1956 Bentley S1 Continental Drophead Coupé by Park Ward
- Colour
- Masons Black
A rare Park Ward drophead coupé (style no. 700) on a left-hand-drive Bentley S1 Continental chassis, one of only 31 built to this fully hand-crafted aluminium body specification. Delivered in June 1956 to the estate of Mary Stevens Baird of New Jersey, an heiress and philanthropist whose niece was future congresswoman Millicent Fenwick, the car passed through several East Coast enthusiasts before entering a prominent private collection of coachbuilt Bentley and Rolls-Royce automobiles around 1990, where it has remained for approximately three decades.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold US$1,077,500
- 1956-06-03 → 1964-06-01Factory deliveryMary Stevens Bairdfull documentation
Delivered to her estate Annandale in Bernardsville, New Jersey. Specified with North American features including sealed-beam headlamps and a custom silver fox mascot.
- 1964-06-01 →Acquisition unknownDr. Theodore Griggs IIIpartial documentation
Based in Summit, New Jersey; second recorded owner of the car.
- 1990 →Private salePrivate coachbuilt Rolls-Royce and Bentley collectionpartial documentation
Acquired via Richard Gorman's Vantage Motorworks dealership; described as one of the world's foremost assemblages of coachbuilt vehicles. Held for approximately three decades.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownDr. Halsey G. Bullenpartial documentation
East Coast enthusiast who displayed the car at Rolls-Royce Owners Club gatherings during the 1970s or 1980s.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownHarold Porterpartial documentation
Another East Coast enthusiast who showed the car at Rolls-Royce Owners Club events during the same general period.
Competition
No competition history extracted from the catalogue.
Maintenance & restoration
- —Restoration
The car underwent a restoration to a well-preserved standard, resulting in a finish of Masons Black with a Dove Gray leather interior piped in black and a correctly fitted black hood.
Timing of the restoration is not specified. The original dashboard gauges were retained, though the audio system was updated to a modern unit. Some minor patination is present under the bonnet from subsequent use.
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