Introduced in 1934, the Type 57 is widely regarded as a masterpiece by the hand of Jean Bugatti. The successor to the popular Type 49, the new Bugatti was powered by a jewel-like 3.3-liter twin-cam, straight-eight engine and represented the ultimate in automotive design. Like all Bugattis that preceded it, the Type 57 handled with finesse and possessed a delicate feel characteristic of these magnificent automobiles. Graceful, exquisitely made, and incredibly exclusive, the Type 57 was instantly recognizable as a conveyance of the highest quality and performance.

Bugatti continually refined the Type 57 throughout its production run resulting in three distinct series of chassis. The second- and third-series chassis benefit from a strengthened rear axle, cross-braced frame, rubber engine mounts, and upgraded brakes, among other improvements. In typical Bugatti practice, the Type 57 was sold either as a bare chassis, ready for outside coachwork, or supplied with one of several attractive body styles built at the Molsheim works.

The Type 57 presented here, chassis no. 57535, was produced in March 1937 and originally fitted with engine no. 395. Ordered in April 1937 by Séchaud, the Geneva-based Bugatti agent, chassis 57535 was delivered to Swiss coachbuilder Graber, where it was fitted with this elegant pillarless four-door saloon body, known as a Galibier in Bugatti parlance. The Bugatti’s first owner was Henri Niess, an attorney living in Lausanne, Switzerland. He kept the car until 1939, when it was traded back to Séchaud for a four-seat Cabriolet. Meanwhile, 57535 remained in the Geneva area, where its last known owner was Pierre Adler.

Nothing further is known of the car until it was acquired by famed sportsman and car collector John Shakespeare of Centralia, Illinois. By the time it arrived in the US, the Galibier had been fitted with another Type 57 engine, no. 375, and a different gearbox. In the early 1960s, John Shakespeare agreed to sell his entire Bugatti collection in a package deal to Fritz Schlumpf, who had American Bugatti specialist Bob Shaw prepare short descriptions of each car. Of chassis 57535, Mr. Shaw reported: “The body is grey and in solid condition. The interior is green leather with a green cloth headlining. The car looks very original.”

For decades, this Type 57 was a fixture in the famous Schlumpf Reserve Collection, which was housed in a storage shed in Malmerspach, France. During several raids on the shed, this car lost its original radiator, data plate, and other components.

When the Mullin Collection acquired the Schlumpf Reserve Collection in 2008, the Type 57 Galibier was relocated to California, where it has continued to serve as a featured exhibit at the Mullin Automotive Museum. Still in unrestored condition, 57535 was featured in the book The Art of Bugatti by Richard Adatto, Christina Japp, and Julius Kruta. Its history is also documented in recent editions of the American Bugatti Register and Data Book.

With its unusual Graber bodywork and provenance that includes some of the most famous names in Bugatti collecting – Shakespeare, Schlumpf, and Mullin – this Type 57 Galibier is sure to spark the interest of any devoted collector.

*Please note that all of the Lots in this Auction have been in long-term static storage at the Mullin Automotive Museum and may not be currently operational. They will require mechanical attention and in some cases significant restoration prior to any road use.