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Automobiles | RM Sotheby's

An Expertly Curated Collection of Edwardian and Brass Era Cars

4–5 May | St. Louis, Missouri
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In the late 19th century, the quest to revolutionize transportation gained momentum in both Europe and America, as inventors created ingenious new solutions to power a horseless carriage. The Edwardian era encompasses the years between 1896–1904, referencing the reign of King Edward VII of Great Britain, while the Brass era is the American term coined for the manufacturing period between 1905–1915. This May, RM Sotheby’s is offering the esteemed collection of Mr. Fred Guyton who masterfully curated cars from this era, which is characterized by the widespread use of brass in the vehicle’s fixtures, including lighting, radiators, door handles and frames. The high-wheel motor buggy design which resembled horse drawn carriages prior to 1900 was gradually abandoned, replaced by runabouts, tonneaus and touring body styles. Click ahead for eight motor cars from the Edwardian and Brass Eras that are featured in the Guyton Collection. –Andrew Miterko

An Expertly Curated Collection of Edwardian and Brass Era Cars

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    1886 Benz Patent Motorwagen Replica. Estimate $40,000–50,000. Offered without reserve.
    Widely known as the world’s first automobile, the Benz Patent Motorwagen is powered by a four stroke, single cylinder gasoline engine mounted behind the driver with a simple belt drive system acting as a single speed transmission to the chain driven rear wheels. Offered here is an exacting replica, produced by John Bentley Engineering in the UK, a firm credited with creating the most faithful replications of the automobile.

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    1903 Cadillac Rear-Entrance Tonneau. Estimate $100,000–125,000. Offered without reserve.
    The early production Cadillacs of 1903 were offered in a runabout body style – a simple open design with a single row of seats – with or without an optional rear-mounted tonneau row to seat two additional passengers. Powered by a 98cc single-cylinder engine capable of producing up to 10-hp, the Model A Cadillac performed well in hard driving events worldwide.

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    1908 Buick Model 10 Runabout. Estimate $35,000–50,000. Offered without reserve.
    The Model 10 was introduced in November 1907 at the New York Automobile show as the Gentlemen’s Light Four-Cylinder Roadster, and it quickly became the company’s best seller. It featured acetylene headlamps, oil lamps for side and tail illumination and a bulb horn. A potent competitor at race tracks, the light and nimble Model 10 claimed victory in its class at Daytona in 1909, as well as a hill climb victory at Atlanta.

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    1909 Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost Roi des Belges in the style of Barker. Estimate $800,000–1,000,000. Offered without reserve.
    Crafted in the exacting fashion of the original “Silver Ghost” of Claude Johnson, chassis 1203 was most recently restored by respected UK specialist Jonathan Harley. The period correct body was finished in bright silver paintwork with a polished engine cover and all brightwork in nickel plate. Noteworthy features include Bleroit “bullseye” headlamps, Lucas no. 644 oil side lamps and tail lamps, an Auster windshield for rear seat passengers, an electric starter and a Royal Automobile Club radiator cap, as construction of this vehicle pre-dates the “Spirit of Ecstacy”.

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    1912 Hudson Model 33 Doctor’s Coupe by James Young. Estimate $40,000–60,000. Offered without reserve.
    Lovingly dubbed the “Dingwall Dandy” by an early owner, this Hudson Model 33 chassis was sent to Kent, UK Coachbuilders James Young & Co. Ltd., and fitted with the body known as the Doctor’s Coupe, a convertible featuring a “dickey seat,” mahogany framed sliding windows and a plush cloth interior with embroidered accents. Only six Model 33 chassis were outfitted by James Young with this body.

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    1912 Cadillac Model 30 Five-Passenger Touring. Estimate $50,000–75,000. Offered without reserve.
    Cadillac’s sole offering in 1909, the Model 30 offered a longer wheelbase than its predecessor but was offered strictly in open body styles: a roadster, a tourer and a demi-tonneau. Named for its horsepower, the was powered by a 3.7 litre four cylinder engine fitted with four six-volt batteries in series for electric starting. The automobile was fitted with a six-volt electrical system which controlled lighting and accessories, and it features an optional windshield attached to a wooden dashboard fitted over the cowl.

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    1915 Oakland Model 37 Speedster. Estimate $50,000–70,000.
    One of only two surviving Oakland Speedsters known to exist, the speedster is the sporting model of one of the founding marques of General Motors. Surrounded by lightweight bodywork reminiscent of sports cars of the era, 40-horsepower engine was mated to a three-speed transmission and was noted by the factory copywriters as being “responsive, silent, smooth-running, giving a quick and easy ‘pickup’ that makes it seem like a thing ALIVE.”

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    1916 Packard Twin Six Seven-Passenger Touring. Estimate $150,000–200,000. Offered without reserve.
    The Packard Twin Six made its debut in May 1915 as the first U.S. production twelve-cylinder automobile engine. While technically a “Nickel Era” automobile, this Packard represents one of the truly groundbreaking models of its era. This chassis features the longer wheelbase 1-35 Six chassis and is well preserved and largely original and unrestored. The engine compartment shows all the correct Packard ancillary components, the black button-tufted leather interior is entirely original except for the lower seat cushion, and the green and black body, which may have been repainted in the 1940s, shows charming patina, in some places worn to the primer by years of detailing.

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