Leading international auction house Gooding & Company is
honored to present the Tony Vincent Estate Collection at its
upcoming Pebble Beach Auctions this August, where nine
remarkably elegant classics from the 1930s and 1940s will come
to market. The official auction house of the Pebble Beach
Concours d’Elegance® has the special privilege of offering these
classics from the estate of Mr. Vincent, who was well regarded
not only as a pioneering California developer and businessman,
but also a serious and passionate car collector. These nine cars
will join the balance of Gooding & Company’s robust lineup on the
auction stage on Friday, August 19, and Saturday, August 20,
during the firm’s two-day signature event.
The late Tony Vincent, born Anthony Vincent Zehenni, left an indelible legacy as the founder of an
international real estate empire with a dynamic personality who was beloved by so many. The son of
Lebanese immigrants, Mr. Vincent spent his childhood growing up in Ohio with his family. He initially
started coming to Hollywood and Las Vegas as a choreographer, where he established a name for himself
and befriended many influential people of the time, including the famed Rat Pack of the 1950s and 1960s.
Mr. Vincent went on to build a successful career as an entrepreneur, developer, and businessman who
devoted a great deal of passion to his projects, including the more recent Vincent Vineyards & Winery in
Santa Ynez, California. He was known for his unparalleled hospitality, and as a car collector, Mr. Vincent
had a deep adoration for grand, coachbuilt works of beauty from the greatest motoring names of the 1930s
and 1940s especially.
“We are humbled and honored to offer these elegant, significant classics from the estate of Tony Vincent, a
dear friend to us at Gooding & Company. Tony always took tremendous care to curate a refined and
beautiful selection of automotive greats that he meticulously maintained and presented throughout the
years,” said Gooding & Company President and Founder, David Gooding. “These nine cars represent some
of the most influential marques and models of the Classic Era, and we look forward to the opportunity to
bring this exceptional collection to market this August.”
1937 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Sport Cabriolet A ... Estimate: $1,750,000 – $2,000,000
The elegant and breathtaking Mercedes-Benz 540 K was built in extremely limited quantities. Of these, an
even rarer number of cars were distinguished as Sport Cabriolet A models, and the 1937 production year
example presented here is just one of twelve known 540 K Sport Cabriolets extant. Finished at the
Sindelfingen workshops in April 1937, this masterpiece of a car featured a radiator set back behind the front
axle, long flowing fenders, rear-set cockpit, and short, sloping rear deck, all executed with impeccable
proportion and detail. This imposing and attractive 540 K Sport Cabriolet A, chassis 154084, was delivered
new to Dr. William Walter Birge, the US Vice Consul in Istanbul during WWII. Prior to joining Mr. Vincent’s
collection in 2010, it had a roster of impressive owners, including Mercedes-Benz Kompressor Club President
and Founder, Dr. Ernst Beeh, and famed Southern California collector and former Guitar Center owner, Mr.
Ray Scherr. Finished in dramatic black with black leather hides, chassis 154084 is offered with a pristine
engine bay, gleaming chrome pipes, and a spectacular interior accented by highly polished woodwork and a
mother of pearl instrument panel. An accomplished tour and show veteran that has been the recipient of
multiple concours awards at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance® and a Best of Show at the Palos
Verdes Concours d’Elegance, this Classic Era Mercedes-Benz is surely among the most desirable of all 540
K models.
1934 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental Streamlined Saloon ... Estimate: $800,000 – $1,200,000
Introduced by Rolls-Royce in the early 1930s, the Phantom II Continental model appealed to enthusiast
owners and drivers with its mechanical enhancements that facilitated high-speed touring over greater
distances. The 1934 Phantom II Continental Streamlined Saloon presented here, chassis 86SK, is one of just
281 Phantom II Continentals built, and features stunning one-off advanced Streamlined alloy coachwork by
Park Ward Ltd. Debuted at the Olympia Motor Show in October 1934 on stand no. 24 as part of the Park
Ward display, this chassis was delivered new to Miss Helen M. Pritchard of Streetly, England, and it
remained in the country for 25 years until it made its way across the Atlantic. This fabulously restored,
historically significant Rolls-Royce is finished in the identical color scheme as when it was exhibited at the
Olympia Motor Show, described in the build sheet as “black throughout, moulding in Coronet Red.” With
multiple Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance® awards under its belt, chassis 86SK is one of the most
beautiful and dramatic Phantom II Continentals to ever come to auction.
1939 Delage D8-120 Cabriolet Grand Luxe ... Estimate: $800,000 – $1,200,000)
This exquisite 1939 Delage D8-120 Cabriolet Grand Luxe is outfitted with rare coachwork by Chapron, one of
the world’s most coveted coachbuilders. This example, chassis 51980, was specially ordered by Automobiles
Delahaye in 1939, four years after Delahaye took control of the Delage marque. In 1946, 51980 was sent to
revered coachbuilder Henri Chapron, who penned the stunning cabriolet body with his signature flowing lines
and trademark curvatures. The Delage D8-120 Cabriolet Grand Luxe underwent an extensive restoration,
bringing the car back to its original colors of Capri Blue with Valentine Red fender skirts and interior. After its
restoration, this Delage was awarded the Most Elegant Open Car at the 2005 Pebble Beach Concours
d’Elegance® for the Delage Centennial and the coveted Best of Show at the 2012 San Marino Classic and
Palos Verdes Concours d’Elegance. With its high-quality, older restoration and stellar presentation, the Grand
Luxe will be a welcome addition to any sophisticated collection.
1932 Auburn 12-160A Boattail Speedster ... Estimate: $750,000 – $1,000,000
Among the most exciting two-place designs of the Classic Era, the Alan Leamy-designed Boattail Speedster
debuted in 1931 as the most sporty member of Auburn’s new product lineup, exponentially driving up demand
for the marque due to its impressive speed and style. The striking 1932 Auburn 12-160A Boattail Speedster
offered here is finished in a dramatic color combination of black and silver with a complementing light gray
leather interior, and comes to auction with a known provenance for much of the past 60 years. One of just
1,261 12-cylinder Auburns of all body styles, this example was granted Category-1 certification by the
Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Club in 1999. Having enjoyed dutiful restoration work and refinishes during its time
with enthusiast owners throughout the years, this respected and well-known Auburn Boattail Speedster is an
ideal CCCA Full Classic to proudly show or tour.
1937 Cord 812 S/C Cabriolet ‘Sportsman’ ... Estimate: $375,000 – $450,000
Cord’s coffin-nose design was Gordon Buehrig’s Art Deco masterpiece, and with these modern designs, the
marque achieved mechanical innovation with timeless styling. Although Cords were built in limited numbers,
with about 3,000 built in total during a two-year production run, only 64 supercharged Cabriolets were ever
produced, including the example offered here. This 1937 Cord 812 S/C Cabriolet ‘Sportsman’ has graced the
collections of a handful of custodians prior to Mr. Vincent, including famed Academy Award-winning
screenwriter Donald E. Stewart. Chassis 31867F presents exceptionally well, largely due to an exhaustive,
no-expenses-spared restoration carried out by Mosier Restorations that placed a core emphasis on
authenticity. Finished in the authentic Cord color of Cadet Gray, this Cabriolet’s canvas top, leather
upholstery, and carpeting are the perfect contrasting shade of dark blue. Since its restoration, 31867F has
garnered plenty of recognition, achieving a class award at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance®, receiving
the Gordon Buehrig Award for Best 810/812 Cord at the Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Club’s Annual Reunion, and
scoring a perfect 100-point First Place award at a CCCA Annual Meeting.
In addition to these timeless icons from the Classic Era, Gooding & Company will present from the Tony
Vincent Estate Collection an extensively restored 1937 Delahaye 135 MS Cabriolet (Estimate: $325,000 –
$400,000) with Henri Chapron coachwork, as well as a 1932 Packard Twin Six 905 Coupe Roadster
(Estimate: $300,000 – $400,000). The Tony Vincent Estate Collection also includes a dashing 1931 Cadillac
Series 452A V-16 Roadster (Estimate: $275,000 – $350,000), and a comprehensively restored 1949 Jaguar
XK120 Alloy Roadster (Estimate: $250,000 – $300,000) presented in original Pastel Blue Metallic over Duo
Blue Leather.
Pebble Beach Auctions Date Friday, August 19, at 5 p.m. PDT, and Saturday, August 20, at 11 a.m. PDT Location Pebble Beach Parc du Concours Public Preview Wednesday, August 17 through Saturday, August 20 Auction Catalogues $100, includes admission for two to the viewing and the auction General Admission $40, includes admission for one to the viewing and the auction
