mr. Pierre Quoirez as an 18th birthday gift for his daughter,
Francoise Delphine Quoirez - better known by her pseudonym,
Francoise Sagan. At just 18, Ms. Sagan published her first novel,
Bonjour Tristesse, and went on to become a widely beloved novelist,
playwright, and screenwriter. It is believed that Mr. Quoirez
initially had the car refurbished when he acquired it. The engine
and steering were overhauled, gearbox and chassis checked, and the
car painted light blue over dark chestnut upholstery. Photos
reportedly show the young Francoise Sagan behind the wheel of the
Graham, but it wasn't long before her literary accomplishments
afforded her the first of several Jaguars she'd eventually own. As
it often goes when youngsters leave the roost, Fransoise's
Supercharged Graham was parked up in her father's garage as she
found success. Around 1970, Francine Veyssiere, an enthusiast with
hopes of creating a motor museum, bought the Graham from the
Quoirez family. The museum plan never materialized, and in 1983 it
was sold to a German collector who kept it in his care until 2016.
During his tenure, he had the car restored to its original white.
This unique Graham was sold in 2016, returning to the USA to join a
private collection of significant Art Deco-style automobiles. In
the most recent custodian's care, it has been on display in a
private museum and rarely shown in public. Light recommissioning
has been done to prepare it for sale, though additional attention
may be necessary for more extensive touring or concours display.
Carrosserie Pourtout was a master of the art deco era, and this
rare Supercharged Model 97 demonstrates how well the Parisian
coachbuilder's work blends with the Graham's risky and bold 'Spirit
of Motion' styling. Offers welcome and trades considered For
additional details please view this listing directly on our website
