Vehicle Description
Introduced in1955 the Bentley S was the first completely redesigned
production car developed by Bentley Motors Limited since the end of
the Second World War. It was created as a replacement for the R
type standard steel saloon, which had been in production since the
mid-40s. Like its predecessor, The Bentley S still retained a
separate independent chassis but featured a longer wheelbase, more
generous interior space, larger boot, lighter steering and improved
braking. For the early series 1 (S1) cars the straight six engine
was enlarged to 4887cc and a four speed automatic gearbox was
fitted as standard. The body was constructed in steel while doors,
bonnet and boot lid were of aluminium.
Six months after the introduction of the standard S1, a higher
performance S1 Continental model was offered, albeit only in
rolling chassis form. Lightweight Saloon and Drophead bodies were
constructed by a number of coachbuilders including Mulliner,
Freestone & Webb and Park Ward who built the car offered
here.�����������������
Ordered on 28th February 1957 this Park Ward bodied example is one
of only 81 S1 Continental Drophead Coupes built and one of only 31
constructed in left hand drive. It was built to order for the
Baroness Pannonica de Koenigswarter and delivered to her in New
York on 16th July 1957. The car included a number of special
features from new including power hood, wing mirrors, power
steering and, being an American car, was fitted with whitewall
tyres, revised lights, different summer and winter thermostats,
scuttle aerial and a larger brake pedal.
Koenigswarter, who was born in the UK as Kathleen Annie Pannonica
Rothschild, had married the French aristocrat and diplomat Baron
Jules de Koenigswarter before the Second World War where both of
them served with the Free French forces and the Resistance. The
Baroness, known as "Nica" to her friends, had first been introduced
to Jazz by her brother and quickly became an enthusiast herself.
When she grew bored of diplomatic life with her husband after the
war, she moved to New York and began to patronize the Be-Bop Jazz
movement that was emerging at the time. Renting a luxury suite at a
number of hotels in New York, Nica would host many of the most
famous musicians of the period and became particularly friendly
with Charlie Parker and Thelonious Monk, who has the distinction of
being the second most recorded Jazz composer ever, after Duke
Ellington.
Upon its arrival in America, Nica's Bentley quickly achieved a
degree of fame in its own right often being seen outside jazz clubs
and transporting the likes of Monk and others who by this time were
good friends of the Baroness. Numerous period press articles refer
to the "Baroness of Jazz" and her Bentley, which also features in
some fabulous photographs from the period.
Nica retained her beloved Bentley from new until her death in 1988
and fastidiously maintained the car as evidenced by the numerous
invoices that accompany the car, many of which appear to be have
been annotated by the Baroness herself. Following her death the car
passed to her son who maintained it in dry, heated storage until
1995 when it was repatriated for an extensive 5 year restoration at
a recognised UK specialist. In 2000 the car subsequently returned
to its new owner in the United States who commissioned some
additional detailing and sensitively installed modern ducted air
conditioning but used the car only sparingly and hence the odometer
today records just over 80,500 miles from new.
The car was acquired from its fourth owner by JD Classics in 2015
and received a JD Classics re-paint in 2016. Consequently it is now
finished in its original factory colour scheme of Shell Grey with
Red trim and presents in immaculate condition with full matching
numbers.
Accompanying the car are the original build sheets, detailed
invoices from 1957 to 1988 and many press cuttings and book
extracts that mention the Baroness and her Bentley. The Bentley
also participated in the 2014 Windsor Concours of Elegance.�This
very rare S1 Continental Drophead provides an unrepeatable
opportunity to own an immaculate and very desirable Bentley with a
superb provenance and fascinating history.
UNDER OFFER
