1928 Isotta Fraschini 8A SS Convertible Coupe

By the late 1920s, Italy's Isotta Fraschini had earned a reputation for both performance and luxury among well-heeled American buyers.

The Isotta Fraschini 7.3-liter Tipo 8A, launched in 1924, was built to three different specifications - the standard Tipo 8A on a 145-inch wheelbase and two powerful 150 horsepower models, the Spinto S, and Super Spinto SS, each on a 134-inch chassis.

Isotta Fraschini marketed their elegant automobiles to the new American aristocracy, the stars of stage and screen - and they flocked to Isotta's showrooms on Fifth Avenue in New York City, often paying a lot more for an Isotta than they would have paid for a Model J Duesenberg. Clara Bow and Rudolph Valentino both owned Isottas.

The chassis of this Isotta Fraschini was built in Italy and then delivered to the LeBaron Company in the United States to have the boattail body with a single rumble seat put on it. Its 160 horsepower straight-eight engine made this a powerful and fast car.

Built in Italy and with Custom Coachwork by LeBaron, this Isotta-Fraschini was introduced at the 1928 New York Auto Show. Two such custom boattail bodies were produced. Isotta-Fraschini's were favorites among those such as silent movie star Rudolph Valentino and this particular car was owned by 'America's Darling of Broadway and The Silent Screen,' Marguerite Clark (born in Cincinnati, Ohio) and her husband the aviator Harry Williams. Ms. Clark was the inspiration for the Walt Disney character of 'Snow White.'

This car, which has been unknown to the collector community, is a wonderful piece of history. In 2007, it was shown for the first time in public since the 1930's. The car only has 22,000 original miles and was previously owned by collector Jim Thomas of Florida since the 1960's. The current owner showed the car at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in 2007 where it placed Second in Class.