Car Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP London-to-Edinburgh Skiff 1914 for sale

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To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION at RM Sothebys' The London Auction event, 31 October 2026.
£600,000 - £900,000 GBP

A desirable late-production, London-to-Edinburgh-specification Silver Ghost
Magnificent, meticulously crafted wooden skiff coachwork—a feast for the eyes
Inspired directly by a period creation of the renowned Jean-Henri Labourdette
An exceptional combination of the finest engineering and craftsmanship
An award-winner and favourite museum and concours exhibition piece for nearly three decades
Used by its late owner for some 20,000 miles of international rallying enjoyment
One of the most beautiful extant examples of the “parallel bonnet” Silver Ghost

THE SKIFF GHOST
Chassis number 23UB is recorded in its factory build records as being a sought-after late-production “parallel bonnet” example finished to London-to-Edinburgh specification, complete with high compression pistons, and was originally mounted with a limousine by Barker. It was intended for delivery to Sir George Riddel, but this was prevented by World War I and the car was instead on active service with the British military until at least 1919, with regular services noted in factory records.

In 1960 the car was rediscovered by avid Silver Ghost enthusiast Lars de Jounge, having been used as a commercial vehicle on a British farm. It was subsequently acquired in 1998 by Fred Buess, member of a family long active in Rolls-Royce enthusiasm and restoration in Southern California since the 1940s.

A noted second-generation specialist in the Silver Ghost model, Mr Buess undertook a full restoration of the car, during which it was crowned with a magnificent Labourdette-inspired skiff body, constructed beautifully using correct materials and build processes to duplicate a body originally mounted to chassis number 2EB, pictured in John Fasal’s well-known work The Edwardian Rolls-Royce. Skiff bodies were the ultimate of their era, built using wood, which may be called the carbon fibre of the Jazz Age; it was the lightest but strongest material available. The body was built using transverse internal ribs of wood, covered in strips of steam-bent wood secured by many hundreds of individual brass rivets, then sanded and varnished in the manner of a classic wooden boat. It resulted in featherweight coachwork for maximum performance.

Indeed, beauty was not only skin-deep; information on file indicates that the car was fully mechanically sorted, as well, including being prepared for high-speed touring with optimised compression, porting, and valves, billet connecting rods, and 3.06:1 differential gearing.

At its completion in 2001, the Silver Ghost was exhibited at the famed Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, receiving the coveted trophy for Most Elegant Open Car. Its magnificence was further recogniaed with Best of Show honours at several other West Coast concours d’elegance, and it was featured in numerous publications, including The Flying Lady and Car Collector, as well as alongside some of the world’s most spectacular automobiles in the Petersen Automotive Museum’s 2002 exhibition, Million Dollar Cars.

In 2008 the car was purchased by a well-known Dutch enthusiast, from whose collection it is now offered. During his ownership it had its engine rebuilt by Glew Ltd and fitted with a 12-volt starter for ease of operation, as noted in descriptions of work and invoices on file. Afterwards, it has been much enjoyed with numerous exhibitions throughout Europe and England, winning First Prize at the RREC Annual Rally at Rockingham Castle in 2014. Furthermore it has been used as intended, running some 20,000 miles in international tours and rallies, including 20 Ghost Club rallies in Slovenia, Croatia, Italy, Denmark, Sweden, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, the Iberian Peninsula, and the Netherlands. The Rolls-Royce is now offered from a deceased estate.

Simply put, few surviving “parallel bonnet” Silver Ghosts are of the London-to-Edinburgh specification, and fewer still have been fitted with what might well be considered the ultimate coachwork, built in the lightest materials for maximum performance. It is, in every sense, a supercar of its period, and a road and touring machine par excellence.

Please note this lot has entered the UK on a temporary import bond, which must be cancelled either by exporting the lot outside of the UK on an approved Bill of Lading with supporting customs documentation or by paying the applicable VAT and import duties to have the lot remain in the UK.

To view this car and others currently consigned to this auction, please visit the RM website at rmsothebys.com/auctions/lf26/.