Lot details
Registration No: GAP 959
Chassis No: B25HM
Mot Expiry: Exempt

- Believed to be one of just eleven with this Curvilinear body style

- Copies of registration books back to 1937

- Current owner since September 1974

H&H are delighted to be able to offer this beautifully bodied Derby Bentley by the desirable coachbuilder Gurney Nutting, which we believe to be one of only eleven such cars to wear this "Curvilinear" body style. We are fortunate to have copies of registration books in the history file covering the years 1937 to 1973 which detail the majority of the ownership history of chassis B-25-HM.

The Bentley's guarantee is believed to have been issued to a Mr Neil Cleaver on February 17th 1937 and the registration books show that it was first registered for road use in England on February 18th 1937, with the registration number 'DXA 624'. The books also show that the Bentley still enjoys being powered by its original engine, number J8BA.

In May 1937 a Gordon Graham Wood of Weybridge in Surrey is reported to have owned the car, and in July 1937 custodianship passed to Drevor Frederick Acton Neilson of Queen Anne Street in London's Marylebone, W1. It is thought that Mr Neilson was a distinguished Ear, Nose, and Throat Specialist, hence his proximity to London's famously medical Harley Street, in Marylebone. In what is believed to have been December 1939, possession transferred to someone in Harley Street, London, W1, who seven years later reallocated ownership to a company in George Street, Marylebone.

September 1951 saw tenure pass to a Warwick Waghorn Sayers of Woodland Drive in Hove, East Sussex, who retained the Bentley for the next twenty-two years. Interestingly, the day before Mr Waghorn is recorded as becoming the registered keeper of the car, the stated body colour in the registration book was changed from black to blue. A couple of months later in December, he changed the registration number from 'DXA 624' to 'GAP 959', the plate it still wears today.

In October 1973 ownership passed to a Richard Howard Shaw of Priory Terrace in West Hampstead, London NW6, but in September 1974 Mr Shaw exchanged the car with our vendor for a Lancia Flaminia Sport Zagato.

The car has lead a sheltered and leisurely existence during our vendor's forty-one years of ownership. The car was exercised on an occasional basis during the 1980's, but for the majority of the 1990's it remained in the vendor's car showroom. In 2003 the vendor decided to recommission the car and invoices on file total nearly £12,000 for the works. However, the car's driving was to remain limited, but it should be noted that throughout the last 41 years, the car has been kept in near perfect storage conditions in a well ventilated car showroom.

This Bentley is not only special for its beautiful body, but for the very original condition of both its body and interior. This car has remained pretty much untouched since its last repaint, which is believed to have been done in 1951. Those scratches in the paintwork and splits in the leather seats all have a story to tell and ooze character, and if ever it is fully restored, the car will never be as rare and special as it will loose its originality.

In recent years the demand for perfect restorations has reduced as people realise that a car is only original once, and once restored, it has lost some charm and character that it will never have again. Many of the finest concours events around the world now have Preservation Class sections, where unrestored or very original cars compete for awards.

The importance of this car's current condition has been reflected in recent years by its display at several of the world's finest concours events in Preservation Class sections, such as The Louis Vuitton Classic at Saint-Cloud in Paris, The Hurlingham Club in London, and more recently the Chantilly Arts and Elegance Concours in September 2015.

Recent work in preparation for the Chantilly Concours included a full service (spark plugs, points, etc) and the fitting of a new fuel pump. The vendor describes the car as being 'very original' and in 'generally good order' with 'obvious signs of age', adding that the doors open and close easily and the engine 'runs well'.

This is an exceptionally rare opportunity to acquire an incredibly beautiful and original motor car from extremely long term ownership.