Estimate: $950,000 - $1.1M USD
Lot:
119
Auction:
‘Rolling Sculpture’ 2015 NYC
19th November 2015 5:00pm EST
Register for Event Bid Now

Fabulous, Ultimate Luxury Cloaking Supercharged Power

Like very few other automobiles of the 1930’s, Duesenberg is redolent of wealth and power. Commissioned by E. L. Cord and built by Fred and August Duesenberg in 1927, the new 265 hp Duesenberg chassis, which saw the light of day in 1929, was simply the most powerful passenger car the world had ever seen. In 1931, a supercharger option was added to the lineup, boosting power to 320 hp, an almost-inconceivable figure at the time. With a colossal chassis-only price of $9,500, a mere 36 cars were factory-supercharged. SJ514/2543 is one of these incredibly rare factory-supercharged cars, and is still fitted with its original engine and long distance sports-touring berline body by Rollston, the most prominent East Coast coachbuilder. This is a unique opportunity to acquire one of the rarest, most powerful and luxurious American automobiles of the 1930s, in beautiful restored condition.

1934

SJ514

2543

49,456

Burgundy

Gray and burgundy

Roof rack and Travel trunk

Berline body

SJ514’s Past
  • 1934LWB chassis 2543, with factory-supercharged engine SJ514, shipped to the Duesenberg New York showroom
  • 1934Sold in September, 1934 by J.S. Inskip, to New York socialite, Mrs. Henry Evans, who traded in her 1931 Rollston limousine, J-315
  • 1934Bodied by Rollston as a luxurious continental touring berline as ordered by Mrs. Evans
  • 1944Sold back to J.S. Inskip in October, 1944 by Mrs. Evans
  • 1944Sold by J.S. Inskip, to a musician named Herbert Waller
  • 1948Sold in June 1948 by Herb Waller’s widow to Charles Kyner of New York, a famous radio and television commentator, who also owned J-581. The car remained with Kyner for 39 years until his death in 1987.
  • 1987Sold by Charles Kyner’s widow to Duesenberg expert, Jim Hoe
  • 1988Sold by Jim Hoe, for a remarkable $250,000, to multiple-Duesenberg owner Robert McGowan who kept the car for 25 years
  • 2013Sold in December, 2013 by Robert McGowan to Gooding & Company Auctions, who commissioned a body-off, concours-quality restoration by Manny Dragone, a well-known figure in classic car circles.
History

Mrs. Henry Evans, widow of a former president of Continental Insurance, received an extraordinary automobile from Rollston. It was equipped with grandiose coachwork and state-of-the-art mechanicals, including 4-wheel hydraulic brakes, and a supercharged 419 cid, DOHC inline 8-cylinder, 32-valve engine that put out an immense 320 hp. Excellent quality was a given; every Duesenberg chassis was tested for 500 miles on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Then it was shipped to the customer, or the coachbuilder of choice to be bodied in any style desired by the exacting future owner. Among the rich and famous who drove Duesenbergs were film stars such as Greta Garbo, Al Jolson, Gary Cooper, Clark Gable, and Dolores del Rio. The very wealthy were also members of the exclusive Duesenberg “owner’s club”; William Randolph Hearst, Phillip K. Wrigley, and Howard Hughes all drove bespoke models. In Europe, crowned heads purchased cars from E.Z. Sadovic, the Parisian distributor. Clients included King Alfonso XIII of Spain, Queen Marie of Yugoslavia, King Vittorio Emmanuel III of Italy, and Prince Nicholas of Romania.

A Duesenberg was the pinnacle of refinement, power, and luxury and was marketed as such. Advertising for the Model J, placed by Duesenberg in posh magazines, was one of the first campaigns that deliberately did not show the product. A series of sophisticated charcoal drawings portrayed a man in evening dress, seated in front of the fire in a great hall, below a minstrels' gallery dominated by a huge pipe organ, or the silver-haired skipper of an America's Cup-type yacht, above a single line of script: “He drives a Duesenberg”. Women drivers were not forgotten; under the portrait of an elegant lady giving directions to her head gardener, “She drives a Duesenberg” said it all, eloquently underscoring a scene with an additional four gardeners tending the immaculate grounds.

Mrs. Evans was one of these fortunate women. SJ514/2543 was her third, and last, Duesenberg, and she took the car with her on several European tours. It is believed that the factory supercharger was removed relatively early in the car's history, perhaps during Mrs. Evans ownership, in order to increase reliability while abroad. After Mrs. Evan’s ownership, the car passed onto a few careful owners, including two who kept it for a total of 64 years. As a result, when SJ514/2543 was first brought out of long-term storage and restored in 2013, it was one of the most original Duesenbergs in existence. Remarkably, the car retained its period accessories as ordered by Mrs. Evans, including the 800 pound capacity roof rack, long-distance travel trunk, and front and rear instrumentation. During the restoration, a correct supercharger manufactured by Brian Joseph was fitted, so that the car has now been brought back to its original SJ specification.

Condition

Many great cars from the 1930s, and certainly many Duesenbergs, are now into their second or third restorations. Due to its remarkable history, SJ514/2543 had been left untouched, with only minor refurbishment, until it was first restored in 2013. At that time it was discovered to be a very complete and intact car which retained a very large number of its original fittings and accessories, including internal engine parts which are specific to the 36 factory-supercharged SJ motors. It is noteworthy that SJ514/2543 still has its factory-fitted mesh heat shielding on the hood panels above the engine. These are extremely rare and it is possible that the car is the only Model J that still has this equipment.

  • Body-off restoration in 2013
  • Engine rebuilt
  • Brian Joseph supercharger installed
  • Transmission rebuilt
  • Brakes rebuilt
  • Rear end rebuilt
  • Body repainted in two-tone burgundy
  • Interior refinished in gray and burgundy cloth
  • Zapon fabric-covered roof fitted as originally specified.
Market Trends

The total cost to the prominent first owner was an astronomical $ 18,000. In fact, everything about SJ514/2543 was astronomical: its size, speed, power, exclusivity, and sheer presence were all out of this world. It is small wonder that over the years, a Duesenberg has been regarded as the ultimate American automobile. The phrase “It’s a duesey” is still with us to connote something which is incredible, fantastic, and larger than life. SJ514/2543 certainly lives up to all of these accolades.

A prominent US classic car magazine recently posed the question whether a Duesenberg can be considered a “big buck bargain”. This may well be the case. In relation to the prices currently achieved by more common factory-bodied machines, Duesenberg’s majestic body work, extravagant specifications, and sheer aristocratic presence make this one-off, original and documented survivor a very enticing prospect. Today, when many high-end cars no longer carry their original body or engine, it is refreshing to see that something as grand as a one-off, documented car of this caliber can be acquired at the correct market level. SJ514/2543 is a rare offering for the astute and knowing collector who desires an historic, significant centerpiece that will enhance any major collection.

Inquiries: [email protected]