Duesenberg Model J by Murphy: 1930 Sport Berline (above), 1932 convertible (below) – Click for high-res image galleries
Recession? What recession? You certainly wouldn't know it from looking at the latest crop of results from the auction floor, where millions of dollars continue to change hands between collectors for some of the finest pieces of rolling artwork ever to grace tarmac. Especially when the vehicles in question trace their roots back to the Great Depression itself.
At RM's recent Amelia Island event, a pair of early-30s Duesenbergs from the estate of one Mr. John O'Quinn brought in some big bucks. Both were Model Js with coachwork by Murphy and 265-horsepower 420-cubic-inch straight-eights with four valves per cylinder mated to three-speed transmissions.
The first, a 1930 saloon, eclipsed early estimates (which placed the hammer price between $1.2 and 1.5 million) by fetching an outstanding $1,705,000 at auction. The second, a 1932 convertible, fetched a still remarkable $800,000, closer to the bottom end of its pre-auction estimates which ranged from $800k to $1 million.
When, as RM points out, you consider that an average family sedan in that era cost about $500, the $20,000 sticker price on a new coachbuilt Duesenberg in its day equates to about a million today with inflation – think of it as the Bugatti of its time and you're right on track. In fact, along with the likes of Rolls-Royce and Hispano-Suiza, that's exactly who E.L. Cord had in mind when he acquired Duesenberg and added it to his empire that already included his namesake brand as well as Auburn and the Checker Cab, delivering the first customer Model Js just months before the stock market crashed. Follow the jump for more history on each of the models from the auctioneer.
[Source: RM Auctions]
Automobiles of Amelia Island
Saturday, March 13, 2010
From the Estate of Mr. John O'Quinn
1930 Duesenberg Model J Sport Berline by Murphy
LOT: 159
Estimate:
$1,200,000-$1,500,000 US
Chassis No. J287
AUCTION RESULTS: Lot was Sold at a price of $1,705,000
265 bhp, 420 cu. in. four valves per cylinder twin overhead camshaft inline eight-cylinder engine, three-speed transmission, leaf spring and beam axle front suspension, leaf spring and live axle rear suspension, vacuum-assisted four-wheel hydraulically-actuated drum brakes. Wheelbase: 153"
The story of the Model J begins in 1925, when Errett Lobban Cord added the Duesenberg Motors Company to his rapidly growing enterprise, the Auburn Automobile Company. Cord's vision was to create an automobile that would surpass the great marques of Europe and America. Cadillac, Isotta Fraschini, Bugatti, Rolls-Royce and Hispano-Suiza were his targets, and Duesenberg was his chosen instrument.
The new Duesenberg's introduction on December 1, 1928 at the New York Auto Salon was front page news. The combination of the Duesenberg reputation with the Model J's grand concept and execution made it the star of the show and, indeed, of the year. Duesenberg ordered enough components to build 500 Model Js while development continued for six months after the Model J's introduction. The first customer delivery came in May 1929, barely five months before Black Tuesday.
The effect of the Duesenberg J on America cannot be minimized. Even in the misery of the Depression, this paragon of power illustrated the continued existence of wealth and the upper class. Duesenberg's advertising became a benchmark, featuring the wealthy and privileged in opulent surroundings with only a single line of copy: "He drives a Duesenberg." The outside exhaust pipes inspired generations of auto designers and remain, 60 years later, a symbol of power and performance. "She's a real Duesy" still means a slick, quick, smooth and desirable possession of the highest quality.
Duesenbergs were expensive cars, and only men or women of means could afford them. At a time when a perfectly good new family sedan could be purchased for $500 or so, a coachbuilt Duesenberg often cost $20,000 or more. If a full size sedan sold for $25,000 today, that is the equivalent of more than $1 million now. Such extravagance was born of an era of unbridled capitalism – a time when a man with vision and ability could make, and keep, a fortune of staggering size.
These were the men who could afford the very best, and there was absolutely no doubt that when it came to automobiles, E. L. Cord's magnificent Duesenberg was the best that money could buy. And as we will see, George Whittell, Jr. was a man who was accustomed to nothing less.
Murphy, Inc.
The new Duesenberg was tailor-made for the custom body industry. It had the power and stance to carry imposing coachwork, and the style and grace of the factory sheet metal was ideally suited for the execution of elegant custom coachwork. Murphy Inc., a firm of coachbuilders based in Pasadena, California, is generally recognized as the most successful coachbuilder on the Duesenberg Model J chassis – both because of its timeless designs and its impeccable craftsmanship.
Associated initially with Packards, Murphy built bodies that suited the California tastes of the time. They were simple and elegant, with trim lines and an undeniable sporting character. Murphy bodies seemed all the more revolutionary when compared to their contemporaries from the east coast, who built heavier, more ornate designs.
While the convertible coupe is perhaps the most popular, and certainly the most common, of Murphy's designs, closed cars like J287 more closely typify the ideals of the time. Most Duesenberg original owners were wealthy individuals, for whom a new Duesenberg was as much about comfort as it was about performance. For that reason, closed bodies were generally both more expensive and more popular. Most of these were very conservative and highly conventional in styling and design. Murphy was nearly unique among Duesenberg coachbuilders in offering closed cars (the Beverly, the Berline, the Sport Sedan and the Clear Vision Sedan) that were stylish and sporting – a combination that seems ideally suited to the ethos of the Model J.
Only a very privileged few would ever be able to claim to have purchased a new Duesenberg. Only one man would claim the honor of being Duesenberg's best customer, purchasing not one or two but seven brand new Duesenbergs, making him by far the most prolific fan of the marque.
Captain George Whittell, Jr.
George Whittell, Jr. was one of America's most colorful millionaires. Born September 28, 1881 in San Francisco, he was the sole heir to the marriage of two California fortunes. His grandfathers had earned their wealth in banking and gold mining, and his father added to it with investments in real estate and railroads. When his parents wed, it was seen as a society event, and the couple celebrated by building a mansion on Nob Hill in which to raise a family.
George Jr. was wealthy enough that he never needed to work and, consequently, never saw any reason to earn a living. A rebellious young man, he caused his parents a great deal of aggravation and more than enough embarrassment. Never one to do things by half measures, he charged through life at full speed, collecting beautiful women, fast cars and exotic animals while spending money at a rate that shocked his friends and family. A legendary playboy, his was a life of trysts, liaisons and marriages – often at the same time.
After graduating high school in San Francisco, he literally ran away to join the circus, moving to Florida to join Barnum & Bailey. While there, he developed a fascination for the animals and launched a safari business to capture and supply wild animals to the circus. He and his partner Frank Buck made several trips to Africa, journeys that fueled Whittell's love of exotic animals.
Finally, under pressure from his parents, he returned home to face an arranged marriage. In typical Whittell fashion, he fell in love and eloped with a chorus girl instead, adding to his parents' list of embarrassments.
This time, his father managed to bribe the necessary officials to have the marriage annulled and the story hushed up. Despite his efforts, the newspapers learned of it, and George Jr. was front-page news. None of this slowed him down, and soon he married Josie Cunningham, a rather prominent member of the dance troupe "The Floradora Sextets." His wandering ways – and a sharp cut in his allowance – soon put an end to his latest marriage.
George Jr. was in Paris in 1914 when war broke out. He had spent the past several years attending a variety of schools (and learning seven languages) and enjoying the social life between London and Paris. He decided to join the fight, so rather than see him enlist, his parents purchased him a captaincy in the Italian army, where he drove an ambulance at the front. Later he transferred to the French armed forces and finally to the U.S. Army when America entered the war in 1917.
Decorated for valor, he was also wounded near the end of the war. Recovering in a French hospital, he met a pretty young local nurse, Elia Pascal. They fell in love, and he brought her home, where to everyone's surprise, she met with his parents' approval. They were married in 1919 and moved into his parents' Woodside, California estate. In 1922, George Sr. passed away, leaving the couple an estate valued at more than $30 million. George Jr. proved an astute financial manager, growing the family fortune substantially over the next eight years. Without a doubt, his most important flash of insight came in early 1929 when he sold $50 million worth of stocks just months before the great crash of October 1929.
With so many fortunes wiped out over the next two years, George's move left him one of the richest men in America – just as Duesenberg launched the ultimate American automobile. Whittell immediately bought not one but two cars, a convertible coupe (which was a San Francisco Auto Salon show car) and a boattail speedster, both carrying coachwork by Murphy. They would prove to be the first of seven Duesenbergs he would buy, although three of them were purchased for the use of various lady friends!
A Singular Design
Only one, the example offered here, appears to have been an outright gift, purchased by Whittell and immediately transferred to Jessie McDonald of Los Angeles, California, to whom it was delivered as a new car in January of 1931. Known as the "Whittell Mistress Car," J287/2305 has a continuous history from new and is still fitted with its original body, engine and chassis.
The lovely sport Berline offered here is a one-off creation, built to Whittell's order by Murphy's brilliant young designer Franklin Hershey. From a design standpoint, J287 was years ahead of its time. Its compact, close coupled body featured a well integrated trunk and stunning center-opening doors that wrapped into the roof, a feature never before seen. With its striking slanted windshield, narrow pillars and sinister side windows, it was at once supremely elegant, tastefully restrained and a bit mysterious.
Perhaps the most revolutionary feature of the design is one the casual observer will never see – its all aluminum construction. Built entirely without structural woodwork, its strength was derived from the clever use of cast aluminum supports combined with fabricated aluminum reinforcements. It was a revolutionary concept – both in its lack of wood framing and in its exclusive use of aluminum – and one that would not be seen again in a production car for decades to come. Compared to ordinary wood framed classics, J287 delivers a more nimble ride and more responsive handling – with none of the ponderousness that typifies wood-framed carriage-style construction.
Outstanding Provenance
After Ms. McDonald, J287's second owner was Don Ballard, who bought the car in the late 1930s through Los Angeles consignment dealer Bob Roberts. James Foxley of Perris California became the third owner, keeping the car until the late 1950s when he sold it through dealer Mike McManus to noted collector J.B. Nethercutt of Gardena, California.
Sometime later, probably in the late 1960s or early 1970s, Nethercutt sold J287 to Bill Harrah, where it joined his legendary Harrah's Automobile Collection in Reno, Nevada.
After Bill Harrah's death, ownership of the collection passed to the Holiday Inn Corporation in 1980. When they liquidated the collection in a series of three auctions, J287 was sold (in the second sale, September 28, 1985) to Ralph Englestadt, where it briefly became part of the Imperial Palace collection.
Several weeks later, New Jersey collector Oscar Davis bought the car through Philadelphia, Pennsylvania dealer Mark Smith. Sometime later, Davis traded J287 back to Smith, who resold the car in the late 1980s to Paul Lapidus, a real estate investor from Long Island, New York. In the early 1990s, Lapidus sold J287 to Robert McGowan of Branford, Connecticut. Well known collector Lee Herrington of Londonderry, New Hampshire acquired J287 from McGowan in 1996 and commissioned Maine restorer Chris Charlton to undertake a comprehensive professional body-off restoration, which was completed in 1998. Meticulous storage and careful maintenance have preserved the restoration, and the deep blue-violet Duesenberg remains in stunning, high point condition.
Eventually deciding to take his collection in a different direction, Lee Herrington consigned the car to RM Auctions' Monterey sale in August of 2006, where it was acquired by John O'Quinn.
Very few Duesenbergs can claim to retain all their major original components. Fewer still have had the quality of restoration, care and maintenance that J287 has seen. Although some Duesenbergs are better looking than others, not many exhibit the beauty and grace of Franklin Hershey's Sport Berline. Only a handful of these can boast a known and continuous history from new.
But only one car – this one – was built to order for the legendary George Whittell, Jr. as a gift for what we may presume was a very special lady.
Addendum
Please note the serial number for this car is J287.
From the Estate of Mr. John O'Quinn
1932 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Coupe by Murphy
LOT: 140
Estimate:
$800,000-$1,000,000 US
Chassis No. J340
AUCTION RESULTS: Lot was Sold at a price of $825,000
265 bhp, 420 cu. in. four valves per cylinder twin overhead camshaft inline eight-cylinder, three-speed transmission, front beam axle, live rear axle, four wheel longitudinal leaf springs, vacuum assisted four-wheel hydraulic brakes. Wheelbase: 142.5"
THE MODEL J
The story of Fred and August Duesenberg and E.L. Cord is among the most fascinating in automotive history. The Duesenbergs were self-taught mechanics and car builders whose careers started in the Midwest at the beginning of the Twentieth century. Fred, the older brother by five years, was the tinkerer and designer of the pair. Augie, as August was known, made Fred's ingenious and creative things work.
Performance was at the heart of everything they did. In 15 consecutive Indianapolis 500s, starting with their first appearance in 1913, 70 Duesenbergs competed. Thirty-two – an amazing 46 percent of them – finished in the top 10. Fred and Augie became masters of supercharging and reliability; their engines, because engines were Fred's specialty, were beautiful and performed on a par with the best of Miller, Peugeot and Ballot.
In 1925, Errett Lobban Cord added the Duesenberg Motors Company to his rapidly growing enterprise, the Auburn Automobile Company. Cord's vision was to create an automobile that would surpass the great marques of Europe and America. Cadillac, Isotta Fraschini, Bugatti, Rolls-Royce and Hispano-Suiza were his targets, and Duesenberg was his chosen instrument. He presented Fred Duesenberg with the opportunity to create the greatest car in the world, and the result was the incomparable Model J.
The Model J Duesenberg has long been regarded as the most outstanding example of design and engineering of the classic era. Introduced in 1929, its announcement halted trading on the New York Stock exchange. At $8,500 for the chassis alone, it was by far the most expensive car in America. With coachwork, the delivered price of many Duesenbergs approached $20,000 – a staggering sum at a time when a typical new family car cost around $500.
Few would argue that the car's features did not support its price. Indeed, the Model J's specifications sound current today: 265 bhp, double overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder, power hydraulic brakes and, eventually, an optional supercharger.
This new chassis was conceived and executed to be superlative in all aspects. Its short wheelbase chassis was 142.5 inches, nearly 12 feet; the long wheelbase car added almost a foot more. The double overhead camshaft straight eight-cylinder engine had four valves per cylinder and displaced 420 cubic inches. It made 265 hp. The finest materials were used throughout; fit and finish were to toolroom standards. Each chassis was driven at speed for 100 miles at Indianapolis.
WALTER M. MURPHY, INC.
The Murphy body company of Pasadena, California is generally recognized as the most successful coachbuilder on the Duesenberg Model J chassis. Associated initially with Packards, Murphy built bodies that suited the California tastes of the time. They were simple and elegant, with trim lines and an undeniable sporting character. Murphy bodies seemed all the more revolutionary when compared with their contemporaries from the east coast – heavier, more ornate designs.
The trademark of Murphy body design was the clear vision pillar. On the convertible coupe, the windshield pillars were designed to be as slim as possible, creating a sportier, more open appearance, while improving visibility for the driver. In fact, Murphy advertised that their windshield pillars were "narrower than the space between a man's eyes," a design they claimed eliminated blind spots. The triple-hinged doors give the body the feel and appearance of bank-vault solidity, while the lines retain its sporting spirit.
The convertible coupe is generally considered to be the best looking of Murphy's designs, and indeed, it became one of the most popular bodies for the Model J. Most, like J340, were short wheelbase designs. With its exceedingly attractive Murphy convertible coupe coachwork, the car exhibits the stunningly attractive proportions that have made these cars so highly coveted today.
ROSTER OF KEEPERS
The original owner of J340 was Henry Lockhardt, Jr., who maintained homes in both New York and Easton, Maryland. In 1934, the car was traded back to the Philadelphia Duesenberg agency, where it was resold to Mr. Arthur Parker of Chester, Pennsylvania.
Parker sold the car to R.S. Anzalone of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in June of 1953. He put twin downdraft carburetors on the car and then advertised it for sale in October of 1953, selling it shortly thereafter to Hubert Fischer in Owatonna, Minnesota for $3,000. When he passed away in May of 1971, he left J340 to his son, Dr. Mark Fischer of Hopkins, Minnesota.
Some years later, Frank Heiss, Sr., of Westville, New Jersey, acting as an agent for Fay Culbreth of Charlotte, North Carolina, traded an Auburn sedan for a Corvette plus the right of first refusal from Dr. Fischer for J340. Eventually, in 1985, Culbreth paid Heiss $10,000 for his assistance and $150,000 for the car, even though it was apart, unrestored and missing two wheels. Culbreth had the restoration done by John Ehresman, a well known authority on Auburn/Cord/Duesenberg cars. The quality of the restoration was beautiful and, as a result, to this day has not required another complete restoration. A longtime award winner, J340 received a First Place in 1993 from the AACA. In 1999, the Duesenberg received a Third in Class Award at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. The same year it was awarded the Amelia Award in addition to being fully certified in Category One by the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club.
Culbreth sold the Duesenberg to David Stevenson of Farmington, Connecticut on August 15, 1993. Stevenson then sold it to Calvin High of Lancaster, Pennsylvania in October 1994. Calvin High kept J340 for three years before selling it to well known collector Carmine Zeccardi of Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.
About a year later, Zeccardi sold J340 to Robert Pass of St. Louis, Missouri on behalf of James Mills, another St. Louis resident who was assembling a car collection. In 2002, James Mills consigned J340 to RM's Amelia Island auction, where it was purchased by well known collector Frank Ricciardelli of Monmouth Beach, New Jersey.
Although the car remained in very good condition, Ricciardelli sent it to Steve Babinsky's New Jersey shop for a careful going over and a thorough detailing and freshening. Two years later, he consigned the car to RM Auctions' Biltmore sale in Phoenix, Arizona, where it was purchased by Robert Phelps of Addison, Michigan and Naples, Florida. Phelps kept the car for three years before selling it to the O'Quinn Collection in Houston, Texas.
ORIGINALITY AND CONDITION
Most Murphy convertible coupes, like J340, were short wheelbase designs. Unlike many, J340 is completely original, retaining its original chassis, engine and body.
Overall, J340 is a highly restored car, done body-off to a professional standard in the mid-1990s. A multiple-award winner upon completion, the car remains in excellent overall condition.
SUMMARY
Just as there was only one van Gogh and only one Picasso, there was only one Duesenberg. Each, in its own way, is a sculpture – the consummate combination of the coachbuilder's art and the engineer's eye. And like great masters, the supply is fixed and finite. Demand for Murphy's convertible coupes has remained strong, passing from one generation to the next, as each comes to recognize the beauty of the design. The appeal is universal.
A great automobile is an investment – one that pays dividends in beauty and utility as well as dollars and cents.
Addendum
Please note the serial number for this car is J340.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
From the Estate of Mr. John O'Quinn
1930 Duesenberg Model J Sport Berline by Murphy
LOT: 159
Estimate:
$1,200,000-$1,500,000 US
Chassis No. J287
AUCTION RESULTS: Lot was Sold at a price of $1,705,000
265 bhp, 420 cu. in. four valves per cylinder twin overhead camshaft inline eight-cylinder engine, three-speed transmission, leaf spring and beam axle front suspension, leaf spring and live axle rear suspension, vacuum-assisted four-wheel hydraulically-actuated drum brakes. Wheelbase: 153"
The story of the Model J begins in 1925, when Errett Lobban Cord added the Duesenberg Motors Company to his rapidly growing enterprise, the Auburn Automobile Company. Cord's vision was to create an automobile that would surpass the great marques of Europe and America. Cadillac, Isotta Fraschini, Bugatti, Rolls-Royce and Hispano-Suiza were his targets, and Duesenberg was his chosen instrument.
The new Duesenberg's introduction on December 1, 1928 at the New York Auto Salon was front page news. The combination of the Duesenberg reputation with the Model J's grand concept and execution made it the star of the show and, indeed, of the year. Duesenberg ordered enough components to build 500 Model Js while development continued for six months after the Model J's introduction. The first customer delivery came in May 1929, barely five months before Black Tuesday.
The effect of the Duesenberg J on America cannot be minimized. Even in the misery of the Depression, this paragon of power illustrated the continued existence of wealth and the upper class. Duesenberg's advertising became a benchmark, featuring the wealthy and privileged in opulent surroundings with only a single line of copy: "He drives a Duesenberg." The outside exhaust pipes inspired generations of auto designers and remain, 60 years later, a symbol of power and performance. "She's a real Duesy" still means a slick, quick, smooth and desirable possession of the highest quality.
Duesenbergs were expensive cars, and only men or women of means could afford them. At a time when a perfectly good new family sedan could be purchased for $500 or so, a coachbuilt Duesenberg often cost $20,000 or more. If a full size sedan sold for $25,000 today, that is the equivalent of more than $1 million now. Such extravagance was born of an era of unbridled capitalism – a time when a man with vision and ability could make, and keep, a fortune of staggering size.
These were the men who could afford the very best, and there was absolutely no doubt that when it came to automobiles, E. L. Cord's magnificent Duesenberg was the best that money could buy. And as we will see, George Whittell, Jr. was a man who was accustomed to nothing less.
Murphy, Inc.
The new Duesenberg was tailor-made for the custom body industry. It had the power and stance to carry imposing coachwork, and the style and grace of the factory sheet metal was ideally suited for the execution of elegant custom coachwork. Murphy Inc., a firm of coachbuilders based in Pasadena, California, is generally recognized as the most successful coachbuilder on the Duesenberg Model J chassis – both because of its timeless designs and its impeccable craftsmanship.
Associated initially with Packards, Murphy built bodies that suited the California tastes of the time. They were simple and elegant, with trim lines and an undeniable sporting character. Murphy bodies seemed all the more revolutionary when compared to their contemporaries from the east coast, who built heavier, more ornate designs.
While the convertible coupe is perhaps the most popular, and certainly the most common, of Murphy's designs, closed cars like J287 more closely typify the ideals of the time. Most Duesenberg original owners were wealthy individuals, for whom a new Duesenberg was as much about comfort as it was about performance. For that reason, closed bodies were generally both more expensive and more popular. Most of these were very conservative and highly conventional in styling and design. Murphy was nearly unique among Duesenberg coachbuilders in offering closed cars (the Beverly, the Berline, the Sport Sedan and the Clear Vision Sedan) that were stylish and sporting – a combination that seems ideally suited to the ethos of the Model J.
Only a very privileged few would ever be able to claim to have purchased a new Duesenberg. Only one man would claim the honor of being Duesenberg's best customer, purchasing not one or two but seven brand new Duesenbergs, making him by far the most prolific fan of the marque.
Captain George Whittell, Jr.
George Whittell, Jr. was one of America's most colorful millionaires. Born September 28, 1881 in San Francisco, he was the sole heir to the marriage of two California fortunes. His grandfathers had earned their wealth in banking and gold mining, and his father added to it with investments in real estate and railroads. When his parents wed, it was seen as a society event, and the couple celebrated by building a mansion on Nob Hill in which to raise a family.
George Jr. was wealthy enough that he never needed to work and, consequently, never saw any reason to earn a living. A rebellious young man, he caused his parents a great deal of aggravation and more than enough embarrassment. Never one to do things by half measures, he charged through life at full speed, collecting beautiful women, fast cars and exotic animals while spending money at a rate that shocked his friends and family. A legendary playboy, his was a life of trysts, liaisons and marriages – often at the same time.
After graduating high school in San Francisco, he literally ran away to join the circus, moving to Florida to join Barnum & Bailey. While there, he developed a fascination for the animals and launched a safari business to capture and supply wild animals to the circus. He and his partner Frank Buck made several trips to Africa, journeys that fueled Whittell's love of exotic animals.
Finally, under pressure from his parents, he returned home to face an arranged marriage. In typical Whittell fashion, he fell in love and eloped with a chorus girl instead, adding to his parents' list of embarrassments.
This time, his father managed to bribe the necessary officials to have the marriage annulled and the story hushed up. Despite his efforts, the newspapers learned of it, and George Jr. was front-page news. None of this slowed him down, and soon he married Josie Cunningham, a rather prominent member of the dance troupe "The Floradora Sextets." His wandering ways – and a sharp cut in his allowance – soon put an end to his latest marriage.
George Jr. was in Paris in 1914 when war broke out. He had spent the past several years attending a variety of schools (and learning seven languages) and enjoying the social life between London and Paris. He decided to join the fight, so rather than see him enlist, his parents purchased him a captaincy in the Italian army, where he drove an ambulance at the front. Later he transferred to the French armed forces and finally to the U.S. Army when America entered the war in 1917.
Decorated for valor, he was also wounded near the end of the war. Recovering in a French hospital, he met a pretty young local nurse, Elia Pascal. They fell in love, and he brought her home, where to everyone's surprise, she met with his parents' approval. They were married in 1919 and moved into his parents' Woodside, California estate. In 1922, George Sr. passed away, leaving the couple an estate valued at more than $30 million. George Jr. proved an astute financial manager, growing the family fortune substantially over the next eight years. Without a doubt, his most important flash of insight came in early 1929 when he sold $50 million worth of stocks just months before the great crash of October 1929.
With so many fortunes wiped out over the next two years, George's move left him one of the richest men in America – just as Duesenberg launched the ultimate American automobile. Whittell immediately bought not one but two cars, a convertible coupe (which was a San Francisco Auto Salon show car) and a boattail speedster, both carrying coachwork by Murphy. They would prove to be the first of seven Duesenbergs he would buy, although three of them were purchased for the use of various lady friends!
A Singular Design
Only one, the example offered here, appears to have been an outright gift, purchased by Whittell and immediately transferred to Jessie McDonald of Los Angeles, California, to whom it was delivered as a new car in January of 1931. Known as the "Whittell Mistress Car," J287/2305 has a continuous history from new and is still fitted with its original body, engine and chassis.
The lovely sport Berline offered here is a one-off creation, built to Whittell's order by Murphy's brilliant young designer Franklin Hershey. From a design standpoint, J287 was years ahead of its time. Its compact, close coupled body featured a well integrated trunk and stunning center-opening doors that wrapped into the roof, a feature never before seen. With its striking slanted windshield, narrow pillars and sinister side windows, it was at once supremely elegant, tastefully restrained and a bit mysterious.
Perhaps the most revolutionary feature of the design is one the casual observer will never see – its all aluminum construction. Built entirely without structural woodwork, its strength was derived from the clever use of cast aluminum supports combined with fabricated aluminum reinforcements. It was a revolutionary concept – both in its lack of wood framing and in its exclusive use of aluminum – and one that would not be seen again in a production car for decades to come. Compared to ordinary wood framed classics, J287 delivers a more nimble ride and more responsive handling – with none of the ponderousness that typifies wood-framed carriage-style construction.
Outstanding Provenance
After Ms. McDonald, J287's second owner was Don Ballard, who bought the car in the late 1930s through Los Angeles consignment dealer Bob Roberts. James Foxley of Perris California became the third owner, keeping the car until the late 1950s when he sold it through dealer Mike McManus to noted collector J.B. Nethercutt of Gardena, California.
Sometime later, probably in the late 1960s or early 1970s, Nethercutt sold J287 to Bill Harrah, where it joined his legendary Harrah's Automobile Collection in Reno, Nevada.
After Bill Harrah's death, ownership of the collection passed to the Holiday Inn Corporation in 1980. When they liquidated the collection in a series of three auctions, J287 was sold (in the second sale, September 28, 1985) to Ralph Englestadt, where it briefly became part of the Imperial Palace collection.
Several weeks later, New Jersey collector Oscar Davis bought the car through Philadelphia, Pennsylvania dealer Mark Smith. Sometime later, Davis traded J287 back to Smith, who resold the car in the late 1980s to Paul Lapidus, a real estate investor from Long Island, New York. In the early 1990s, Lapidus sold J287 to Robert McGowan of Branford, Connecticut. Well known collector Lee Herrington of Londonderry, New Hampshire acquired J287 from McGowan in 1996 and commissioned Maine restorer Chris Charlton to undertake a comprehensive professional body-off restoration, which was completed in 1998. Meticulous storage and careful maintenance have preserved the restoration, and the deep blue-violet Duesenberg remains in stunning, high point condition.
Eventually deciding to take his collection in a different direction, Lee Herrington consigned the car to RM Auctions' Monterey sale in August of 2006, where it was acquired by John O'Quinn.
Very few Duesenbergs can claim to retain all their major original components. Fewer still have had the quality of restoration, care and maintenance that J287 has seen. Although some Duesenbergs are better looking than others, not many exhibit the beauty and grace of Franklin Hershey's Sport Berline. Only a handful of these can boast a known and continuous history from new.
But only one car – this one – was built to order for the legendary George Whittell, Jr. as a gift for what we may presume was a very special lady.
Addendum
Please note the serial number for this car is J287.
From the Estate of Mr. John O'Quinn
1932 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Coupe by Murphy
LOT: 140
Estimate:
$800,000-$1,000,000 US
Chassis No. J340
AUCTION RESULTS: Lot was Sold at a price of $825,000
265 bhp, 420 cu. in. four valves per cylinder twin overhead camshaft inline eight-cylinder, three-speed transmission, front beam axle, live rear axle, four wheel longitudinal leaf springs, vacuum assisted four-wheel hydraulic brakes. Wheelbase: 142.5"
THE MODEL J
The story of Fred and August Duesenberg and E.L. Cord is among the most fascinating in automotive history. The Duesenbergs were self-taught mechanics and car builders whose careers started in the Midwest at the beginning of the Twentieth century. Fred, the older brother by five years, was the tinkerer and designer of the pair. Augie, as August was known, made Fred's ingenious and creative things work.
Performance was at the heart of everything they did. In 15 consecutive Indianapolis 500s, starting with their first appearance in 1913, 70 Duesenbergs competed. Thirty-two – an amazing 46 percent of them – finished in the top 10. Fred and Augie became masters of supercharging and reliability; their engines, because engines were Fred's specialty, were beautiful and performed on a par with the best of Miller, Peugeot and Ballot.
In 1925, Errett Lobban Cord added the Duesenberg Motors Company to his rapidly growing enterprise, the Auburn Automobile Company. Cord's vision was to create an automobile that would surpass the great marques of Europe and America. Cadillac, Isotta Fraschini, Bugatti, Rolls-Royce and Hispano-Suiza were his targets, and Duesenberg was his chosen instrument. He presented Fred Duesenberg with the opportunity to create the greatest car in the world, and the result was the incomparable Model J.
The Model J Duesenberg has long been regarded as the most outstanding example of design and engineering of the classic era. Introduced in 1929, its announcement halted trading on the New York Stock exchange. At $8,500 for the chassis alone, it was by far the most expensive car in America. With coachwork, the delivered price of many Duesenbergs approached $20,000 – a staggering sum at a time when a typical new family car cost around $500.
Few would argue that the car's features did not support its price. Indeed, the Model J's specifications sound current today: 265 bhp, double overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder, power hydraulic brakes and, eventually, an optional supercharger.
This new chassis was conceived and executed to be superlative in all aspects. Its short wheelbase chassis was 142.5 inches, nearly 12 feet; the long wheelbase car added almost a foot more. The double overhead camshaft straight eight-cylinder engine had four valves per cylinder and displaced 420 cubic inches. It made 265 hp. The finest materials were used throughout; fit and finish were to toolroom standards. Each chassis was driven at speed for 100 miles at Indianapolis.
WALTER M. MURPHY, INC.
The Murphy body company of Pasadena, California is generally recognized as the most successful coachbuilder on the Duesenberg Model J chassis. Associated initially with Packards, Murphy built bodies that suited the California tastes of the time. They were simple and elegant, with trim lines and an undeniable sporting character. Murphy bodies seemed all the more revolutionary when compared with their contemporaries from the east coast – heavier, more ornate designs.
The trademark of Murphy body design was the clear vision pillar. On the convertible coupe, the windshield pillars were designed to be as slim as possible, creating a sportier, more open appearance, while improving visibility for the driver. In fact, Murphy advertised that their windshield pillars were "narrower than the space between a man's eyes," a design they claimed eliminated blind spots. The triple-hinged doors give the body the feel and appearance of bank-vault solidity, while the lines retain its sporting spirit.
The convertible coupe is generally considered to be the best looking of Murphy's designs, and indeed, it became one of the most popular bodies for the Model J. Most, like J340, were short wheelbase designs. With its exceedingly attractive Murphy convertible coupe coachwork, the car exhibits the stunningly attractive proportions that have made these cars so highly coveted today.
ROSTER OF KEEPERS
The original owner of J340 was Henry Lockhardt, Jr., who maintained homes in both New York and Easton, Maryland. In 1934, the car was traded back to the Philadelphia Duesenberg agency, where it was resold to Mr. Arthur Parker of Chester, Pennsylvania.
Parker sold the car to R.S. Anzalone of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in June of 1953. He put twin downdraft carburetors on the car and then advertised it for sale in October of 1953, selling it shortly thereafter to Hubert Fischer in Owatonna, Minnesota for $3,000. When he passed away in May of 1971, he left J340 to his son, Dr. Mark Fischer of Hopkins, Minnesota.
Some years later, Frank Heiss, Sr., of Westville, New Jersey, acting as an agent for Fay Culbreth of Charlotte, North Carolina, traded an Auburn sedan for a Corvette plus the right of first refusal from Dr. Fischer for J340. Eventually, in 1985, Culbreth paid Heiss $10,000 for his assistance and $150,000 for the car, even though it was apart, unrestored and missing two wheels. Culbreth had the restoration done by John Ehresman, a well known authority on Auburn/Cord/Duesenberg cars. The quality of the restoration was beautiful and, as a result, to this day has not required another complete restoration. A longtime award winner, J340 received a First Place in 1993 from the AACA. In 1999, the Duesenberg received a Third in Class Award at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. The same year it was awarded the Amelia Award in addition to being fully certified in Category One by the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club.
Culbreth sold the Duesenberg to David Stevenson of Farmington, Connecticut on August 15, 1993. Stevenson then sold it to Calvin High of Lancaster, Pennsylvania in October 1994. Calvin High kept J340 for three years before selling it to well known collector Carmine Zeccardi of Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.
About a year later, Zeccardi sold J340 to Robert Pass of St. Louis, Missouri on behalf of James Mills, another St. Louis resident who was assembling a car collection. In 2002, James Mills consigned J340 to RM's Amelia Island auction, where it was purchased by well known collector Frank Ricciardelli of Monmouth Beach, New Jersey.
Although the car remained in very good condition, Ricciardelli sent it to Steve Babinsky's New Jersey shop for a careful going over and a thorough detailing and freshening. Two years later, he consigned the car to RM Auctions' Biltmore sale in Phoenix, Arizona, where it was purchased by Robert Phelps of Addison, Michigan and Naples, Florida. Phelps kept the car for three years before selling it to the O'Quinn Collection in Houston, Texas.
ORIGINALITY AND CONDITION
Most Murphy convertible coupes, like J340, were short wheelbase designs. Unlike many, J340 is completely original, retaining its original chassis, engine and body.
Overall, J340 is a highly restored car, done body-off to a professional standard in the mid-1990s. A multiple-award winner upon completion, the car remains in excellent overall condition.
SUMMARY
Just as there was only one van Gogh and only one Picasso, there was only one Duesenberg. Each, in its own way, is a sculpture – the consummate combination of the coachbuilder's art and the engineer's eye. And like great masters, the supply is fixed and finite. Demand for Murphy's convertible coupes has remained strong, passing from one generation to the next, as each comes to recognize the beauty of the design. The appeal is universal.
A great automobile is an investment – one that pays dividends in beauty and utility as well as dollars and cents.
Addendum
Please note the serial number for this car is J340.
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