1934 Duesenberg SJ Rollston Touring Berline, SJ-514. Photos courtesy Keno Brothers Fine Automobile Auctions.
Mrs. Henry James, a New York socialite and the widow of a former Continental Insurance Company CEO, had a passion for Duesenberg automobiles. In 1934, she ordered her third Duesenberg, SJ-514, trading in a 1931 Duesenberg Rollston limousine to acquire a factory-supercharged Duesenberg, this time with a Rollston Touring Berline body. With its original chassis, engine and body intact, SJ-514 is considered by many to be among the most original Duesenbergs remaining, and on November 19, this 1934 Duesenberg SJ Rollston Touring Berline heads to auction as part of the inaugural Keno Brothers Rolling Sculpture sale.
Her newest Duesenberg would not be used exclusively in the concrete canyons of New York City. Instead, the car was shipped to Europe aboard the RMS Queen Mary on several occasions, and on lengthy tours, its strengthened roof and rails could hold as much as 800 pounds of luggage. Perhaps that's why Mrs. Evans specified the supercharged engine from the factory, which coaxed a then-impressive 320 horsepower from the Duesenberg's 6.9-liter straight-eight engine.
Given her familiarity with coachbuilder Rollston, it's no surprise that her latest Duesenberg would carry a body from the New York company. Built to Mrs. James's specifications, the Duesenberg was said to carry a final price tag, including the Rollston Touring Berline body, of nearly $18,000. For perspective, such an amount would have purchased a pair of Cadillac four-door brougham limousines, or near three Brunn-bodied Lincoln broughams, but neither model would have carried the prestige of the Duesenberg.
Mrs. James retained possession of her beloved Duesenberg until 1944, when the car was sold back to the original New York dealer. It spent four years in the care of its next owner, before being acquired by collector Charles Kyner in 1948. Kyner would keep the Duesenberg SJ, one of just 36 examples supercharged at the factory during its construction, until 1987.
Marque expert Jim Hoe was SJ-514's next owner, and he retained the car for roughly a year before selling it to long-term owner Robert McGowan. Still in its original brown over cream livery, with its original engine, body and chassis, McGowan would be the Duesenberg's caretaker until 2013.
Restored in late 2013 by its current owner, SJ-514 made its public debut at the 2014 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. Now finished in burgundy with a gray and burgundy interior, the car was well received, but failed to take honors in its class. Its next outing, the 2014 St. Michael's Concours d'Elegance in Cambridge, Maryland, would end with the Duesenberg capturing the Honorary Chairman's award.
Given the car's rarity as a factory-supercharged example (and one of just five SJs built with an enclosed body), its documented history and its original engine, body and chassis status, Keno Brothers Fine Automobile Auctions predicts a selling price between $950,000 and $1.1 million when SJ-514 crosses the stage in New York City.
For more information on the November 19 Rolling Sculpture sale, visit KenoBrothers.com.
from Hemmings Daily - News for the collector car enthusiast http://ift.tt/1RBdj2N
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