1934 Duesenberg Model J LaGrande 'Sweep Panel' Dual-Cowl Phaeton

Served as a demonstrator at the New York outlet for over a year; confirmed still in inventory there as of September 1935 per historian documentation.

Young heir to the Dow Jones publishing enterprise; first documented private purchaser of the vehicle.

Resident of Modesto, California; sold the car in early 1951.

Early marque enthusiast based in Tacoma, Washington; held the car for roughly a decade and fitted side exhausts; a fire in 1958 caused mostly cosmetic damage to the right side, rear cowl, and rear seat.

Wisconsin-based owner who held the car for approximately eight years before selling to a noted specialist.

Respected Duesenberg specialist from Manitowoc, widely known by a specialist nickname; undertook a restoration preserving original metalwork and timber, then showed it extensively in Midwestern events.

Florida-based friend of the prior owner who acquired the car through an inventive trade arrangement and continued active concours participation, earning numerous further awards.

Noted Florida collector who retained the car personally for several years before it was sold to a European buyer during the peak of the collector-car market.

Virginia-based owner who took possession after the car's return to the United States by the close of the 1980s; maintained and used the car regularly.

Longstanding RM Sotheby's client who commissioned a thorough restoration by Steve Babinsky's shop in New Jersey; all original sheetmetal preserved and engine fully rebuilt.

Car surfaced in this owner's possession shortly after the end of the Second World War; brief custodianship implied.

Car relocated to Europe at the height of the collector-car market surge; identity not recorded in the prose.

Restored rolling chassis displayed without bodywork as part of a dedicated classic and vintage chassis class.

First appearance at the event with coachwork in place following the completed restoration.

Two distinct awards received at this Michigan-area event.

First Duesenberg to receive the Best of Show honor at this event; the perfect score was achieved for the third time in succession.

Fire caused cosmetic damage confined mainly to the right-hand bodywork, the rear cowl, and the rear seating area.

Scope confirmed by Paul Kaufmann and restorer Steve Babinsky, both of whom had detailed knowledge of the car's condition.

Comprehensive restoration undertaken by Joe Kaufmann that successfully retained all original body panels and the majority of the original wooden structural elements.

Kaufmann was a respected Duesenberg authority; his conservation-minded approach preserved the car's authenticity to a high degree.

Full restoration carried out by Steve Babinsky, preserving every original body panel and incorporating a complete engine rebuild with Carillo connecting rods.

Babinsky noted the car's unusual purity despite its prior restoration history; the result achieved three consecutive perfect CCCA scores and top concours awards.