1915 Brewster-Knight Model 41 Landaulet

Offered by RM Auctions | Phoenix, Arizona | January 19, 2012

Photo – RM Auctions

Here’s something you don’t see everyday. Brewster & Co. were a famous coachbuilding company based in New York as well as the American importers of French Delaunay-Belleville cars (rare enough in their own right). They were also the largest coachbuilder for Springfield, Massachusetts-based Rolls-Royce of America (and British Rolls-Royce once their American arm shut down in 1931).

During the First World War, Delaunay-Bellevilles were hard to come by and Brewster turned to building their own cars. This 1915 Model 41 was from the first year of manufacture and it featured the sleeve-valve Knight engine – as did so many other [Company Name Here]-Knight branded automobiles. The 40 horsepower four-cylinder engine was quiet – and expensive. Perhaps too expensive as Brewster-Knight built roughly 500 cars before Rolls-Royce of America acquired the company in 1925.

The pre-sale estimate on this car is $60,000-$80,000. I’ve seen some Brewster-bodied cars (notably those Brewster-Fords with that curvy, pointed grille) sell here and there but I don’t recall a Brewster-Knight.

The auction catalog says this car was probably built in 1916, even though it is title differently. Read for yourself here and find out more about the auction here.

Update: Sold $88,000.

1947 Delahaye 135M Three-Position Drophead Coupe

Offered by Bonhams | Scottsdale, Arizona | January 19, 2012

Photo – Bonhams

French coachbuilding firm Figoni et Falaschi is one of the most revered of all of the great coachbuilders and their work on Delahayes tend to be quite popular. This one is swoopy but it’s not as extravagant as some. It’s more along the lines of a post-war interpretation of a pre-war bodystyle.

This is the 135M model which means it has a 120/130 horsepower 3.6 liter straight six. Performance was sprightly, with the sports version of this car winning races across Europe – including the 1937 and 1938 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The 135 was in production from 1935 until Delahaye was purchased by Hotchkiss and production halted in 1954. About 2,000 of them were built using a variety of coachbuilders. Bonhams estimates that this one will sell for between $250,000 and $350,000. Find out more here and more on the auction here.

Update: Sold $474,500.