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| Rolls-Royce chassis S283PK with body by Locke & Co. (from the author's collection) |
Of the many truly fantastic cars being offered by the folks at Bonhams next week at their Quail Lodge sale, this car jumped off the page of the catalog. I acquired a picture of this 1925 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost, with all weather touring body by Locke & Co., among other Rolls-Royce images a while back and have been looking for a contemporary reference of the car for a while.
Happily the car has survived and the Bonhams catalog describes it's history as follows: "… this long wheelbase chassis was off test in November 1925, the chassis was then delivered to the respected coachbuilding firm Locke and Company in New York… Delivered to H.S. Ogilvie in Hartford, Connecticut, the car was later sold to Herman Goldman in New York who kept the car until 1948. Three further owners maintained the Ghost in regular use until purchased by Richard Scarsella of Cold Spring Harbour, New York. In his ownership the car was extensively restored and then placed 1st in the Late Ghost class at the RROC annual meet (in 1973). Purchased by the Ivone Peitz Collection in 1991 via Dragone Classic Motor Cars, the car has been very well maintained by the collection's private mechanic since. Of museum quality, this later Springfield Ghost has been on display in the collection's motor house and used regularly." My photo of the car notes its owner at the time as Mr. Hanson, and in the photo the car wears an interesting dealer plate.
Coachbuilders who supplied bodywork for the Springfield Silver Ghost without Rolls-Royce Custom Coachworks (RRCCW) badges included the Locke Company. It is unknown how many Ghost chassis were bodied by Locke, however a small percentage of Locke-built bodies may also have had RRCCW builder plates. This car wears a Locke & Company sill plate.
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| Rolls-Royce chassis S283PK coming to auction (photo credit: Bonhams Auctions) |
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| Rolls-Royce chassis S283PK's distinctive windshield (photo credit: Bonhams Auctions) |
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