Let’s take a visit back to 1923, the year Charles Lindbergh flew his first solo flight, the first home game is played at Yankee Stadium with the Yankees winning 4-1 with the legendary Babe Ruth against the Boston Red Sox, and the first issue of Time magazine is published.
If you were part of the privileged class during that time, you might have been lucky enough to be transported around in a luxurious and hand-crafted ride such as the Pick of the Day, 1923 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Mayfair Town Car.
This Rolls, advertised by a Solon, Ohio, dealer on ClassicCars.com, was built by the coachbuilder Holbrook Company of Hudson, New York, in 1923 (body 768 and chassis 143JH) as a right-hand-drive model, and it has had only four owners since. It’s traveled all over the U.S., Canada, New Zealand and Australia, winning many awards.
“The name Silver Ghost originally christened chassis no. 60551, emphasizing its ghost-like quietness,” the seller says. “Other cars were given their own individual appellations, but the phrase Silver Ghost was picked up by an enamored press, turning it into the name of an entire automotive series instead of just one specific car.”
Production of the Silver Ghost began in England in 1907 but halted during World War I, although its chassis and engines were found on numerous armored cars made fam0us by Lawrence of Arabia’s exploits in the Middle East.
After the war ended, Rolls opened a new factory in Springfield, Massachusetts, to supplement its UK plant, and Silver Ghosts were produced there from 1921 to 1926. Apparently, this car was one of the Silver Ghosts built in Springfield.
“In all, a total of 7,874 Silver Ghosts were produced from 1907 to 1936, including 1,701 built in the Springfield plant,” the dealer says. “Remarkably, it is estimated that nearly 1,500 of them survive today.”
When the car was built, the body received 20 coats of its green and black paint, all done by hand, a process Holbrook performed on all its vehicles.
“With its enclosed rear compartment designed for the owner and spouse, this all-weather Town Car provided a secluded space to match its riders’ position in business and society,” the dealer says. “If needed, two auxiliary jump seats (were) folded up against the front wall of the private compartment.”
This private cabin boasts many luxurious custom features, including overstuffed upholstered seats, fine silvered hardware, special wood trim and even a special speaker system that allowed passengers to give the driver directions without having to lower the partition window.
The chauffer portion of the Town Car features a bench seat upholstered in black leather and a removable roof.
This Silver Ghost is equipped with a 7,428cc inline 6-cylinder that has been rebuilt by Vintage & Auto Rebuilds and equipped with an overdrive to lower rpm at highway speeds, the seller says. The engine is connected to a 4-speed manual transmission.
This 1923 survivor was originally owned by a family member of the Feigenspan clan, a famous Newark, New Jersey, family of brewers.
An article written by André Blaize about this Silver Ghost, notes that the car was later passed onto couple Charles and Virginia Baldwin in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
“In September 1937, when she (Virginia Baldwin) took delivery of a Packard Super Eight, 143HJ was disposed of at Sol Koscove’s breakyard (wrecking yard) in Colorado Springs,” Blaize says. “It remained there until 1977 when Dr. Morris Franklin Jr. discovered it with his colleague Dolf Wells. The car had been sitting on blocks for 40 years under a tarpaulin, and it was in fairly good shape.”
The late Dr. Franklin of San Antonio, Texas, was the Silver Ghost head judge for the Rolls-Royce Owners Club. He refurbished the Rolls and drove it extensively, the seller says.
It’s now in the hands of the selling dealer and awaiting its next owner to be chauffeured around.
“Described as one of the most significant cars ever built, these motorcars still remain on the road today and are used extensively by their owners…a testament to their resilient design and stylish appeal,” the dealer ads.
The asking price for this 1923 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost is $159,000.
To view this vehicle on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
