1910 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost

Sold for $2,535,000 at 2021 Gooding & Company : Pebble Beach Concours Auction.
This magnificent and incredibly tall 1910 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Double Pullman Limousine remains in its original condition, and has been nicknamed the 'Mary Rose.' The name was taken from a short story by Peter Pan's creator, J.M. Barrie, a supernatural tale of the strange disappearance of a little girl on a tiny Hebridean island, who reappears to her parents unaged and unchanged many years later.

This Silver Ghost was ordered by Douglas Fletcher, Esq., of Avoch, Scotland, and coached by S & A Fuller Coachworks of Bath, England. It is believed to be the first Silver Ghost fitted with electric lights. Upon Fletcher's demise in 1929, the car was sequestered on the Black Isle of Scotland and remained undisturbed for 25 years.

The car was found in the mid-fifties locked up in a dark building. Other than a patch of paint faded by a stream of light from the small window, the Ghost returned to the outside world unaltered by its long incarceration. It was eventually purchased from the Fletcher estate and superbly preserved with its original interior, which it retains to this day. Numerous collectors have enjoyed Rolls-Royce #1392, and each has taken particular care to preserve its originality, with minimal refinishing. In 2010, this Ghost was awarded the Lucius Beebe Award at Pebble Beach Concours - an award named for a 'bon vivant' who traveled by private Pullman car in grand style similar to this example. This automobile has taken part in numerous rallies, and one cannot help but reflect on how, despite many changes in its surroundings, the Silver Ghost endures - largely unchanged.

Sold for $2,535,000 at 2021 Gooding & Company : Pebble Beach Concours Auction.
This 1910 Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost Pullman Limousine is equipped with a 7,428cc inline L-head 6-cylinder engine with a single Updraft carburetor and delivering 50 horsepower at 1,500 RPM. There is a three-speed manual gearbox and rear-wheel mechanical drum brakes. The coachwork is by S & A Fuller Coachworks of Bath, England who crafted wooden window casements and curved corner windows. The width of the rear comparment extends past the doors and concludes in the tulip-shaped rear line.

This Rolls-Royce was ordered new by Mr. J. Douglas Fletcher, Esq., of Avoch, Scotland, and the chassis was dispatched to the coachbuilder on October 19, 1910. The order sheet specified brass fittings throughout and is believed to be the first SIlver Ghost to be fitted with electric lights. Additional specific requested concerned the tire selection, steering rake, spring rate, and gear ratios.

When Mr. Fletcher passed away in 1929, the car was sequestered in a darkened building on the Black Isle of Scotland. It remained undisturbed in storage for 25 years before being purchased from the Fletcher estate, preserved just as it had been stored, including its original interior, which it retains to this day.

The current owner acquired this Rolls-Royce in 2006. The car wears its original color combination of black with claret-maroon. More recently, the car was brought back to concours standards while giving utmost care to the conservation of its materials and finishes.

This car has earned class awards at Amelia Island and at the Pebble Beach Concours, where it received the Lucius Beebe Award, which is given to the Rolls-Royce 'most in the Lucius Beebe tradition.'

By Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2021