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1929 Duesenberg Model J Dual Cowl Phaeton

W.H. Brown, Jr. of New York City collected his new Duesenberg Model J on September 19th of 1929. His car was chassis numb er2217 with engine J-197 and wore LeBaron 'Sweep-Panel' Dual Cowl Phaeton coachwork. Just two months later, his stately automobile was involved in an accident and returned to Duesenberg for repairs. The chassis was badly damaged so Duesenberg removed the LeBaron body, refinished it as required, and placed it on a brand-new chassis, 2292, with engine number J-270. The work was completed by the close of November of 1929 and Mr. Brown received - in essence - his brand-new Duesenberg.

Sometime between late 1933 and early 1934, Mr. Brown returned J-270 to the New York factory branch for resale. On January 25th of 1934, the Model J was sold to Belgian banker Jean Cattier of New York. It is believed that while in his care, the car was shipped to Belgium and used to tour the continent before returning stateside.

In August of 1935, the car was offered for sale at Hilton Motors in Brooklyn, New York. Franklin d'Olier, Jr. of Philadelphia, PA purchased the car in September. Mr. & Mrs. d'Olier spent the Summer of 1936 touring the country, accruing some 20,000 miles on their journey.

In 1937, Mr. d'Olier commissioned Derham Custom Body Co. of Rosemont to update the LeBaron coachwork with modern features. It was given skirted fenders, drop-center wheels, bullet headlamps, external exhaust pipes, and a ford three-spoke 'banjo' steering wheel. It also received a raked and Vee'd windscreen complete with tear drop-style wind wings.

After the updates were completed, it was sent back to Mitchell, who rebuilt the engine and fabricated a new intake manifold that allowed the use of twin-downdraft Winfield carburetors.

After driving over 100,000 miles in four years, Mr. d'Olier sold the car in the winter of 1940 in order to purchase a supercharged Cord. The Duesenberg was purchased by T. Chalfield Taylor and then re-acquired by Mitchell less than a year later. In 1941, the Duesenberg was sold to Alexander Georg Rudolf Bauer.

Bauer had put an order in for a long-wheelbase supercharged Duesenberg early in 1937. The scarcity of superchargers meant the car was delayed by more than a year. The car was intended to be clothed by Erdmann & Rossi. However, before the chassis was even completed, a series of complications placed the car on hold. His long-awaited SJ, chassis J-397, was given a fully convertible, all-weather cabriolet by Rollson, Inc. He took delivery in April of 1940. Soon after, he acquired two additional Duesenbergs: J-436, a La Grande Dual Cowl Phaeton; and J-270.

When Bauer passed away in November 1953, his Duesenberg collection went to the care of his widow, whom he had married in 1944.

In the Summer of 1954, the Pettit family attended the CCCA Grand Classic in New Brunswick, New Jersey. While there, Mr. Pettit learned of a Rollston-bodied Duesenberg along with a Dual Cowl Phaeton Duesenberg.

A year later, the Pettits were able to purchase the three Bauer Duesenbergs - J-270, J-397, and J-436 (reportedly for $7,000 for all three). For nearly six decades, J-270 has been part of the Pettit Collection.

The original LeBaron body is finished in a two-tone blue livery. It has Marchal Trilux headlamps (presumably installed by Mr. Cattier) and the special intake Winfield carburetor, installed by Mitchell.

In 2012, the car was offered for sale at the Pebble Beach auction presented by Gooding & Company. The car was estimated to sell for $2,000,000 - $2,750,000. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for the sum of $1,980,000 inclusive of the buyer's premium.

By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2012

2012 Gooding and Company - Pebble Beach Auction

Pre-Auction Estimates :
USD $2,000,000-USD $2,750,000 
Sale Price :
USD $1,980,000

1929 Duesenberg Model J Auction Sales

Recent Sales of the Duesenberg Model J

(Data based on Model Year 1929 sales)
1929 Duesenberg Model J Berline
Chassis#: 2143
Sold for USD$2,260,000
  2022 Worldwide Auctioneers : Scottsdale Arizona
1929 Duesenberg Model J image  1929 Duesenberg Model J image  
1929 Duesenberg Model J Sedan by Derham/Bohman & Schwartz
Chassis#: 2143
Sold for USD$737,000
  2018 RM Auctions : Auburn Fall
1929 Duesenberg Model J image  1929 Duesenberg Model J image  
1929 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Sedan
Chassis#: J262
Sold for USD$1,155,000
  2018 Mecum : Monterey
 
1929 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Coupe by Fleetwood
Chassis#: 2157
Sold for USD$990,000
  2017 Auctions America : Auburn Fall
1929 Duesenberg Model J image  1929 Duesenberg Model J image  
1929 Duesenberg Model J Dual Cowl Phaeton
Chassis#: 2151
Sold for USD$2,420,000
  2016 Gooding & Company : The Scottsdale Auction
1929 Duesenberg Model J image  1929 Duesenberg Model J image  
1929 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Coupe by Murphy
Chassis#: 2168
Sold for USD$1,402,500
  2015 Auctions America - Auburn Fall
 
1929 Duesenberg Model J Dual Cowl Phaeton
Chassis#: 2151
Sold for USD$2,090,000
  2014 Gooding & Company - The Scottsdale Auction
1929 Duesenberg Model J image  1929 Duesenberg Model J image  
1929 Duesenberg Model J Sport Sedan
Chassis#: 2163
Sold for USD$962,500
  2013 Auctions America - Auburn Fall
 
1929 Duesenberg Model J Sport Sedan
Chassis#: 2132
Sold for USD$990,000
  2012 RM Auctions - Monterey
 
1929 Duesenberg Model J Dual Cowl Phaeton 'Blue J'
Chassis#: 2292
Sold for USD$1,980,000
  2012 Gooding and Company - Pebble Beach Auction
1929 Duesenberg Model J image  1929 Duesenberg Model J image  
1929 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Berline
Chassis#: 2127
Sold for USD$803,000
  2012 RM Auctions at Amelia Island, Fla
1929 Duesenberg Model J image  1929 Duesenberg Model J image  
1929 Duesenberg Model J Dual Cowl Phaeton
Chassis#: 2136 / J116
Sold for USD$1,237,500
  2011 Automobiles of Arizona by RM Auctions
 
1929 Duesenberg Model J 7-Passenger Sedan
Sold for USD$357,500
  2010 Auctions America : Auburn Collector Car Auction
 
1929 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Sedan
Chassis#: J262
Sold for USD$825,000
  2010 RM Auctions - Vintage Motor Cars of Meadow Brook
 
1929 Duesenberg Model J
Sold for USD$858,000
  2009 Automobiles of Arizona
1929 Duesenberg Model J image  1929 Duesenberg Model J image  
1929 Duesenberg Model J
Sold for USD$1,375,000
  2009 The Scottsdale Auction : Gooding & Company
1929 Duesenberg Model J image  1929 Duesenberg Model J image  
1929 DUESENBERG DERHAM CONVERTIBLE COUPE
Sold for USD$742,500
  2008 Worldwide Auctions - The Auburn Auction 2008
 
1929 Duesenberg Model J Dual Cowl Phaeton
Chassis#: 2174
Sold for USD$1,760,000
  2008 RM Auctions - Automobiles of Arizona
1929 Duesenberg Model J image  1929 Duesenberg Model J image  
1929 Duesenberg Model J by Barker
Sold for USD$616,000
  2007 Gooding & Company
 
1929 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Sedan
Chassis#: J262
Sold for USD$907,500
  2006 RM Auctions at Meadow Brook
 

Duesenberg Model Js That Failed To Sell At Auction

1929 Duesenberg Model J's that have appeared at auction but did not sell.
VehicleChassisEventHigh BidEst. LowEst. High
1929 Duesenberg Model J Sweep Panel Dual-Cowl Phaeton by LeBaron21772024 RM Sothebys : ModaMiami $2,650,000$2,850,000
1929 Duesenberg Model J LaGrande Blind Quarter Brougham22102023 Mecum : Monterey$800,000$800,000$1,000,000
1929 Duesenberg Model J LaGrande Blind Quarter Brougham22102023 Mecum : Indy$850,000$1,250,000$1,500,000
1929 Duesenberg Model J1929 Duesenberg Model J LaGrande Blind Quarter Brougham22102023 Mecum : Kissimmee$900,000  
1929 Duesenberg Model J LaGrande Blind Quarter Brougham22102022 Mecum : Monterey$1,100,000  
1929 Duesenberg Model J Berline21432019 Worldwide Auctioneers : Riyadh Auction   
1929 Duesenberg Model J Dual Cowl Phaeton by LeBaron21742010 Worldwide Auctions The Auburn Auction $1,700,000$2,000,000
1929 Duesenberg Phaeton 2009 Leake Auctions Dallas 37th Annual Leake Auto Auction Market Hall$600,000  
1929 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Coupé22392009 Bonhams Automobiles d'Exception à Retromobile $1,500,000$2,000,000
1929 Duesenberg Model J Derham Convertible Coupe 2008 Collector Cars of Fort Lauderdale$640,000  
1929 Duesenberg J Sedanca De Ville 2006 Worldwide Auctions Houston Classic 2006   
1929 DUESENBERG DERHAM PHAETON KNOWN AS THE ELVIS DUESENBERG 2001 Kruse Auction Santa Clara, CA$880,000  
1929 DUESENBERG MODEL J TORPEDO CONVERTIBLE COUPE22212001 Kruse Auction Auburn, IN$850,000  

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1929 Duesenberg Model J

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