In 1919, Rolls-Royce established an American subsidiary in Springfield, MA, with the express intent of increasing sales through the avoidance of high customs duties on imported vehicles. The majority of these cars were bodied by Brewster, and the York Roadster was the most expensive body available in 1929. The first owner of this example was Tommy Manville, noted playboy and heir to the Johns-Manville Asbestos fortune, who was married 13 times. The body and chassis are original to the car and have always been together. The car has a known uninterrupted ownership history from new, and was owned for 30 years by noted Rolls-Royce expert William Davis of Charleston, WV.Also photographed at :