1907 Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost, open tourer (Roi des Belges style by Wilkinson)
- Colour
- Deep red with burgundy striping
Chassis 2006 is an early 'parallel bonnet' Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost retaining its numbers-matching engine (no. 7W). Delivered new with a landaulette body to Melbourne wool merchant James M. Niall, the car spent its early decades in Australia before passing through a Canberra coach-hire operator. A Melbourne hobbyist acquired it in 1958 and commissioned a new tourer body; it then entered the collection of prominent American enthusiast James Leake, who kept it for over twenty years. After dispersal of his collection in 1987, a Danish owner had a Barker Roi des Belges-style body built by coachbuilder Wilkinson in 1989.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold US$522,000
- 1958 → 1965Acquisition unknownMaurice R. Markoffpartial documentation
Rolls-Royce enthusiast in Melbourne who commissioned a fresh tourer body during a full restoration; advertised the finished car through the owners club in 1965.
- 1965 → 1987-11-01Private saleJames Leakepartial documentation
Muskogee, Oklahoma collector known for buying and selling large numbers of vintage automobiles; retained this chassis for more than twenty years as part of a personal Silver Ghost collection before dispersing it at a private collection sale.
- 1987 →Acquisition unknownDanish ownerpartial documentation
Unidentified owner based in Denmark; commissioned Wilkinson coachbuilders in Britain to construct a new Barker Roi des Belges replica body in 1989.
- Date unknownFactory deliveryJames M. Niallfull documentation
Prominent wool industry entrepreneur with residences in London and Melbourne; the car was shipped to Australia and recorded in reference literature as the first owner.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownAustralian owners subsequent to Niallpartial documentation
Multiple unnamed Australian custodians recorded through the early 1920s.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownBarton's Safety Coach Servicepartial documentation
Commercial transport operator based in Canberra; the car was available for hire during this period, still carrying a limousine-style body.
Competition
No competition history extracted from the catalogue.
Maintenance & restoration
- 1958Bodywork
A new open tourer body was fabricated for the car to replace the limousine coachwork of apparent local Australian origin that it carried at the time of acquisition.
Commissioned by Maurice R. Markoff in Melbourne.
- 1965Restoration
A completed restoration was advertised in the Rolls-Royce Owners' Club journal, indicating the car had been fully refurbished with its new tourer body in place.
Work initiated and overseen by Maurice R. Markoff.
- 1989BodyworkWilkinson
A new body styled as a replica of the classic Barker Roi des Belges open touring design was constructed and fitted; finished in deep red with burgundy coach-lining and extensive brass fittings.
Carried out while the car was under Danish ownership.
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