Classic Promenade Auctions, the first fully transparent online-only auction specializing in high-end collector cars, announces its “virtual” auction commencing this September.
Following its debut, the auction company is pleased to unveil the Rolls-Royce that was featured in the Academy Award-winning 1974 film The Great Gatsby, starring Robert Redford, for auction beginning Monday, October 12.
“Part of the significance of this car is its provenance. Beyond the movie, this car is thoroughly documented and has a unique pedigree which would satisfy the most discerning car and Hollywood memorabilia collectors,” says Harry Clark, founder of Classic Promenade and Concours Master Judge. “There is no question in my mind this is one of the most important Rolls-Royces ever built and would be welcome on any Concours field.”
The car was featured with Great Gatsby actor Redford on magazine covers and in numerous layouts including GQ and Vogue, as well as promotional materials produced for the movie.
The famed 1928 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Ascot Dual Cowl Sport Phaeton is believed to be the only Ascot Sport Phaeton built with a dual cowl, thus matching one of the most important details specified in Fitzgerald’s novel “…terraced with a labyrinth of windshields that mirrored a dozen suns.”
The Great Gatsby Rolls-Royce acquired further modifications to match the novel’s additional details about the car:
It was a rich cream color, bright with nickel, swollen here and there in its monstrous length with triumphant hat-boxes and supper-boxes and tool-boxes… Sitting down behind many layers of glass in a sort of green leather conservatory.”
– The Great Gatsby
For the film, the car’s livery was repainted with a creamy yellow combination and its leather interior was dyed an elegant green.
Perfect for the collector of Hollywood memorabilia, Gatsby’s Rolls-Royce is at the center of the novel and the film’s adapted screenplay by Francis Ford Coppola. A stunning classic car representing the opulent world of Gatsby’s mythic character and the glamour of the 1920s, the Gatsby Rolls-Royce is in near-perfect condition today after a total investment in its restoration of approximately $1.2 million.
In 2019 it was invited to exhibit at the esteemed Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. By virtue of its silver screen provenance, literary association, and meticulous restoration, the Gatsby Rolls has a pre-sale estimate of $1,500,000 to $2,000,000.
The Gatsby Roll-Royce will be available via online auction at www.classicpromenade.com from Monday, October 12 through Sunday, October 25. Bidding begins Monday, October 12 at 10:00 a.m. PST. Registration for bidding is free; inspection and individual viewings are by appointment only.
Beginning this September, Classic Promenade Auctions will feature approximately 12 high-end classic cars weekly in its online auction. Each collector car will be auctioned over a seven- to 14-day period.
Examples of these classics include a 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300Sc coupe — one of 98 of the last completely hand-built Mercedes; seven Series II Jaguar E-Types — all professionally restored out of an exclusive collection from Albuquerque, NM; a 1968 Shelby GT 350 (Ford Mustang) and a 1936 Packard Twelve Convertible Sedan. Each car will have a minimum bid and a minimum incremental bid.
Patrons can become authorized bidders and the auctions will occur on the Classic Promenade Auctions website (www.classicpromenade.com).
For more information about the auction, contact Dan Shaffer via Dan@classicpromenade.com or 716-704-0291; for more information about the “Gatsby” Rolls-Royce, contact Harry Clark via harry@classicpromenade.com or 602-245-7200. The vehicle is available for viewing and inspection in Phoenix, Arizona.
About Classic Promenade:
Classic Promenade is a boutique agency specializing in the sale of collector cars to customers worldwide. Among its clientele are some of the leading museums and collections of antique, classic, and exotic cars and motorcycles. Classic Promenade has sold collector cars that have been shown at the leading concours events and are known internationally for offering top quality and rare motorcars. A unique differentiator of Classic Promenade is its thorough inspections, expert evaluations, and transparency of descriptions of the motorcars it represents. Classic Promenade Auctions is an online-only platform for quality collector cars, offering independently inspected and professionally photographed motorcars and will be unveiled this September.
For more information on Classic Promenade, go to www.classicpromenade.com.
Connect with Classic Promenade at www.youtube.com/classicpromenade or www.facebook.com/ClassicPromenade or www.instagram.com/classicpromenade/
