Cars 1934-35
Except otherwise stated, all results include the premium.
See also : Cars 1930s Duesenberg Alfa Romeo Bugatti Cars in movies
Chronology : 1934 1935
See also : Cars 1930s Duesenberg Alfa Romeo Bugatti Cars in movies
Chronology : 1934 1935
1934 Bugatti 59
2020 SOLD for £ 9.5M by Gooding
The era when Bugatti was invincible in the Grand Prix is over. Faced with the Alfa Romeo Tipo B supported by the Italian government, the Types 51 and 54 are not competitive. To stop this decline, Bugatti develops the Type 59. Six cars are built in 1934.
The 59 only wins two Grand Prix : at Spa because the Alfa Romeos had a crash and, more deservingly, in Algeria. The traceability of the Grand Prix Bugattis is based on the engines and not on the chassis, and it is impossible to discriminate between the individual cars their participations in the competitions.
These discouraging results could have been anticipated : the 59 is too heavy, too rigid, not powerful enough, with an outdated gearbox and poor brakes. It will not be replaced : following the success of his high-end sports car, the Type 55, Jean Bugatti gives priority to the roadsters.
In 1935 four 59 were sold to English customers. The car with the No. 5 engine undergoes a long series of modifications at the factory. Accustomed to its presence in their premises, the mechanics affectionately nicknamed it Grand-Mère.
Grand-Mère is now a Bugatti 59 Sports, bodyworked as a two-seaters for competitions on French roads where the Alfa Romeos do not come. Driven by Wimille, it achieves many successes in 1937. Significantly, its new chassis had been numbered like a 57, ultimately erasing the page of the 59s.
A great lover of luxury cars and an outstanding patron of the brand, Léopold III of Belgium acquires this one-off 59 Sports in 1938. Rediscovered in the former royal garage in 1967, it remains authentic in the configuration of its delivery by Bugatti to the king.
Grand-Mère was sold for £ 9.5M by Gooding on September 5, 2020, lot 4. Its image at Goodwood in 2012 is shared by Wikimedia with attribution : David Merrett from Daventry, England [CC BY].
The 59 only wins two Grand Prix : at Spa because the Alfa Romeos had a crash and, more deservingly, in Algeria. The traceability of the Grand Prix Bugattis is based on the engines and not on the chassis, and it is impossible to discriminate between the individual cars their participations in the competitions.
These discouraging results could have been anticipated : the 59 is too heavy, too rigid, not powerful enough, with an outdated gearbox and poor brakes. It will not be replaced : following the success of his high-end sports car, the Type 55, Jean Bugatti gives priority to the roadsters.
In 1935 four 59 were sold to English customers. The car with the No. 5 engine undergoes a long series of modifications at the factory. Accustomed to its presence in their premises, the mechanics affectionately nicknamed it Grand-Mère.
Grand-Mère is now a Bugatti 59 Sports, bodyworked as a two-seaters for competitions on French roads where the Alfa Romeos do not come. Driven by Wimille, it achieves many successes in 1937. Significantly, its new chassis had been numbered like a 57, ultimately erasing the page of the 59s.
A great lover of luxury cars and an outstanding patron of the brand, Léopold III of Belgium acquires this one-off 59 Sports in 1938. Rediscovered in the former royal garage in 1967, it remains authentic in the configuration of its delivery by Bugatti to the king.
Grand-Mère was sold for £ 9.5M by Gooding on September 5, 2020, lot 4. Its image at Goodwood in 2012 is shared by Wikimedia with attribution : David Merrett from Daventry, England [CC BY].
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1934 Alfa Romeo Tipo B P3
2018 SOLD for £ 4.6M by Bonhams
The prestige of car competitions increased considerably in the mid-1920s. The Grand Prix racing was dominated by the Alfa Romeo P2 and the Bugatti Type 35. For safety reasons it was however not until the very early 1930s that the driver remained single on board, without an assistant.
Alfa Romeo designs a monoposto based on the characteristics of the P2. Constructed in 4 units in 1931, the Tipo A is too complex for working properly, with its dual engine of 6C 1750 each in parallel. None survives.
Tipo A is superseded a few months later by the Tipo B P3 with an 8C 2650 cc engine. This supercharged model dominates the season 1932 with its first series of six cars built.
In 1934 the modifications of the rules of the Grand Prix invite to heavier cars, changing the limit from 700 to 750 Kg. The Tipo B P3 model is then upgraded by a larger width and an extended bore size to a 2.9 liter engine volume.
It is also the time of the Great Depression. Alfa Romeo is put under receivership in 1933 by the Italian government which is reluctant to spend money for competitions. The Scuderia Ferrari company then becomes in 1933 an essential partner of Alfa Romeo, of which it will remain a subsidiary until 1940.
It is not possible to identify today a Grand Prix Alfa Romeo in full original condition. The traceability of the gradual installation of more efficient equipment on these cars is poorly documented. The identification of the chassis was not recorded by the administrations of the Grand Prix and in spite of the very limited number of Grand Prix cars it is impossible to identify which specific chassis had participated in which competition.
A Monoposto was sold for £ 4.6M by Bonhams on July 13, 2018, lot 352. Its known history underlines the evolution of the P3, in the range of uncertainties of the period.
Originally the vehicle number 49 in the Scuderia Ferrari, it was probably made from the 1933 second series of six chassis, or a seventh assembled by Ferrari from available parts. When it was sold by Ferrari in 1935 to Richard Shuttleworth, in the 1934 750 kg variant which had possibly been fitted to it during a rework after a crash. Shuttleworth drove it to victory in October 1935 in the Donington Grand Prix.
RM Sotheby's sold on February 8, 2017 for € 3.9M the penultimate Tipo B P3 of the 1934 group, lot 161. It was registered as number 46 by the Scuderia Ferrari during the seasons 1934 and 1935.
Alfa Romeo designs a monoposto based on the characteristics of the P2. Constructed in 4 units in 1931, the Tipo A is too complex for working properly, with its dual engine of 6C 1750 each in parallel. None survives.
Tipo A is superseded a few months later by the Tipo B P3 with an 8C 2650 cc engine. This supercharged model dominates the season 1932 with its first series of six cars built.
In 1934 the modifications of the rules of the Grand Prix invite to heavier cars, changing the limit from 700 to 750 Kg. The Tipo B P3 model is then upgraded by a larger width and an extended bore size to a 2.9 liter engine volume.
It is also the time of the Great Depression. Alfa Romeo is put under receivership in 1933 by the Italian government which is reluctant to spend money for competitions. The Scuderia Ferrari company then becomes in 1933 an essential partner of Alfa Romeo, of which it will remain a subsidiary until 1940.
It is not possible to identify today a Grand Prix Alfa Romeo in full original condition. The traceability of the gradual installation of more efficient equipment on these cars is poorly documented. The identification of the chassis was not recorded by the administrations of the Grand Prix and in spite of the very limited number of Grand Prix cars it is impossible to identify which specific chassis had participated in which competition.
A Monoposto was sold for £ 4.6M by Bonhams on July 13, 2018, lot 352. Its known history underlines the evolution of the P3, in the range of uncertainties of the period.
Originally the vehicle number 49 in the Scuderia Ferrari, it was probably made from the 1933 second series of six chassis, or a seventh assembled by Ferrari from available parts. When it was sold by Ferrari in 1935 to Richard Shuttleworth, in the 1934 750 kg variant which had possibly been fitted to it during a rework after a crash. Shuttleworth drove it to victory in October 1935 in the Donington Grand Prix.
RM Sotheby's sold on February 8, 2017 for € 3.9M the penultimate Tipo B P3 of the 1934 group, lot 161. It was registered as number 46 by the Scuderia Ferrari during the seasons 1934 and 1935.
1935 Mercedes-Benz 500K
Roadster
2016 SOLD for € 5.3M by Bonhams
After an early great period around 1928 with the 680 S, Mercedes-Benz is positioning more firmly in the luxury car market in 1933 with the 380 and its variant 380 K where K means Kompressor. Its 3.8-liter engine is too small and its maximum speed of 145 km/h with the supercharger does not differ sufficiently from its competitors.
With a high intelligence Mercedes-Benz appreciates that the wealthiest customers shall prefer a bigger and more powerful car even if it is much more expensive. The 380 is terminated in mid-1934 to be replaced by the 5 liter 500 and its supercharged 500 K which reaches 160 km/h on the road.
In an international perspective the 500s come at the right time. The Cord group fails to balance the budget of Duesenberg, Bugatti's La Royale is an almost total commercial failure and Bentley went bankrupt.
The coachwork becomes gorgeous, including a highly elegant long hoodline. The high end is named Roadster, understood as a synonym for Grand Tourer. Mercedes-Benz optimize the bodies by promoting a standardization at their assembly plant in Sindelfingen, but remain responsive to the specific needs of their clients.
On September 3, 2016, Bonhams sold at lot 16 for € 5.3M a 500 K Roadster coachworked in Sindelfingen. Completed in February 1935, this car is then the high-end of the brand and is immediately exhibited at the Auto Show in Berlin. It is in very good condition with its matching number engine.
It had previously been part of a tantalizing set of five vehicles demonstrating the dramatic progress of Mercedes-Benz into the later 1930s, with the 540 K introduced at the Salon de l'Auto of Paris in 1936 and the ultimate luxury, the 540 K Spezial launched in the same year, which will delight Göring.
In that sale made by RM Auctions on August 20, 2011, the 500 K Roadster was the earliest built of these five prestigious Mercedes-Benz and the only example in 500 K, the four others being 540 K. It was sold for $ 3.8M.
The other results were : $ 3M for a 1936 Cabriolet A, $ 3.1M for a 1936 Spezial Coupe, $ 9.7M for a 1937 Spezial Roadster and $ 4.6M for a Spezial Roadster from 1939 that was sold again for $ 7.5M by the same auction house in August 2013. The five cars were shown on the article shared by Sports Car Digest.
With a high intelligence Mercedes-Benz appreciates that the wealthiest customers shall prefer a bigger and more powerful car even if it is much more expensive. The 380 is terminated in mid-1934 to be replaced by the 5 liter 500 and its supercharged 500 K which reaches 160 km/h on the road.
In an international perspective the 500s come at the right time. The Cord group fails to balance the budget of Duesenberg, Bugatti's La Royale is an almost total commercial failure and Bentley went bankrupt.
The coachwork becomes gorgeous, including a highly elegant long hoodline. The high end is named Roadster, understood as a synonym for Grand Tourer. Mercedes-Benz optimize the bodies by promoting a standardization at their assembly plant in Sindelfingen, but remain responsive to the specific needs of their clients.
On September 3, 2016, Bonhams sold at lot 16 for € 5.3M a 500 K Roadster coachworked in Sindelfingen. Completed in February 1935, this car is then the high-end of the brand and is immediately exhibited at the Auto Show in Berlin. It is in very good condition with its matching number engine.
It had previously been part of a tantalizing set of five vehicles demonstrating the dramatic progress of Mercedes-Benz into the later 1930s, with the 540 K introduced at the Salon de l'Auto of Paris in 1936 and the ultimate luxury, the 540 K Spezial launched in the same year, which will delight Göring.
In that sale made by RM Auctions on August 20, 2011, the 500 K Roadster was the earliest built of these five prestigious Mercedes-Benz and the only example in 500 K, the four others being 540 K. It was sold for $ 3.8M.
The other results were : $ 3M for a 1936 Cabriolet A, $ 3.1M for a 1936 Spezial Coupe, $ 9.7M for a 1937 Spezial Roadster and $ 4.6M for a Spezial Roadster from 1939 that was sold again for $ 7.5M by the same auction house in August 2013. The five cars were shown on the article shared by Sports Car Digest.
1935 500K Spezial Roadster
2025 SOLD for $ 5.3M by RM Sotheby's
A supercharged 500K was coachworked in 1935 at Sindelfingen as a Spezial Roadster in a rare and beautiful short tail low door variant with the engine relocated several inches rearward. This right hand drive was delivered new to a British Lord.
It belonged in the 1970s to the Perkins collection beside one of the two surviving Bugatti Atlantic, a Duesenberg SJ and Barnato's own Bentley Blower, amidst other superlative pre WWII cars. While in that collection it won Best of Show at Pebble Beach in 1982 after a full restoration.
After 37 years in a collection, it was sold for $ 5.3M by RM Sotheby's on August 16, 2025, lot 237.
It belonged in the 1970s to the Perkins collection beside one of the two surviving Bugatti Atlantic, a Duesenberg SJ and Barnato's own Bentley Blower, amidst other superlative pre WWII cars. While in that collection it won Best of Show at Pebble Beach in 1982 after a full restoration.
After 37 years in a collection, it was sold for $ 5.3M by RM Sotheby's on August 16, 2025, lot 237.
1934-1936 500K/540K Spezial Roadster
2021 SOLD for $ 4.9M by Bonhams
One of the first 500K bodied as a Roadster was embellished by an abundance of chrome. Its client, a Berlin lawyer, wanted to have the best car. In 1936, when Mercedes-Benz launched the 540K model, the car returns to the factory to accommodate the new 5.4 liter engine. Its modified chassis and new engine keep the serial numbers of the original equipment.
In the early 1970s, two fans make a tour of Europe in search of valuable old cars. They have the luck to find this 500K/540K Spezial in oblivion in a garage at Poznan, disassembled but complete.
The car was sold twice by Bonhams : on July 12, 2014 for € 3.1M for the benefit of Swedish medical research charities, and for $ 4.9M on May 20, 2021, lot 160.
In the early 1970s, two fans make a tour of Europe in search of valuable old cars. They have the luck to find this 500K/540K Spezial in oblivion in a garage at Poznan, disassembled but complete.
The car was sold twice by Bonhams : on July 12, 2014 for € 3.1M for the benefit of Swedish medical research charities, and for $ 4.9M on May 20, 2021, lot 160.
1935 Duesenberg
JN
2026 SOLD for $ 9M by RM Sotheby's
It was logical that the king of Hollywood looked for the king of cars, especially when it happened at the time of the first paparazzi of the cinema. In 1935, Clark Gable bought a Duesenberg JN.
JN is the unofficial name given to ten Duesenberg high-end cars produced in the final year of the brand, all bodied by Rollston but with significant variations: three of them were equipped with the very prestigious Long Wheel Base chassis, and four others were assembled as convertible coupés—the last two-seater open cars delivered by Duesenberg. These late-series refinements of the Model J featured smaller 17-inch wheels, skirted fenders, bullet-shaped taillights, and bodies mounted low on the frame rails for a more modern stance, while retaining the 420-cubic-inch Lycoming dual-overhead-cam straight-eight of 265 horsepower.
To be visible from his admirers and leaving nothing in hide from his romantic affair with Carole Lombard, Gable chose the convertible. This celebrity couple used this car extensively on California coastal roads and trips as far as Vancouver. Gable even commissioned some improvements to another coachworker: the car was shipped from Rollston in New York directly to Bohman & Schwartz in Pasadena, where he collaborated with designer W. Everett Miller, sketching the changes himself. The hood was extended over the cowl, biplane-style ventilators were added, the windshield was further raked with a matching lower top, the radiator shell was painted body color, and rear fender skirts with dual rear spares completed the bespoke transformation. In 1938, it will star in the movie Merrily We Live (temporarily finished in dark water-soluble paint).
After Lombard’s death in 1942 the car was sold outside California at Gable’s request. Later restored under the care of Sam and Emily Mann to its original Gable-delivery specification, it earned Best of Show at Amelia Island and Meadowbrook, the Gwenn Graham Trophy at Pebble Beach, and further concours honors while remaining fully driveable.
The Duesy of Gable and Lombard passed on August 19, 2012 at Gooding in Pebble Beach, where bidding reached $6.4 million but the car did not sell against a reserve (estimate in excess of $9 million). It is in very good working condition, as seen in the video shared by the auction house. It is driven therein by David Gooding.
Sold for $ 9,080,000 as Lot 122 from The Sam and Emily Mann Collection at RM Sotheby’s Monterey Auction on 13 August 2026 (estimate $5,750,000–$8,000,000), this 1935 Duesenberg Model JN Convertible Coupe by Rollston and Bohman & Schwartz—engine J-560, chassis 2585—remains among the most beautiful, historic, and romantic of all Duesenbergs.
The Duesenberg Model JN (unofficial designation) represents a late-production refinement of the Model J, with only 10 examples built in 1935, all carrying Rollston coachwork.
These were among the final cars of the brand (production of the Model J series ran 1928–1937, totaling roughly 480–481 units including SJs). The JN was an attempt to modernize the aging design with a lower, more contemporary stance while retaining the core Model J mechanicals: the 420 cu in (6.9 L) Lycoming DOHC straight-eight (four valves per cylinder) producing 265 hp, three-speed manual, hydraulic brakes, etc.
Key JN features and breakthrough relative to the standard Model J
Auction market context for JNsRealized prices vary widely by body style, provenance, and condition. Examples include:
Focus: The ex-Clark Gable 1935 Model JN Convertible Coupe (Engine J-560 / Firewall/Chassis 2585)
This is one of the four Rollston convertible coupes in the JN series.
History and Bohman & Schwartz preparation
Gable ordered the car as a Rollston convertible coupe—the last of the two-seater open Duesenbergs. It was shipped from Rollston in New York directly to Bohman & Schwartz in Pasadena, the preferred coachbuilder of the Hollywood colony. Gable worked hands-on with their designer W. Everett Miller, sketching changes himself. These were translated into paper drawings and a clay model.
Modifications included:
Use by Gable and Lombard, and movie appearance
The car became central to Gable’s public image; numerous studio promotional photographs show him with it. He and Lombard used it extensively for coastal drives in California and trips as far as Vancouver (Lansdowne Park racetrack). They married in 1939.
In 1938 it appeared (temporarily painted a dark water-soluble color) in the Hal Roach film Merrily We Live with Brian Aherne and Constance Bennett.
After Lombard’s death in a 1942 plane crash, the car was stored at Lansdowne Park. Gable never wanted to see it again and had it sold outside California. Subsequent owners included enthusiasts and dealers; the engine of J-521 was later installed while the original J-560 numbered bell-housing was retained. It passed through various hands (including periods in the Blackhawk Collection) before Sam and Emily Mann acquired it in 2005.
Restoration, awards, and recent history
The Manns commissioned a full restoration by Stone Barn (Vienna, NJ) to original Gable-delivery specification, aided by original upholstery samples from restorer Joe Kaufmann and deep historical research. Debuted at the 2007 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance (Duesenberg featured marque), it won the Gwenn Graham Trophy for Most Elegant Convertible. Further honors include Best of Show at Meadowbrook and Amelia Island (both 2008), participation in the 2010 ACD Club National Reunion, class award at Pebble Beach 2018, and display at the Concours d’Elegance of America (2018, when the Manns were Collectors of the Year). It has also been driven on multiple Duesenberg Tours organized by Sam Mann and was featured in “The Art of the Automobile” at the High Museum in Atlanta.
It retains its original numbered J-560 bell-housing; the Manns have also acquired the original numbered crankshaft (to accompany the car). Condition is excellent, prepared for both showing and driving.
JN is the unofficial name given to ten Duesenberg high-end cars produced in the final year of the brand, all bodied by Rollston but with significant variations: three of them were equipped with the very prestigious Long Wheel Base chassis, and four others were assembled as convertible coupés—the last two-seater open cars delivered by Duesenberg. These late-series refinements of the Model J featured smaller 17-inch wheels, skirted fenders, bullet-shaped taillights, and bodies mounted low on the frame rails for a more modern stance, while retaining the 420-cubic-inch Lycoming dual-overhead-cam straight-eight of 265 horsepower.
To be visible from his admirers and leaving nothing in hide from his romantic affair with Carole Lombard, Gable chose the convertible. This celebrity couple used this car extensively on California coastal roads and trips as far as Vancouver. Gable even commissioned some improvements to another coachworker: the car was shipped from Rollston in New York directly to Bohman & Schwartz in Pasadena, where he collaborated with designer W. Everett Miller, sketching the changes himself. The hood was extended over the cowl, biplane-style ventilators were added, the windshield was further raked with a matching lower top, the radiator shell was painted body color, and rear fender skirts with dual rear spares completed the bespoke transformation. In 1938, it will star in the movie Merrily We Live (temporarily finished in dark water-soluble paint).
After Lombard’s death in 1942 the car was sold outside California at Gable’s request. Later restored under the care of Sam and Emily Mann to its original Gable-delivery specification, it earned Best of Show at Amelia Island and Meadowbrook, the Gwenn Graham Trophy at Pebble Beach, and further concours honors while remaining fully driveable.
The Duesy of Gable and Lombard passed on August 19, 2012 at Gooding in Pebble Beach, where bidding reached $6.4 million but the car did not sell against a reserve (estimate in excess of $9 million). It is in very good working condition, as seen in the video shared by the auction house. It is driven therein by David Gooding.
Sold for $ 9,080,000 as Lot 122 from The Sam and Emily Mann Collection at RM Sotheby’s Monterey Auction on 13 August 2026 (estimate $5,750,000–$8,000,000), this 1935 Duesenberg Model JN Convertible Coupe by Rollston and Bohman & Schwartz—engine J-560, chassis 2585—remains among the most beautiful, historic, and romantic of all Duesenbergs.
The Duesenberg Model JN (unofficial designation) represents a late-production refinement of the Model J, with only 10 examples built in 1935, all carrying Rollston coachwork.
These were among the final cars of the brand (production of the Model J series ran 1928–1937, totaling roughly 480–481 units including SJs). The JN was an attempt to modernize the aging design with a lower, more contemporary stance while retaining the core Model J mechanicals: the 420 cu in (6.9 L) Lycoming DOHC straight-eight (four valves per cylinder) producing 265 hp, three-speed manual, hydraulic brakes, etc.
Key JN features and breakthrough relative to the standard Model J
- Smaller 17-inch wheels (vs. the earlier 19-inch).
- Skirted fenders.
- Bullet-shaped taillights.
- Bodies mounted lower, directly on the frame rails (eliminating the raised appearance and the earlier external battery/tool boxes so doors could close over the frame).
- Redesigned running gear/fenders/running boards to accept wider, lower bodies.
Auction market context for JNsRealized prices vary widely by body style, provenance, and condition. Examples include:
- A 1935 JN Convertible Sedan by Rollston sold for $1,346,000 (including buyer’s premium) on Bring a Trailer in 2021—then a record for the model and the highest price on that platform.
- Prior JN record around $962,500 (RM Sotheby’s Auburn 2010).
- A 1935 JN Long-Wheelbase Berline sold for $594,000 (Gooding Amelia Island 2013).
Focus: The ex-Clark Gable 1935 Model JN Convertible Coupe (Engine J-560 / Firewall/Chassis 2585)
This is one of the four Rollston convertible coupes in the JN series.
History and Bohman & Schwartz preparation
Gable ordered the car as a Rollston convertible coupe—the last of the two-seater open Duesenbergs. It was shipped from Rollston in New York directly to Bohman & Schwartz in Pasadena, the preferred coachbuilder of the Hollywood colony. Gable worked hands-on with their designer W. Everett Miller, sketching changes himself. These were translated into paper drawings and a clay model.
Modifications included:
- Extending the hoodline over the cowl (in the manner of Dietrich Individual Custom Packards).
- Installing cowl ventilators (inspired by early biplanes).
- Aggressively further raking the windshield a few degrees and designing a new, lower disappearing top to match (in a transitional color that blended with the body).
- Painting the radiator shell body color for an elongated look.
- Adding rear fender skirts, dual rear-mounted spares, and body-color wheel covers.
Use by Gable and Lombard, and movie appearance
The car became central to Gable’s public image; numerous studio promotional photographs show him with it. He and Lombard used it extensively for coastal drives in California and trips as far as Vancouver (Lansdowne Park racetrack). They married in 1939.
In 1938 it appeared (temporarily painted a dark water-soluble color) in the Hal Roach film Merrily We Live with Brian Aherne and Constance Bennett.
After Lombard’s death in a 1942 plane crash, the car was stored at Lansdowne Park. Gable never wanted to see it again and had it sold outside California. Subsequent owners included enthusiasts and dealers; the engine of J-521 was later installed while the original J-560 numbered bell-housing was retained. It passed through various hands (including periods in the Blackhawk Collection) before Sam and Emily Mann acquired it in 2005.
Restoration, awards, and recent history
The Manns commissioned a full restoration by Stone Barn (Vienna, NJ) to original Gable-delivery specification, aided by original upholstery samples from restorer Joe Kaufmann and deep historical research. Debuted at the 2007 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance (Duesenberg featured marque), it won the Gwenn Graham Trophy for Most Elegant Convertible. Further honors include Best of Show at Meadowbrook and Amelia Island (both 2008), participation in the 2010 ACD Club National Reunion, class award at Pebble Beach 2018, and display at the Concours d’Elegance of America (2018, when the Manns were Collectors of the Year). It has also been driven on multiple Duesenberg Tours organized by Sam Mann and was featured in “The Art of the Automobile” at the High Museum in Atlanta.
It retains its original numbered J-560 bell-housing; the Manns have also acquired the original numbered crankshaft (to accompany the car). Condition is excellent, prepared for both showing and driving.
Built for Clark Gable and restyled to his own sketches by Bohman & Schwartz, this Duesenberg Model JN was a truly bespoke expression of “The King of Hollywood.”
— RM Sotheby's (@rmsothebys) August 8, 2026
Gable and Carole Lombard used the car extensively, and it became inseparable from their life together. Meticulously… pic.twitter.com/Bx2SHOPMH4
Model SSJ
2018 SOLD for $ 22M by Gooding
In May 1935 the management of Duesenberg recognizes the commercial failure of their high-end chassis, the Model J released in 1928. EL Cord, boss of the group that owns Duesenberg, launches a project that could save the brand : create the best car in two units to be entrusted respectively to Gary Cooper and Clark Gable. This Duesenberg Special Speedster will be identified from 1951 with the reference SSJ.
The brand's chief designer, J. Herbert Newport, plans to use on a shortened chassis the powerful Duesenberg Special 400 hp eight-cylinder in-line engine under development. The stars give their opinion. An enthusiast about luxury cars, Gary Cooper is appealed by the unprecedented performance of the future model but prefers that this roadster looks like a classic Duesenberg. Newport gives up the idea of a modernist body.
The two cars are provided to the actors in December 1935 for a long-term loan. Cooper's wife, Sandra Shaw, immediately has sent their car back to the factory for changing the color.
Six months later the two stars receive a proposal to buy their car at one-third the price of an ordinary Model J. Cooper accepts. Gable is not interested : he already owns one of the ten units of the Duesenberg JN also produced in 1935.
Cooper and Gable did not make the spectacular use that Cord was waiting for. We do not know when Cooper sold his car. Cord could have anticipated that it is not so easy to use the capricious Hollywood celebrities as advertising agents for luxury cars. Already in 1934 Mae West had refused the project of a SJ Town Car designed especially for her by Duesenberg.
There will be no other SSJ. Its supercharged engine was only used on these two cars and temporarily on the one-off Special ordered by Ab Jenkins to race the land speed record in Bonneville.
Little used, Gary Cooper's SSJ has only 20,000 miles on the clock. It had only two owners since 1949, Briggs Cunningham and Miles Collier. Historian of automotive technology and tall ships, Collier wisely prefers to preserve the old cars rather than to restore them. This SSJ has kept intact its original chassis, engine and body and even has the canvas of its folding roof. It was sold for $ 22M from a lower estimate of $ 10M by Gooding on August 24, 2018, lot 35.
The car is driven and narrated by David Gooding in the video shared by the auction house.
The brand's chief designer, J. Herbert Newport, plans to use on a shortened chassis the powerful Duesenberg Special 400 hp eight-cylinder in-line engine under development. The stars give their opinion. An enthusiast about luxury cars, Gary Cooper is appealed by the unprecedented performance of the future model but prefers that this roadster looks like a classic Duesenberg. Newport gives up the idea of a modernist body.
The two cars are provided to the actors in December 1935 for a long-term loan. Cooper's wife, Sandra Shaw, immediately has sent their car back to the factory for changing the color.
Six months later the two stars receive a proposal to buy their car at one-third the price of an ordinary Model J. Cooper accepts. Gable is not interested : he already owns one of the ten units of the Duesenberg JN also produced in 1935.
Cooper and Gable did not make the spectacular use that Cord was waiting for. We do not know when Cooper sold his car. Cord could have anticipated that it is not so easy to use the capricious Hollywood celebrities as advertising agents for luxury cars. Already in 1934 Mae West had refused the project of a SJ Town Car designed especially for her by Duesenberg.
There will be no other SSJ. Its supercharged engine was only used on these two cars and temporarily on the one-off Special ordered by Ab Jenkins to race the land speed record in Bonneville.
Little used, Gary Cooper's SSJ has only 20,000 miles on the clock. It had only two owners since 1949, Briggs Cunningham and Miles Collier. Historian of automotive technology and tall ships, Collier wisely prefers to preserve the old cars rather than to restore them. This SSJ has kept intact its original chassis, engine and body and even has the canvas of its folding roof. It was sold for $ 22M from a lower estimate of $ 10M by Gooding on August 24, 2018, lot 35.
The car is driven and narrated by David Gooding in the video shared by the auction house.
Model J Convertible Coupe by Rollston
2022 SOLD for $ 4.7M by RM Sotheby's
In the last phase before the collapse of the Cord group, Rollston had become a major supplier of luxury automobile bodies for the Duesies, including the 10 cars unofficially referred as variant JN with which the brand tried in 1935 to revive the interest of the celebrities. This coachbuilder operated in New York.
A Duesenberg long wheelbase Model J made in 1935 was fitted with an earlier Rollston two passenger convertible coupe body. That bodywork had been was made in 1933 for an SJ. Its owner was not comfortable driving her supercharged Duesy and had it transferred to that Model J where it still remains.
The car was still in her ownership when the German occupants stole the wheels and tires. She sold it a few years later to a Frenchman who took it to Cuba but died just after his arrival. It was from 1967 a flagship of the Adderley collection.
Its disappearing top is a one of a kind from Rollston, although they also later made four convertible coupes in the JN series. Its highly elegant lines are nevertheless in the continuation of the convertible coupes made by Murphy for the Model J.
It was sold for $ 4.7M from a lower estimate of $ 4M by RM Sotheby's on August 19, 2022, lot 252. Its chassis, engine and firewall are also in matching numbers.
A Duesenberg long wheelbase Model J made in 1935 was fitted with an earlier Rollston two passenger convertible coupe body. That bodywork had been was made in 1933 for an SJ. Its owner was not comfortable driving her supercharged Duesy and had it transferred to that Model J where it still remains.
The car was still in her ownership when the German occupants stole the wheels and tires. She sold it a few years later to a Frenchman who took it to Cuba but died just after his arrival. It was from 1967 a flagship of the Adderley collection.
Its disappearing top is a one of a kind from Rollston, although they also later made four convertible coupes in the JN series. Its highly elegant lines are nevertheless in the continuation of the convertible coupes made by Murphy for the Model J.
It was sold for $ 4.7M from a lower estimate of $ 4M by RM Sotheby's on August 19, 2022, lot 252. Its chassis, engine and firewall are also in matching numbers.
Model SJ Convertible Coupe by Walker-LaGrande
2013 SOLD for $ 4.5 M by RM Auctions
Both from a technical and aesthetic point of view, cars are constantly changing throughout the 1930s. A brand that targets the absolute upscale must evolve its models continuously. By 1932 the SJ is a Model J fitted with a supercharged engine, with a top speed at 220 km/h.
J. Herbert Newport is entrusted by Duesenberg to fit a modernized body on the model J chassis. His masterpiece is a convertible coupe with the top of the doors in alignment with the front and back covers.
Three cars were coachworked on this model by a workshop of Indianapolis, AH Walker Body Company, which seems to have worked primarily, or even exclusively, for the Cord group during its short period of activity. Walker was one of the craftsmen to whom Cord attributed the LaGrande label as a mark for their bodywork.
One of these three cars was mounted on the Duesenberg SJ variant. This specimen made in 1935 is thus representing the culmination of this prestigious brand. This car was sold for $ 4.5M on March 9, 2013 by RM Auctions, lot 137. Here is the link to the release shared by Sports Car Digest.
This unique Duesenberg SJ Walker-LaGrande convertible coupe must be placed in its historical chronology.
Duesenberg soon loses the game, not because of the design but by failing to change in due time the specifications of the chassis.
The market is caught by Mercedes-Benz with their new model 540K, offering of course a wide range of bodies. The masterpiece of Hermann Ahrens, the 540K Spezial Roadster, has the same styling as the Walker-LaGrande convertible coupe.
Which one had imitated the other? Note that the 540K Spezial Roadster of the Baroness von Krieger, sold for $ 11.8M by Gooding in 2012, is dated 1936, one year after the Duesenberg Walker-LaGrande.
J. Herbert Newport is entrusted by Duesenberg to fit a modernized body on the model J chassis. His masterpiece is a convertible coupe with the top of the doors in alignment with the front and back covers.
Three cars were coachworked on this model by a workshop of Indianapolis, AH Walker Body Company, which seems to have worked primarily, or even exclusively, for the Cord group during its short period of activity. Walker was one of the craftsmen to whom Cord attributed the LaGrande label as a mark for their bodywork.
One of these three cars was mounted on the Duesenberg SJ variant. This specimen made in 1935 is thus representing the culmination of this prestigious brand. This car was sold for $ 4.5M on March 9, 2013 by RM Auctions, lot 137. Here is the link to the release shared by Sports Car Digest.
This unique Duesenberg SJ Walker-LaGrande convertible coupe must be placed in its historical chronology.
Duesenberg soon loses the game, not because of the design but by failing to change in due time the specifications of the chassis.
The market is caught by Mercedes-Benz with their new model 540K, offering of course a wide range of bodies. The masterpiece of Hermann Ahrens, the 540K Spezial Roadster, has the same styling as the Walker-LaGrande convertible coupe.
Which one had imitated the other? Note that the 540K Spezial Roadster of the Baroness von Krieger, sold for $ 11.8M by Gooding in 2012, is dated 1936, one year after the Duesenberg Walker-LaGrande.
Model J Torpedo Phaeton by Walker-LaGrande
2025 SOLD for $ 4.4M by RM Sotheby's
In 1935 while Duesenberg was looking for new ideas for modernizing their models, a young gentleman with great wealth stated in a detailed letter his desire for a car to match his own ideas : a body mingling luxury and sport with a convertible sedan’s features and the lines of a dual cowl phaeton, with roll-up windows and a folding top.
The project of a torpedo phaeton was executed by the in house designer Gordon Buehrig. The young man immediately accepted the very expensive quote.
Five cars were built, the original by Brunn for the young patron, then a pair by Weymann and another pair by AH Walker with the label Walker-LaGrande.
One of the Walker-LaGrande Model J torpedo phaetons,was immediately featured in a comedy film titled $ 1,000 a Minute. Retaining its original chassis, engine, firewall and coachwork, it was sold for $ 4.4M by RM Sotheby's on August 15, 2025, lot 157.
The project of a torpedo phaeton was executed by the in house designer Gordon Buehrig. The young man immediately accepted the very expensive quote.
Five cars were built, the original by Brunn for the young patron, then a pair by Weymann and another pair by AH Walker with the label Walker-LaGrande.
One of the Walker-LaGrande Model J torpedo phaetons,was immediately featured in a comedy film titled $ 1,000 a Minute. Retaining its original chassis, engine, firewall and coachwork, it was sold for $ 4.4M by RM Sotheby's on August 15, 2025, lot 157.
