1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Ascot Tourer

This Rolls-Royce Phantom I Ascot Tourer is one of just 28 Ascots built. It was sold new through J.S. Inskip to R. Griffin of Jersey City, New Jersey in August of 1929. It is believed that it was later traded for a Phantom II number 255 AJS, at which point it was sold to Bernard Heaton of Boston.

Heaton kept the car until 1946 when it was offered on consignment with Elliot Hawley and in February the following year, it was sold to Peter Franz of Brooklyn.

Other owners include Henry Wing, who restored the car while in his ownership between 1953 and 1956. The next was William O'Connor, a prominent Veteran Motor Car Club of America member who used the car regularly. From O'Conner the car went to Paul Stern, whose business was the original Manheim Auto Auction, based in his hometown of Manheim, Pennsylvania. While in his ownership, the car was illustrated in the Rolls-Royce in American book by John Webb de Campi. Stern sold the car to Wally Rank of Wisconsin and he, in turn, sold the car to the current owner in the mid-1980s.

It has spent many recent years in storage.

In 2010, this car was offered for sale at the Exceptional Motorcars and Automobilia auction presented by Bonhams. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for the sum of $172,000 inclusive of Buyer's Premium.

By Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2010