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Found on Fiskens website on March 14, 2018
1929 Bentley 4.5L Weymann Saloon
Chassis Number: XF3520
Imagine a scene of London society in the Roaring Twenties; the age of flapper girls, dashing cars, art deco, thrilling gossip in magazines such as The Tatler & Harpers & Queen and the all-new jazz music. It was, undoubtedly, an intoxicating era and it was on this dazzling stage that the Cricklewood Bentley was born. Soon the preserve of aristocrats, film stars, foreign dignitaries and socialites, Bentley quickly found its automobiles to be de rigour.
This 4.5 litre saloon, chassis number XF3520, was delivered to its first owner, Frank Bone of Littlewick near Maidenhead in November 1930. Built on a ten foot, ten inch wheelbase chassis, with standard specification engine, the Bentley was clothed in a fabric-covered Weymann body, executed by Maythorn & Sons and built to genuine Weymann patents. The patent plaques are still visible on the body today.
The Bentley was obviously well thought of by Mr. Bone, as an uninterrupted Bentley Motors’ Service Record accompanies the car and covers the entire thirties decade. These service records all end in 1940 as regrettably Rolls Royce closed the old Kingsbury Service Department, where XF3520 was looked after. We believe that, like most privately owned cars of the era, the Bentley was laid up for the duration of World War II, and was eventually acquired by Lieutenant Colonel Evans in 1950, who enjoyed XF3520 for some thirteen years. After one other short-term owner, the Bentley was purchased by WA Liddell who sympathetically maintained and preserved it, as demonstrated by the large number of invoices in the history file during this period. Liddell took XF3520 to concours events at Blenheim and Kensington Gardens and competed in the VSCC Pomeroy Trophy in 1971, at which he enjoyed success.
After passing through Stanley Mann’s hands in 1996, the Bentley was sold to collector, Richard Sanders in September 1997. Sanders kept XF3520 for over a quarter of a century prior to it being acquired by its current owner. Sanders preserved the Bentley, having several other motor cars to play with, but had the differential rebuilt and the engine fitted with counter balanced crank and rods. The current owner has had this rare Bentley recently refreshed by Vintage Bentley specialists, R C Moss, with the utmost concern for its preservation and subsequently entered it in the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours in 2015. Used regularly as a family car, XF3520 has taken part in many tours and rallies, including London to Scotland and back!
XF3520 is presented in remarkable original ‘matching numbers’ condition. At a recent inspection by pre-war Bentley authority, Dr. Clare Hay, she noted that ‘the chassis and its fittings are in remarkably original order’. Of particular note is the rare Maythorn four-door body on what is one of only eight known surviving intact 4.5 litre saloons. Sadly, over the years, most closed saloon bodies on 4.5 litre Bentleys have been discarded to make way for Vanden Plas-style Le Mans replica bodies so it is a precious thing indeed to own such a saloon. The body still has all of its original exterior fabric and a substantial majority of its original interior. It is fitted with its original rear trunk, shaped to fit.
The Bentley is presented for sale with a full file of maintenance and repair invoices and provides a truly scarce opportunity to acquire a genuine, ‘matching numbers’ 4.5 litre saloon. |
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