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1911 Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost Navigation
Edwardian Elegance for the Maharaja of Mysore
The rulers of India, the Maharajas of various states and city-states, were loyal customers of the Rolls-Royce marque. Many lived a very lavish lifestyle in palaces with staff and attendants to wait on their ever need and desire. When they traveled they were often accompanied by large numbers of guards, retainers, family and staff. Rolls-Royce had a colonial model which was well suited to the rougher roads and conditions of remote regions, and a popular choice for many of the Maharajas. They were fitted with a wide variety of coachwork for entertainment, hunting, ceremony and transportation.
The coronation of King George V was celebrated by all of the Princes of India in what was called the Delhi Durbar. This beautiful Rolls-Royce is one of eight Silver Ghosts with identical landaulette bodies provided for this special event. After the coronation, it was presented to the Maharaja of Mysore, who had it rebodied with this magnificent open (to suit the tropical climate) Victoria to be used for parades and other special ceremonies by the Maharaja.
The eight identical landaulette bodied cars were built by Barker, Hooper, Windovers, Mulliner and Thrupp & Maberly. This car, with chassis 1683, was the only on bodied by H.J. Mulliner and was fitted with Pullman Limousine coachwork.
Following the Durbar, ownership passed to Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV, Maharaja of Mysore. At some early period in its life the Mulliner Pullman limousine coachwork was removed and rebodied wih this open Victoria. It was used for parades and similar ceremonial occassions.
The passengers riding in the elevated rear seat are protected from the sun by a folding victoria top. The large umbrella in the rear was to provide partial shading for the guards and retainers standing at attention in the sun. A very thoughtful gesture on part of the Maharaja.
The car returned to England in the 1950s and treated to a restoration. Upon completion, it was sold at auction to James Leake for the price of $27,000, a high price at the time. Millard Newman became the cars next owner and then purchased by Richard Solove in 1993. He commissioned Dave Hemmings to perform another restoration which still shows nicely in modern times.
At the 1994 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance it was awarded first-in-class honors and earned the Millard Newman Award at Amelia Island in 2003.
This Silver Ghost has a side-valve, six-cylinder, 7428cc engine producing 48 horsepower at 1,250 rpm, and a three-speed transmission. The seven-bearing crankshaft has full pressure lubrication and the center main bearing is made specially large to remove vibration, essentially splitting the engine into two three-cylinder units. Two spark plugs are fitted to each cylinder with a trembler coil to produce the spark with a magneto-the instruction was to start the engine on the trembler/battery and then switch to magneto. The substantial chassis had rigid front and rear axles and leaf springs all round. The success of the model led to the company dropping the previous range of cars and following a one model policy until the launch of the 20 hp in 1922. In all, a total of 8,416 Silver Ghost cars were produced from 1907 to 1926, including 1,703 from the American Springfield factory. Many are still running to this day. The Silver Ghost was the origin of Rolls-Royce's claim of making the 'Best car in the world' - a phrase coined by the prestigious publication Autocar in 1907.
In 2007 it was brought to the Gooding & Company auction held in Pebble Beach, Ca where it was estimated to sell for $800,000-$1,200,000 and offered without reserve. Those estimates proved very accurate as the lot was sold for $990,000 including buyer's premium.
The rulers of India, the Maharajas of various states and city-states, were loyal customers of the Rolls-Royce marque. Many lived a very lavish lifestyle in palaces with staff and attendants to wait on their ever need and desire. When they traveled they were often accompanied by large numbers of guards, retainers, family and staff. Rolls-Royce had a colonial model which was well suited to the rougher roads and conditions of remote regions, and a popular choice for many of the Maharajas. They were fitted with a wide variety of coachwork for entertainment, hunting, ceremony and transportation.
The coronation of King George V was celebrated by all of the Princes of India in what was called the Delhi Durbar. This beautiful Rolls-Royce is one of eight Silver Ghosts with identical landaulette bodies provided for this special event. After the coronation, it was presented to the Maharaja of Mysore, who had it rebodied with this magnificent open (to suit the tropical climate) Victoria to be used for parades and other special ceremonies by the Maharaja.
The eight identical landaulette bodied cars were built by Barker, Hooper, Windovers, Mulliner and Thrupp & Maberly. This car, with chassis 1683, was the only on bodied by H.J. Mulliner and was fitted with Pullman Limousine coachwork.
Following the Durbar, ownership passed to Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV, Maharaja of Mysore. At some early period in its life the Mulliner Pullman limousine coachwork was removed and rebodied wih this open Victoria. It was used for parades and similar ceremonial occassions.
The passengers riding in the elevated rear seat are protected from the sun by a folding victoria top. The large umbrella in the rear was to provide partial shading for the guards and retainers standing at attention in the sun. A very thoughtful gesture on part of the Maharaja.
The car returned to England in the 1950s and treated to a restoration. Upon completion, it was sold at auction to James Leake for the price of $27,000, a high price at the time. Millard Newman became the cars next owner and then purchased by Richard Solove in 1993. He commissioned Dave Hemmings to perform another restoration which still shows nicely in modern times.
At the 1994 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance it was awarded first-in-class honors and earned the Millard Newman Award at Amelia Island in 2003.
This Silver Ghost has a side-valve, six-cylinder, 7428cc engine producing 48 horsepower at 1,250 rpm, and a three-speed transmission. The seven-bearing crankshaft has full pressure lubrication and the center main bearing is made specially large to remove vibration, essentially splitting the engine into two three-cylinder units. Two spark plugs are fitted to each cylinder with a trembler coil to produce the spark with a magneto-the instruction was to start the engine on the trembler/battery and then switch to magneto. The substantial chassis had rigid front and rear axles and leaf springs all round. The success of the model led to the company dropping the previous range of cars and following a one model policy until the launch of the 20 hp in 1922. In all, a total of 8,416 Silver Ghost cars were produced from 1907 to 1926, including 1,703 from the American Springfield factory. Many are still running to this day. The Silver Ghost was the origin of Rolls-Royce's claim of making the 'Best car in the world' - a phrase coined by the prestigious publication Autocar in 1907.
In 2007 it was brought to the Gooding & Company auction held in Pebble Beach, Ca where it was estimated to sell for $800,000-$1,200,000 and offered without reserve. Those estimates proved very accurate as the lot was sold for $990,000 including buyer's premium.
2007 Gooding & Company
Pre-Auction Estimates :
USD $800,000-USD $1,200,000
Sale Price :
USD $990,000
1911 Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost Auction Sales
Recent Sales of the Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost
(Data based on Model Year 1911 sales)
1911 Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost Open Drive Limousine 'The Dreamer' by Grosvenor Chassis#: 1524 Sold for USD$280,000 2024 RM Sothebys : Monterey | ![]() ![]() |
1911 Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost Drophead Coupe by Barker Chassis#: 1713 Sold for USD$385,000 2019 RM Sothebys : Hershey | |
1911 Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost Limousine Chassis#: 1850E Sold for USD$940,000 2019 Gooding & Company : Pebble Beach | ![]() ![]() |
1911 Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost Roadster Chassis#: 1592 Sold for USD$1,017,500 2013 RM Auctions - Monterey | ![]() ![]() |
1911 Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost Roi des Belges Tourer Chassis#: 1677 Sold for USD$869,264 2012 Aalholm Automobile Collection | |
1911 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Seven-Passenger Roi des Belges Chassis#: 1574 Sold for USD$836,000 2012 RM - Milhous Collection, Fla | ![]() ![]() |
1911 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Open Drive Landaulette Chassis#: 1797 Sold for USD$506,000 2011 RM Auctions - Automobiles of Amelia Island | ![]() ![]() |
1911 Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost Roi-des-Belge Tourer Chassis#: 1574 Sold for USD$682,000 2009 Pebble Beach Auction : Gooding & Company | ![]() ![]() |
1911 Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost ROI_DES_BELGES Sold for USD$522,500 2008 Worldwide Auctions - The Auburn Auction 2008 | |
1911 Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost Sold for USD$990,000 2007 Gooding & Company | ![]() ![]() |
1911 Rolls-Royce 40/50HP Silver Ghost Roi Des Belges Chassis#: 1574 Sold for USD$797,500 2007 Vintage Motor Cars in Arizona | ![]() ![]() |
1911 Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost Sold for USD$858,000 2006 Monterey Sports & Classic Car Auction | ![]() ![]() |
1911 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Landaulette Sold for USD$401,500 2003 Vintage Motor Cars at Meadow Brook Hall |
Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghosts That Failed To Sell At Auction
1911 Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost's that have appeared at auction but did not sell.
Vehicle | Chassis | Event | High Bid | Est. Low | Est. High |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1911 ROLLS-ROYCE 40/50 HP SILVER GHOST TOURER | 1606 | 2023 Gooding & Company : London Auction | $500,000 | $700,000 | |
1911 Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost Tourer | 1717 | 2021 Gooding & Company : Pebble Beach Concours Auction | $1,000,000 | $1,500,000 | |
1911 Rolls-Royce 40/50hp Silver Ghost Tulip-Backed semi open drive Pullman Limousine | 1543 | 2020 Bonhams : The Golden Age of Motoring Sale (1886 1939) | $1,000,000 | $1,300,000 | |
1911 Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost Tourer by Lawton | 1544 | 2016 RM Sothebys : Amelia Island | $2,100,000 | $2,500,000 | $3,500,000 |
1911 ROLLS-ROYCE 40/50 ROI-DES-BELGES | 2015 Bonhams : The Frederiksen Auction | $3,500,000 | $5,000,000 |
Vehicles With Comparable Market Values
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1909 Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost Roi des Belges in the style of Barker Chassis#:1175 Sold for $698,500 2023 RM Sothebys : Hershey | ![]() ![]() |
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1911 Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost
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