For Sale: 1939 Graham-Paige Type 97 Cabriolet in Saint Louis, Missouri

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