18th Jun, 2024 13:00

Classic Cars and Motorcycles

 
  Lot 59
 

59

1935 Aston Martin 1.5L MKII Long Chassis Open Tourer

Registration Number: DMP 796
Chassis Number: C5/566/L
Engine Number: C5/566/L

This car is one of the last of only forty-five 1.5L MkII long chassis tourer models built between 1934 and 1936, and is understood to be just one of eleven survivors. Its 1495cc engine developed 70bhp and the model was considered one of the best-handling and best-braking sports cars of the period, leading to a reputation as an excellent 'point-to-point' car.

Between the years of 1926 and 1932, Aston Martin Motors was owned by Augustus (Bert) Bertelli. He became the technical director of the company producing all Aston Martins during this period, and remained involved after the business was bought by Arthur and Gordon Sutherland in 1932. The 1.5-litre model types built under Bertelli, and then Sutherland, are split into three separate series of model types, each type an improved design. The MkII and iconic Ulster models were the ultimate development, and are collectively called the Third Series cars.

DMP 796 was originally purchased by Lord Howard de Walden, billionaire landlord, racehorse owner, stud owner and breeder, winner of the Derby with 'Slip Anchor' in 1985 and senior steward of the Jockey Club on three occasions. He owned over 120 acres of central London alone and, on his death in 1999, his personal fortune was estimated at two billion pounds.

During the 1930s, whilst driving his car in Germany, Lord Howard de Walden knocked down Hitler. There was no serious injury, but over the years he reflected that had he only been going a little faster, one life might have been lost, but millions more could have been saved. For a few seconds he said, 'I held the history of Europe in my rather clumsy hands. He was only shaken up, but had I killed him, it would have changed the history of the world!'.

DMP 796 carries four-seat touring cabriolet coachwork that had much cosmetic restoration work in 2012. Beautifully presented in old English white with red hide trim and claret carpet, the car has a wealth of receipts for restoration and maintenance work over the years, with more recent major mechanical work being an engine rebuild in 2008. Since this time, the car has covered only a few miles of gentle motoring, with the occasional wedding along the way.

Starting very easily and sounding fantastic on our recent inspection of it, the sale provides a rare opportunity to acquire a fast, agile and highly desirable pre-War sports car, with the advantage of useful four-seat coachwork.

Paperwork included in the sale comprises V5C registration document, buff continuation logbook, a large quantity of old MOT test certificates, tax discs and a copy of the original chassis records. Built in March 1935 and later purchased new by Lord Howard De Walden, Seaford House, Belgrave Square W1 on 18.4.1936, a copy of a receipt with the car's order no., and for work done on 9.6.1936 after 997 miles, is available with the car.

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Take advantage of our Sworders Delivery Service. Please see 'Shipping estimate' below.

Sold for £70,000


Condition Report

We are happy to offer our opinion as to the integrity of the vehicle at the sale, however you should accept this is an opinion only and should not be relied upon. In short, you should satisfy yourself as to the completeness, condition and integrity of any lot prior to bidding.

Though we offer no warranties, this car starts and stops as expected, has been driven for the photography and cataloguing process, as well as on and off transport trailers. It sounds very healthy and has no obvious mechanical issues that we can see.

 

IN PERSON

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ABSENTEE BIDDING

If you cannot attend the auction in person we can bid on your behalf. You can leave an absentee bid on our website.

The amount you bid should be your maximum bid. We will bid up to that limit for you, and remember you may end up paying less than your limit, depending on other bidding on the day.

You can leave an absentee bid up to half an hour before the start of any sale. Please note when we receive two or more absentee bids for the same amount, the first bid received will be the one taken.

LEAVE COMMISSION BIDS ONLINE

If you would like to leave a commission bid on our website you can do so up until 30 minutes before the sale starts. Leaving a commission bid through sworder.co.uk is free for all registered clients. Thereafter you may register bank card details under your account in order to bid live. Click here to register an account.

BID LIVE ON sworder.co.uk

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For further instructions on registering to bid live, please click here.

TELEPHONE BIDDING

If you would like to bid by telephone please contact our team prior to the auction with your details of the lots you are interested in and your full name, address, telephone number(s) and email address. Once our team have entered your bid request you will receive an email confirmation. We will contact you during the sale and one of our team will bid live with you over the phone.

Please note that we normally offer this service for lots with an estimate of £500 or higher and all telephone bid requests must be received by close of business the day before the auction.

Auction: Classic Cars and Motorcycles, 18th Jun, 2024

Viewing

Stansted Viewing | Auction

Viewing will be held at our Stansted Auction Rooms, Cambridge Road, Stansted Mountfitchet CM24 8GE, as follows:

Friday 14 June, 10am - 4pm 

Saturday 15 June, 10am - 1pm

Sunday 16 June, 10am - 1pm 

Monday 17 June, 10am - 4pm 

Tuesday 18 June, 10am - 1pm

 

The auction will take place at our Stansted Auction Rooms, Cambridge Road, Stansted Mountfitchet CM24 8GE. 

 

View all lots in this sale

Please note that this item is not suitable for a pre-sale automated shipping estimate due to the items weight/size. 

The below table shows indicative shipping costs for larger items being delivered within the UK mainland. Please note that all the below costs are purely for indicative purposes and are to be used as a guideline only. If you purchase multiple large items, we will combine deliveries to reduce the shipping costs. 

Should you be successful in buying this item, a specific shipping estimate will need to be requested after the sale using the link in your invoice email; this also includes all requests for international delivery.

If you would like further information about shipping and collection please see here.

 

Buying a pre-loved, antique, or vintage item not only provides you with unique style and value for money but it also helps to reduce landfill, and the annual emissions of an antique or vintage piece can be as little as one sixteenth of those of its new equivalent!

Sworders is proud to be supporting the work of Antiques are Green - the movement that was founded in 2009 to promote “a greener future created from the past”. Read their fascinating carbon footprint study of a Georgian chest of drawers versus a modern equivalent here

 

Antiques are Green

 

Request A Valuation

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To help us with your valuation please attach clear photographs of the item where possible. You can submit up to 5.

Approximate dimensions are also useful. Expect to hear from the appropriate valuer as soon as possible.

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