HomeMediaPre-war classics featured at Worldwide’s Scottsdale auction

Pre-war classics featured at Worldwide’s Scottsdale auction

Coachbuilt beauties among the offerings during the ‘boutique’ collector car sale

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Duesenberg, Delahaye and other famous names in pre-war motoring will be presented by Worldwide Auctioneers during its “boutique” sale in Scottsdale on January 26 during Arizona Auction Week.

Leading the procession is a 1929 Duesenberg Model J Berline, one of the first of the signature Model Js delivered new and wearing an evocative custom body updated by Bowman & Schwartz in the 1930s – the original Derham coachwork was revised during restoration after the car fell overboard during a voyage back from Catalina Island in Southern California, and later was recovered from the channel.

Following the car’s underwater mishap, it was sold to Coca-Cola president M.K. Barbee, who had the Model J rebuilt and modified, including a lowered roofline, skirted rear fenders, “waterfall” grille and streamlined headlight enclosures.

After ownership by a number of noted Duesenberg collectors, chassis No. 2143 was restored under Don Williams of the Blackhawk Collection, after which it spent time as a museum piece.  It recently underwent a major refresh that resulted in a number of concours trophies and other accolades.

While Worldwide does not provide estimated pre-auction values for its vehicles, this unique Duesenberg could reach seven figures in bidding.

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The 1935 Delahaye is a rare Figoni-bodied example

Another stunning piece of pre-war coachbuilt history is a 1935 Delahaye 135M Competition drophead coupe, one of four bodied by Figoni in 1935 and the only known survivor

“Certified by Club Delahaye of France, this singular automobile made its debut at the 1935 Paris Motor Show and has since been the recipient of a painstaking five-year research and restoration effort that has included many of the greatest French authorities on the marque,” Worldwide said in a news release.

The custom 1932 Chrysler cabriolet looks sporty and muscular

A 1932 Chrysler CH Imperial Cabriolet is not only “impeccably documented and outstandingly restored,” according to Worldwide, but stands as a piece of coachbuilding history with a link to the 1929 Duesenberg noted above.

The Chrysler is “historically significant as the very first car crafted by famed European coachbuilders Bohman & Schwartz, numbers-matching and presented in concours-level condition, a dizzying work of beauty with a provenance that truly sets it apart.”

Two other pre-war highlights in the auction are a beautifully presented 1939 Packard with a custom body by Howard “Dutch” Darrin, and formerly owned by film star Preston Foster, and an award-winning 1937 Cord 812 Supercharged Phaeton that’s been certified by the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club.

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The Duesenberg straight-8 engine and grille are presented as unusual showpieces

For the ultimate in Duesenberg collector items, Worldwide will auction an authentic Duesenberg Model J Engine J-432, the immaculate 420 cid straight-8 engine and transmission mounted on a rolling stand along with a Duesenberg display grille and radiator on a separate custom stand.

The Scottsdale Auction takes place at Singh Meadows, an event center on Scottsdale’s southern border, with preview days starting on January 24.

For more information and a complete list of lots at auction, visit the Worldwide website.

Bob Golfen
Bob Golfen
Bob Golfen is a longtime automotive writer and editor, focusing on new vehicles, collector cars, car culture and the automotive lifestyle. He is the former automotive writer and editor for The Arizona Republic and SPEED.com, the website for the SPEED motorsports channel. He has written free-lance articles for a number of publications, including Autoweek, The New York Times and Barrett-Jackson auction catalogs. A collector car enthusiast with a wide range of knowledge about the old cars that we all love and desire, Bob enjoys tinkering with archaic machinery. His current obsession is a 1962 Porsche 356 Super coupe.

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