1952 Bentley Mark VI Graber Cabriolet

B184MDroadUnited Kingdom

Engine: 4.6L inline-six F-head with twin SU carburetors, ~150 bhp
Colour: Forest green over black two-tone

A 1952 Bentley Mark VI chassis bodied by Swiss coachbuilder Hermann Graber of Basel, ordered new by Zurich banker A. Walter Gemuseus through the Geneva agent Garage de L'Athénée. Originally a fixed-head coupé to a unique design, the car was later converted to cabriolet configuration. A comprehensive ground-up restoration was subsequently undertaken, covering the chassis, engine, bodywork, and hood, with the result described by marque expert Diane Brandon as cosmetically superb.

Ownership

—Auction sale
Sold US$253,000
RM Sotheby's catalogue lot →
1952-06-01 →Factory delivery
A. Walter Gemuseus
full documentation
Prominent Zurich banker who commissioned the car through the Geneva agent with several bespoke specifications including a low steering column, metric instruments, and provision for a Swiss long-wave radio.
Date unknownAcquisition unknown
Mr. Singh
partial documentation
California-based owner from whom Gene Epstein later purchased the vehicle; the body had been converted to cabriolet form by this point in the car's history.
Date unknownPrivate sale
Gene Epstein
partial documentation
Long-standing Rolls-Royce and Bentley enthusiast who acquired the car in the early 2000s and undertook a comprehensive ground-up restoration, including chassis refinishing, full mechanical rebuild, and body refinish in forest green and black with tan leather.
Date unknownAcquisition unknown
Mr. Smith
partial documentation
Subsequent owner who drove the car regularly following Epstein's restoration; interior and bodywork remained in show-quality condition during this period.

Competition

No competition history extracted from the catalogue.

Maintenance & restoration

—
Modification
Body configuration altered from the original fixed-head coupé to a cabriolet at an undetermined point in the car's history, prior to acquisition by Gene Epstein.
—
Restoration
Full ground-up restoration commissioned by Gene Epstein: body separated from chassis, frame stripped to bare metal, repaired and refinished; engine and all mechanical components rebuilt; bodywork refinished in two-tone forest green and black; interior retrimmed in tan leather; steering column, wheel, and instruments correctly restored; proper Marchal headlamps fitted along with matching fog lights; hood remade to authentic Graber designs with custom-machined fittings.
Marque expert Diane Brandon inspected the finished car and characterised its cosmetic condition as superb.

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