Offered from the Peter Blond Collection
1932 Rolls-Royce 20/25hp Close Coupled Sports Coupe Weymann
Coachwork by J. Gurney Nutting
Registration no. YY 31
Chassis no. GAU 64
Engine no. U8P

This jewel of a 20/25hp was acquired by Peter in the late 1970s, the tale of which is a typically 'Blond' occurrence that he recounted a couple of years ago to journalist Rosemary Jeffreys - 'It happened quite by chance: I went to buy tools for my Bentley and got into discussion with this chap about buying his Rolls-Royce, but he couldn't make up his mind. In the end, I went with a trailer and Bill Snook (who looked after all my cars), picked up the car from outside his door, and slipped a cheque under his door for a bit more than he had said. I gave him a ring later in the day, and told him what I had done – he was quite all right about it. It needed a lot of work to restore it'!

Originally registered on 30th July 1932 with the London plate 'YY31' which it retains, the Rolls was always said to have been owned by the Prince of Wales (Later Edward VIII), but this is not substantiated more than folklore. It was certainly a feature car of Gurney Nutting's own advertising, in Motorsport, where they proudly proclaimed themselves 'By Appointment to HRH The Prince of Wales' as well as being both 'Specialists in the most up-to-date coachwork for Rolls-Royce chassis' and 'Builders of Sir Malcolm Campbell's Blue Bird for the third consecutive occasion'. In this piece, depicted in profile it has all the rakish elegance that it continues to display to this day.

The factory records list Jack Barclay Ltd. as being the original purchaser of the Rolls, which is noted as being of Weymann type. Delivered to them on July 29, 1932, it was sold precisely 3 months later to A. J. Garland of Mudeford, Nr. Christchurch. Garland kept the car for a mere 7 months, before it passed to R. Meisegaes of Chenies St. in London who was its custodian for the ensuing 8 years. At that point the car migrated north to Birmingham to an R.F. Neale and remained there under after the war when it was owned first by D.B. Worman of the Brigade Officers Mess at Pirbright Camp, Woking in Surrey in 1956 and 7 months later P.A. Smyth of Camberley. It seems likely that Peter Blond acquired the car from Smyth.

Once secured Peter immediately elected to restore the car and entrusted the work to long established pioneering car coachbuilder, Hooper & Co. Remarkably, correspondence between Peter and the proprietor Len Blake survives with the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts Club and copies are on file. With an impending deadline of wishing to show the car at Blenheim Palace, Peter's trademark characteristics of enthusiasm, passion and impatience are ever present, not least when in advance of a planned holiday he notes that he will not be around for the next week to 'pester the life out of your worthy craftsmen' and writes to encourage you to 'get a bloody move on'! The situation must have had a happy conclusion, since another letter on file is from the then president of the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts Club, Ed. Harris congratulating Peter on his success of winning the Capt. Symmons Rose Bowl for the 'Most Elegant Car from all entered in any Concours class for Rolls-Royce and Bentley' – Harris stating 'In other words The Most Beautiful Car at Blenheim, and therefore the World'.

Peter had chosen to refurbish the car in his favoured scheme of Velvet and Smoke Green, colours that suit it and reflect his impeccable taste. Its detail features are extensive, to the exterior, those include the 'trouser crease' flowing wings, pontoon steps, fabric top, pram irons, and trunk equipped with tool tray. Even the red coachlines echo its red R-R radiator script. The interior is a masterpiece of Art Deco design, eschewing the darker outside, with light cream upholstery and white steering wheel, gearlever and handbrake handles. The dash and door trims are exquisitely finished in ebony with silver inlays, and the board is equipped with a plethora of instrumentation including an altimeter.

The work carried out decades ago has unquestionably now aged, and the seats particularly reflect years of use and enjoyment, but testament to the esteem in which it has been held and the car with which Peter showed for his cars, this age has some charm to it. In latter years, to aid the convenience of longer distance driving a modern overdrive set up was added to the car, and in general terms it was maintained by Nigel Sandell of Isleworth. In preparation for the sale, it has been checked over, and a new MOT was issued in April.

The Gurney Nutting was much cherished by Peter, it lived right next to his London home and was exercised regularly as well as being shown a number of times, those included an excursion by the cataloguer and another former colleague to the Louis Vuitton Concours at the Bagatelle in 1996.

A true work of art, this Gurney Nutting 20/25 is just about as sporting a rendition of coachwork as any Rolls-Royce ever received. Changing hands for the first time in half a century, it has exceptional potential for its next owner.