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The car was commissioned by Rolls-Royce in the Spring of 1953 to have a James Young touring limousine body built on the long wheelbase chassis and to be completed for the October Paris Motor salon. It was flown to France in September 1953.
The beautiful limousine body was completely hand built in aluminium and is very rare being one of only seven in this style. The passenger compartment, divided from the chauffeur by an electric glass division, is upholstered in light fawn cloth and the exceptionally comfortable rear seat, still with the original seat covers, accomodates two or three passengers whilst a further adult can be carried in the front which is in champagne leather. The woodwork is heavily figured walnut.
On return it was sold to a Mr. Lilley of Lilley & Skinner, Shoe Manufacturers in London, but seems to have been for the use of his wife, Vera. She was a white Russian refugee who had fled the revolution with her family in 1917 with jewels sewn into her petticoat. She married four times, three to English Millionaires.
The car was wholly chauffeur driven and after five years it was taken to Rolls-Royce who supplied another Silver Wraith by James Young as its replacement. It was then purchased by a lady from Surrey.
During 1959 it was lent to Elizabeth Taylor for her honeymoon to Eddie Fisher.
The new owner did not like the original Cadillac Green and had the whole car repainted Mulberry. After the stock market crash of 1964 the car was no longer used, but was taxed for three months in the summer of 1966 before being de-commissioned, the brightwork was greased, the interior mothballed, the vehicle stood up on axle stands and locked away.
Through other dealings with Christies, the Auctioneers, the lady eventually asked one of their motor division people to advise her about the car. It was brought to running order, MOT'd and put into Christies' specialist car sale in March 2001. It had not been used for 35 years, and had just 62,000 miles recorded. The lady donated the sale receipt to charity.
We acquired the vehicle for the exclusive use of our wedding clients and have completed a thorough re-commissioning and servicing of all mechanical components and had the top half of the body resprayed. It is now coloured champagne over mulberry.
2002 Invited to take the car to Windsor Castle to parade for Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip at the start of their Golden Jubilee celebrations.
We have the full records from James Young the coachbuilder detailing every hour and every item of material and its cost that was used in the construction of the body and the interior fittings.
When new this coachbuilt Silver Wraith cost more than twenty times that of a normal family car.
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