1914 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Tourer

This 1914 Rolls-Royce 40/50 Silver Ghost was originally fitted with a Landaulette body by Flewitt. The original owner was C.S. Cockburn of Chesterfield, UK. The car had CAV lighting equipment, Model G headlamps, sidelamps, tail-lamp, switchbox, dash lamp and a case of spare bulbs. The original order sheet listed the design with a bonnet as a parallel style. This was later converted to the tapered bonnet with no additional charge to Cockburn.

The car remained in Europe for only a short time; in 1915 it was in Australia in the care of Mrs. Walter (Eliza) Hall. After her death, ownership changed and would continue to change for the next few years. Sometime during the mid-1930s it was owned by Melbourne bookmaker Percy Speakman, who had the body replaced with a Packard sedan body. The next owner was Salvatore Palisi who used it through the 1940s and 1950s.

In 1955 the car was sold to electrician Joseph Morton who retained it for several years. Jim Cooper purchased the car in October of 1958. While in his care, the car was treated to a restoration. A touring car body from a 1914 Mercedes, apparently built by Waring Brothers of Melbourne, was acquired and fitted to the car. It was painted deep maroon with black fenders, chassis and wheels.

In 1961 the car was driven on a supervised top-gear 850-mile, 50th Anniversary Commemorative Run to celebrate the London-to-Edinburgh achievement of 1911.

Ownership changed to the Sydney firm of F.J.Palmer's Menswear Store and was used as a promotional vehicle. George Sevenoaks was the next owner and in April of 1972, the car left Australia when it was sold to Dick Philippi of Downey, California.

Philippi restored the car and had it painted in light cream color. In 2007 it was brought to the Gooding & Company auction held in Pebble Beach, Ca where it was estimated to sell for $700,000 - $900,000. Those estimates were accurate and the lot was sold for $720,000 including buyer's premium.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2008