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81 Rolls-Royce vehicles were designated with the GFT chassis prefix and this particular example is the 31st. It is believed to have been ordered new on behalf of Mr. J. Rubin, of Geneva, Switzerland, and initially intended to receive coachwork from the Parisian carrosserie Million-Guiet. The car was later sent to Colmar, Alsace, to be bodied by Gangloff. It is believed that its current drophead coupe body by Carrosserie Worblaufen was installed while in the care of Albert Nobele, of Geneva - who had purchased the car by 1937.
In the late 1950s, Dr. J.V. Neff, of Newport Beach, California imported the car to the United States from Switzerland. Its next owner is believed to have been Ric Brecheisen of Phoenix, Arizona, who retained it through the late 1960s. C. Fred Brown of Portsmouth, Ohio purchased it in 1976 and subsequently passed it in the early 1980s to David Rosenheim, of West End, New Jersey. Mr. Rosenheim's estate sold it in 1983 to John P. Smalley, who later sold it to Johnny Pascucci of Meriden, Connecticut. John Moir of Chocorua, New Hampshire purchased it in 1989 and kept it through October 2014. The current caretaker(s) acquired it from Mr. Moir and had it sent to Steve Litten of Vintage Auto Rebuilds in Chardon, Ohio, for a three-year no-expense-spared comprehensive restoration. The work included a complete rebuild of the running gear, engine, and refinishing of the coachwork in silver with a light grey top. The interior was re-upholstered with burgundy leather.By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2022
In the late 1950s, Dr. J.V. Neff, of Newport Beach, California imported the car to the United States from Switzerland. Its next owner is believed to have been Ric Brecheisen of Phoenix, Arizona, who retained it through the late 1960s. C. Fred Brown of Portsmouth, Ohio purchased it in 1976 and subsequently passed it in the early 1980s to David Rosenheim, of West End, New Jersey. Mr. Rosenheim's estate sold it in 1983 to John P. Smalley, who later sold it to Johnny Pascucci of Meriden, Connecticut. John Moir of Chocorua, New Hampshire purchased it in 1989 and kept it through October 2014. The current caretaker(s) acquired it from Mr. Moir and had it sent to Steve Litten of Vintage Auto Rebuilds in Chardon, Ohio, for a three-year no-expense-spared comprehensive restoration. The work included a complete rebuild of the running gear, engine, and refinishing of the coachwork in silver with a light grey top. The interior was re-upholstered with burgundy leather.By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2022
The 20/25 got its unusual name when the British government decided, more than a century ago, to allow the use of self-propelled vehicles on its roads, and devised a system of taxation for their use. It was agreed to base the tax rates on a formula that considered such factors as the engine's number of cylinder and their bore (but interestingly, not their stroke), and some other physical dimensions as well. The resulting arbitrary calculation produced a number that was considered the vehicle's taxable horsepower, which was then used to determine the annual road use tax.
The tax brackets were divided by single whole horsepower increments up to and including twenty. This covered the vast majority of the cars on the road at that time, and for some time after. Beyond twenty taxable horsepower, the brackets were divided into larger segments, the next being the one for twenty to twenty-five taxable horsepower (20/25), then 25/30, etc. with 40/50 being one of the largest, if not the largest, categories.
In the pre-war era, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Ltd. did not make complete cars. In that era, when a wealthy buyer decided to own a Rolls-Royce, he or she selected the coachbuilder of their choice and then chose the car's body styling from a wide variety of offerings from that coachbuilder's catalogue. This current body on this chassis is by Carrosserie Worblaufen, a Swiss coachbuilder, which was a rare choice on a Rolls-Royce.
The tax brackets were divided by single whole horsepower increments up to and including twenty. This covered the vast majority of the cars on the road at that time, and for some time after. Beyond twenty taxable horsepower, the brackets were divided into larger segments, the next being the one for twenty to twenty-five taxable horsepower (20/25), then 25/30, etc. with 40/50 being one of the largest, if not the largest, categories.
In the pre-war era, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Ltd. did not make complete cars. In that era, when a wealthy buyer decided to own a Rolls-Royce, he or she selected the coachbuilder of their choice and then chose the car's body styling from a wide variety of offerings from that coachbuilder's catalogue. This current body on this chassis is by Carrosserie Worblaufen, a Swiss coachbuilder, which was a rare choice on a Rolls-Royce.
2022 RM Sothebys : Amelia Island
Pre-Auction Estimates :
USD $175,000-USD $250,000
Sale Price :
USD $268,800
2014 RM Auctions - Hershey
Pre-Auction Estimates :
USD $80,000-USD $120,000
Sale Price :
USD $66,000
1931 Rolls-Royce 20/25 Auction Sales
Recent Sales of the Rolls-Royce 20/25
(Data based on Model Year 1931 sales)
1931 Rolls-Royce 20/25hp 'Dreadnought Special' Chassis#: GNS39 Sold for USD$133,884 2022 Bonhams : The Beaulieu Sale | |
1931 Rolls-Royce 20/25 Drophead Coupe by Worblaufen Chassis#: GFT31 Sold for USD$268,800 2022 RM Sothebys : Amelia Island | |
1931 Rolls-Royce 20/25 'Dreadnought Special' by Bespoke Bodyworks Chassis#: GNS39 Sold for USD$209,235 2021 RM Sothebys : London | |
1931 Rolls-Royce 20/25hp Shooting Brake Chassis#: GNS45 Sold for USD$42,968 2019 Bonhams : Goodwood Revival | |
1931 Rolls-Royce 20/25HP Tourer Chassis#: GOS 59 Sold for USD$40,320 2019 Bonhams : Tupelo Auction | |
1931 Rolls-Royce 20/25hp Shooting Brake Chassis#: GNS45 Sold for USD$66,139 2019 Bonhams : Goodwood Members Meeting | |
1931 Rolls-Royce 20/25 Park Ward Saloon Sold for USD$35,787 2018 H&H - Pavilion Gardens Motor Car | |
1931 Rolls-Royce 20/25hp Limousine Chassis#: GFT5 Sold for USD$28,461 2017 Bonhams : London Olympia | |
1931 Rolls-Royce 20/25 Sports Saloon Chassis#: GFT2 Sold for USD$108,119 2015 H & H RREC Burghley House | |
1931 Rolls-Royce 20/25 Drophead Coupe by Worblaufen Chassis#: GFT31 Sold for USD$66,000 2014 RM Auctions - Hershey | |
1931 Rolls-Royce 20/25 Sports Saloon Chassis#: GFT2 Sold for USD$161,992 2014 H&H Auctions : RREC Rockingham Castle | |
1931 ROLLS-ROYCE 20/25HP SALOON Chassis#: GFT51 Sold for USD$50,036 2014 COLLECTORS' MOTOR CARS AND AUTOMOBILIA | |
1931 ROLLS-ROYCE 20/25HP TWO-DOOR WEYMANN SPORTSMAN'S COUPE Chassis#: GPS 2 Sold for USD$69,188 2013 COLLECTORS' MOTOR CARS AND AUTOMOBILIA | |
1931 Rolls-Royce 20/25hp 4½-Litre Shooting Brake Chassis#: GNS1 Sold for USD$56,529 2012 Bonhams - Collectors' Motor Cars, Motorcycles and Automobilia | |
1931 Rolls-Royce 20/25hp Close Coupled Fixed Head Coupe Chassis#: GNS 29 Sold for USD$86,250 2012 Bonhams - Preserving the Automobile: An Auction at the Simeone Foundation | |
1931 Rolls-Royce 20/25 Sedanca deVille Chassis#: GFT 72 Sold for USD$55,000 2012 RM Auctions at Amelia Island, Fla | |
1931 Rolls-Royce 20/25 Limousine Chassis#: GFT 52 Sold for USD$47,867 2008 Coys Auction -Ascot Racecourse | |
1931 Rolls-Royce 20/25hp Rolling Chassis Chassis#: GPS14 Sold for USD$8,775 2006 Bonhams - The Frank Cooke Collection | |
1931 Rolls-Royce 20/25 Sports Saloon Chassis#: GOS 68 Sold for USD$20,794 2003 Bonhams - Rolls-Royce & Bentley Motor Cars & Related Automobilia |
Rolls-Royce 20/25s That Failed To Sell At Auction
1931 Rolls-Royce 20/25's that have appeared at auction but did not sell.
Vehicle | Chassis | Event | High Bid | Est. Low | Est. High |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1931 Rolls-Royce 20/25 Limousine | GFT20 | 2011 H & H Pavilion Gardens | |||
1931 Rolls-Royce 20/25hp Shooting Brake | GPS37 | 2011 Bonhams Yorkshire Event Center | $12,500 | $15,500 |
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1931 Rolls-Royce 20/25
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