Barn Find of the Decade: 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante
Click above for image gallery of this rare 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante
Close your eyes and imagine opening a deserted garage door, only to find a forgotten four-wheeled treasure sitting there in perfect condition. What would it be? We have a feeling we'll get all sorts of answers in the comments section, but for many enthusiasts, the answer would be, without hesitation, the Bugatti Type 57S Atalante. And that's exactly what the children of the late (and appropriately named) Dr. Harold Carr found in their father's garage.
The Atalante is among the most beautiful, the most coveted and the most iconic of Bugattis ever produced. Not to be confused with the even rarer Atlantic, of which only two of the original three remain in existence, the 57S Atalante was made in a limited run of 17 examples, and a quarter of them are housed in a museum in rural France. This one went missing half a century ago, only now to be found again. It was originally owned by Earl Howe, first president of the British Racing Drivers' Club, and changed hands several times before the reclusive Dr. Carr mothballed it. Estimated values for the car are all over the map, with values as high as £6 million (about $8.8M USD) being discussed. Naturally, as rare as it is for a classic like this to change hands, its real value will be determined by how much a well-heeled collector is willing to pay for it when it rolls onto the block in February at Bonhams' "Retromobile" auction in Paris. Follow the jump for all the details.
Gallery: 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante
[Source: UK Telegraph; Bonhams]
PRESS RELEASE
Ex-Earl Howe Bugatti 'Barn-Find' To Headline Bonhams Retromobile Sale
One of the most important motor cars in the world emerges from its secret hideaway for the first time in 50 years.
The 1937 Bugatti Type 57S originally owned by Earl Howe, whose existence has only been known to a handful of people during the last 50 years will be sold at Bonhams' Retromobile sale in Paris on 7 February 2009. This highly significant motor car is conservatively estimated to realise in excess of €3,000,000.
The Bugatti with Atalante coachwork retains all the attributes that will ensure its appeal to the world's most discerning collectors. It has a spectacular provenance having been owned by Earl Howe, Lord Ridley, Harold Carr and others; it has a continuous and chronicled history; and it has exceptional originality retaining original chassis, engine, drivetrain and body. It even has what appears to be a remarkably low mileage with an odometer reading of just 26,284.
The car will be on view at Bonhams Collectors' Car sale at Olympia on 30 November – 1 December 2008
James Knight, International Head of Bonhams' motoring department said: "I have known of this Bugatti for a number of years and, like a select group of others, hadn't dared divulge its whereabouts to anyone. It is absolutely one of the last great barn discoveries, and we at Bonhams are honoured to have been selected to handle its sale."
Bugatti Type 57S, chassis no. 57502, was completed at the Bugatti works on 5 May, 1937 sporting two-seat Atalante coupe coachwork. It was ordered new by no less than the motor sport great – and the BRDC's (British Racing Driver's Club) first President - Earl Howe via UK Bugatti agents, Sorel of London. Howe had a long association with Ettore Bugatti and his machines, and developed a close friendship with Ettore and his son Jean, having raced their Grand Prix motor cars.
Earl Howe took delivery of 57502 on the 9 June 1937 and was to retain his Bugatti for over eight years. He added a personal touch by fitting his own bumpers, rear-view mirrors on the A-pillars and a luggage rack, which it still retains to this day. It was to become his personal companion, escorting him to Brooklands and other race meetings. The car would have seen relatively little use during the Second World War as Earl Howe served with the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve.
After hostilities ceased, the T57S was sold via Continental Cars to a Mr J P Tingay in 1947. It was Tingay who effectively brought the car to 'SC' specification by fitting a Marshall K200 supercharger – as finding an original Bugatti blower proved nigh on impossible so soon after the War.
Mr M H Ferguson acquired the Bugatti from Tingay in 1950 and by 1954 it formed part of Lord Ridley's collection. Dr Harold Carr then acquired it in 1955 from Lord Ridley. Dr Carr drove the car for the first few years but in the early 1960s it was parked in his garage where it remained for nearly 50 years, until Dr Carr's death in 2007. The T57S is being sold on behalf of the family of Dr Carr, and will be offered with an extensive file of correspondence documenting its fascinating history.
James Knight said: "The Atalante is incredibly original and, although she requires restoration, it is "restoration" in the true sense of the word. From my perspective, save for some of the interior, all original parts can be restored or conserved in order to maintain originality. It offers a truly rewarding project to the new owner - who will join a select list of distinguished owners – to play such an integral part in bringing this wonderful motor car back to life. It has all the finest attributes any connoisseur collector could ever seek in one of the ultimate road-going sports cars from the golden era of the 1930s."
Background: The Type 57S model:
Two years after the introduction of Bugatti's 1930s masterpiece the Type 57, the model evolved into its definitive form as the 'S' or 'competition model'. Increased performance and a lowered centre of gravity created by running the car's rear axle through the chassis, produced not only an out-and-out sports car, but a ground-hugging chassis line, ideal for creating the most wind-cheating and aerodynamic bodywork designs yet seen.
Unquestionably the design for which the model is best known is the Atlantic coupe, in which form the model debuted at the Paris Salon in 1935 and it was further refined before production 'S's left the factory in September of the following year. By May 1937 when this chassis 57502 was delivered, the company could cite a string of international class speed records, and Grand Prix wins. These would be capped with a Le Mans win later that year.
Historians state six racing or prototypes were built before production of the 57S began in earnest, but even throughout its three year run a mere 17 Atalantes were constructed. The streamlined Atlantic was carefully honed into a svelte coupe with the derived named Atalante, and this proved to be the design of choice to grace these chassis. However even a designated name didn't mean uniformity as each car was handcrafted and as attested to today, each had its own particular style and detail.
Background: Earl Howe
Francis Curzon, the fifth Earl Howe was synonymous with the best pre-war sports cars. A keen amateur racing driver who succeeded to the Peerage in 1929, he encouraged Dudley Benjafield to found the British Racing Driver's Club and was elected its first President that same year. He retained this post until his death in 1964.
A close associate of the 'Bentley Boys' after the marque's retirement from racing he continued their quest for success in endurance racing, partnering Sir Henry Birkin in an Alfa Romeo to win the 1931 Le Mans, arguably his greatest achievement.
As a successful competitor who could not afford to indulge his motor sport passion, he was surrounded by a wealth of friends and knowledgeable enthusiasts to guide him to the very finest and most suitable mount for a race, event or simply to enjoy the road with. That he owned a Type 57S says a lot, that he kept this very same car for 8 years, says even more.....
Background: Rarity
These fabulous cars are coveted as much now as they were when new. The passion for collecting the 57S has passed from the luminaries of the 1930s, such as Malcolm Campbell to the great collectors of the twenty-first century, with the most passionate - Ralph Lauren among them - possessing more than one, and very few ever parting with them.
The market supply is further diminished by the fact that a fifth of all production resides in the Musee Nationale de L'Automobile in Mulhouse, France including a quarter of all Atalantes built.
Even within this thin air, chassis 57502 has characteristics which may well make it the most interesting of all the 57S cars, for as it stands today it combines an impeccable provenance with that most prized quality of total originality, having been virtually untouched and unused since the early 1960s.
Ex-Earl Howe Bugatti 'Barn-Find' To Headline Bonhams Retromobile Sale
One of the most important motor cars in the world emerges from its secret hideaway for the first time in 50 years.
The 1937 Bugatti Type 57S originally owned by Earl Howe, whose existence has only been known to a handful of people during the last 50 years will be sold at Bonhams' Retromobile sale in Paris on 7 February 2009. This highly significant motor car is conservatively estimated to realise in excess of €3,000,000.
The Bugatti with Atalante coachwork retains all the attributes that will ensure its appeal to the world's most discerning collectors. It has a spectacular provenance having been owned by Earl Howe, Lord Ridley, Harold Carr and others; it has a continuous and chronicled history; and it has exceptional originality retaining original chassis, engine, drivetrain and body. It even has what appears to be a remarkably low mileage with an odometer reading of just 26,284.
The car will be on view at Bonhams Collectors' Car sale at Olympia on 30 November – 1 December 2008
James Knight, International Head of Bonhams' motoring department said: "I have known of this Bugatti for a number of years and, like a select group of others, hadn't dared divulge its whereabouts to anyone. It is absolutely one of the last great barn discoveries, and we at Bonhams are honoured to have been selected to handle its sale."
Bugatti Type 57S, chassis no. 57502, was completed at the Bugatti works on 5 May, 1937 sporting two-seat Atalante coupe coachwork. It was ordered new by no less than the motor sport great – and the BRDC's (British Racing Driver's Club) first President - Earl Howe via UK Bugatti agents, Sorel of London. Howe had a long association with Ettore Bugatti and his machines, and developed a close friendship with Ettore and his son Jean, having raced their Grand Prix motor cars.
Earl Howe took delivery of 57502 on the 9 June 1937 and was to retain his Bugatti for over eight years. He added a personal touch by fitting his own bumpers, rear-view mirrors on the A-pillars and a luggage rack, which it still retains to this day. It was to become his personal companion, escorting him to Brooklands and other race meetings. The car would have seen relatively little use during the Second World War as Earl Howe served with the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve.
After hostilities ceased, the T57S was sold via Continental Cars to a Mr J P Tingay in 1947. It was Tingay who effectively brought the car to 'SC' specification by fitting a Marshall K200 supercharger – as finding an original Bugatti blower proved nigh on impossible so soon after the War.
Mr M H Ferguson acquired the Bugatti from Tingay in 1950 and by 1954 it formed part of Lord Ridley's collection. Dr Harold Carr then acquired it in 1955 from Lord Ridley. Dr Carr drove the car for the first few years but in the early 1960s it was parked in his garage where it remained for nearly 50 years, until Dr Carr's death in 2007. The T57S is being sold on behalf of the family of Dr Carr, and will be offered with an extensive file of correspondence documenting its fascinating history.
James Knight said: "The Atalante is incredibly original and, although she requires restoration, it is "restoration" in the true sense of the word. From my perspective, save for some of the interior, all original parts can be restored or conserved in order to maintain originality. It offers a truly rewarding project to the new owner - who will join a select list of distinguished owners – to play such an integral part in bringing this wonderful motor car back to life. It has all the finest attributes any connoisseur collector could ever seek in one of the ultimate road-going sports cars from the golden era of the 1930s."
Background: The Type 57S model:
Two years after the introduction of Bugatti's 1930s masterpiece the Type 57, the model evolved into its definitive form as the 'S' or 'competition model'. Increased performance and a lowered centre of gravity created by running the car's rear axle through the chassis, produced not only an out-and-out sports car, but a ground-hugging chassis line, ideal for creating the most wind-cheating and aerodynamic bodywork designs yet seen.
Unquestionably the design for which the model is best known is the Atlantic coupe, in which form the model debuted at the Paris Salon in 1935 and it was further refined before production 'S's left the factory in September of the following year. By May 1937 when this chassis 57502 was delivered, the company could cite a string of international class speed records, and Grand Prix wins. These would be capped with a Le Mans win later that year.
Historians state six racing or prototypes were built before production of the 57S began in earnest, but even throughout its three year run a mere 17 Atalantes were constructed. The streamlined Atlantic was carefully honed into a svelte coupe with the derived named Atalante, and this proved to be the design of choice to grace these chassis. However even a designated name didn't mean uniformity as each car was handcrafted and as attested to today, each had its own particular style and detail.
Background: Earl Howe
Francis Curzon, the fifth Earl Howe was synonymous with the best pre-war sports cars. A keen amateur racing driver who succeeded to the Peerage in 1929, he encouraged Dudley Benjafield to found the British Racing Driver's Club and was elected its first President that same year. He retained this post until his death in 1964.
A close associate of the 'Bentley Boys' after the marque's retirement from racing he continued their quest for success in endurance racing, partnering Sir Henry Birkin in an Alfa Romeo to win the 1931 Le Mans, arguably his greatest achievement.
As a successful competitor who could not afford to indulge his motor sport passion, he was surrounded by a wealth of friends and knowledgeable enthusiasts to guide him to the very finest and most suitable mount for a race, event or simply to enjoy the road with. That he owned a Type 57S says a lot, that he kept this very same car for 8 years, says even more.....
Background: Rarity
These fabulous cars are coveted as much now as they were when new. The passion for collecting the 57S has passed from the luminaries of the 1930s, such as Malcolm Campbell to the great collectors of the twenty-first century, with the most passionate - Ralph Lauren among them - possessing more than one, and very few ever parting with them.
The market supply is further diminished by the fact that a fifth of all production resides in the Musee Nationale de L'Automobile in Mulhouse, France including a quarter of all Atalantes built.
Even within this thin air, chassis 57502 has characteristics which may well make it the most interesting of all the 57S cars, for as it stands today it combines an impeccable provenance with that most prized quality of total originality, having been virtually untouched and unused since the early 1960s.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Mobius_1 7:32AM (1/02/2009)
Barn find of the century! (So far, at least...)
I loooove those old Bugattis, beautiful. They must have felt like the Veyron does now, being so much... MORE... than everything else.
Reply
3seriesisking 11:08AM (1/02/2009)
I agree Mobius...what a find...it's great to have a manufacturer through the decades that produces a jaw-dropping car that is always a step above others...this one is no exception...what a beauty...
Randy 1:30PM (1/02/2009)
Decade bro! With 363 days left I think it'll be the winner! :)
MoonRover 8:20AM (1/02/2009)
Oh my gosh, I cannot imagine that one of these was hidden and no one knew, one of the rarest of all. I passed a junk yard in Mississippi by the interstate, and almost everything in the yard was classic, they were not on concrete but dirt and gravel. I noticed a 1949 Packard, a 1953 Packard, a 1958 Edsel, many old Chryslers from the forties, I was shocked, these were just sitting there in the weather. Many many big fins from the fifties, it was sickening.
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Sergio 8:33AM (1/02/2009)
The fins rule!
Parkerman 12:37PM (1/02/2009)
There is a yard like this around here that a guy owns.. he isn't going to do anything with them.. But.. He won't let anyone else touch them. That pretty much sucks..
Avinash machado 8:33AM (1/02/2009)
Maybe Jay Leno can buy it. He is really a great car connoisseur
Reply
Mobius_1 8:48AM (1/02/2009)
If he did, I would feel very happy for the Bugatti. It would be restored with great care and attention to detail and origin, and when restored, it will be driven and also put on his website for all of us to adore. :)
tenfifteen 9:33AM (1/02/2009)
Him or Ralph Lauren, although I think Ralph already owns a '38 57SC.
jim 8:40AM (1/02/2009)
Who ever buys it, I hope they simply clean it up, get it running and preserve it as an original. Subjecting this car to a better than new restoration would be a travesty.
What a wonderful find
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TOm 2:06PM (1/05/2009)
I totally agree. Just clean it up and get it running. "It's only original once"
1970Dodge 9:40AM (1/02/2009)
Barn finds are like finding buried treasure.
What a lucky guy!
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hoov23 9:47AM (1/02/2009)
Holy cow. Unbelievable.
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Edsel 10:38AM (1/02/2009)
This story is an important lesson for all of us. We must endeavor to check our sheds, barns and garages regularly and more carefully. You never know what treasure my appear one day sitting under our half empty paint cans and next to our beat-up lawn mowers.
My New Year's resolution: find the hidden Bugatti in my garden tool shed.
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Fireball Tim 10:46AM (1/02/2009)
Truly an awesome find. I'm look forward to seeing the resto.
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David 11:46AM (1/02/2009)
Check out "Chasing Classic Cars" on Dicsovery HD on Jan 08 or 11
"Car restorer Wayne Carini uncovers an extremely rare 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Atalante Coupe from a secluded garage in Westchester, NY --- untouched for nearly 50 years. Now up for sale at an elite Christie's auction, will it be 'the one that got away?'"
http://dhd.discovery.com/tv-schedules/series.html?paid=66.14723.122927.34612.4&start=10
Reply
ckm 12:18PM (1/02/2009)
A few people in the Bugatti community actually knew about this car for years, but no one wanted to talk about it, apparently. SCM had an article about it about six months ago here: http://www.sportscarmarket.com/articles/archives/1703 and here: http://www.sportscarmarket.com/articles/archives/1712
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Iridium 12:54PM (1/02/2009)
So people knew about the car and the car is owned by a wealthy family. Not really a "Barn Find". In fact this isn't a barn find at all.
A true barn find is when someone opens up a poor farmers barn and finds a million dollar car under some hay. Or someone opens an abandoned garage that has been boarded up for 50 years. Finding a car that nobody knows about and has truly been lost to time.
This is just a car that was stored for 50 years. People knew it was there but the family dared not try to sell daddy's prized car while he was alive.
As soon as the guy died the greedy pricks probably made 100 calls to see how much the thing was worth. All the while singing "We're in the money, we're in the money"
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Jay 12:10PM (1/05/2009)
Yah,. another case of the rich getting richer. I could just puke. I really don't care about the buggatti, I would be satisfied just to be a doctor's kid.
Byron 12:57PM (1/02/2009)
There was a crotchety old guy who lived north of Baltimore and who for many years bought dozens of old cars and parked them in his orchard. He would let no one in to see what he had, as they sat in the rainy East Coast weather. If I remember correctly, there were over 300 cars in that orchard. After he died, the place was opened to collectors, who came in droves. But there was nothing left of value, everything long turned to rust, trees growing up through the cars, etc. He died about 20-25 years ago, and if anyone is interested the story could be found in the archives of the Baltimore Sun.
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