1912 Rolls-Royce 40/50hp Silver Ghost Roi des Belges style Tourer | Bonhams | Goodwood Revival | 19 Sept 2026

Registration no. R 266

Chassis no. 1910E

Engine no. 2.B

• Originally built with limousine coachwork

• Exported to Australia shortly after delivery

• Previously bodied as a 'London-Edinburgh' tourer

• Known ownership in Australia up to the 1990s

Although its 40/50hp model would have earned its 'The Best Car in the World' soubriquet in any event, Rolls-Royce's decision to drop all other types only served to focus attention on what would become known as the 'Silver Ghost'. Prior to 1908, cars with two, three, four and six cylinders were built, as was an abortive V8, before the decision was made to concentrate on the six-cylinder 40/50hp. The latter first appeared at the 1906 Motor Show, becoming known as the 'Silver Ghost' the following year when chassis number '60551' was exhibited wearing silver-painted tourer coachwork by Barker.

The Ghost's heart was its magnificent engine, a 7,036cc (later 7,428cc) sidevalve 'six' with seven-bearing crankshaft and pressure lubrication. A sturdy chassis comprised of channel-section side members and tubular cross members was suspended on semi-elliptic springs at the front and a 'platform' leaf-spring arrangement at the rear, though the latter soon came in for revision. The transmission too was soon changed, a three-speed gearbox with direct-drive top gear replacing the original four-speed/overdrive top unit in 1909, and in the course of its 20-year production life there would be countless other improvements to the car.

John Fasal's authoritative work, The Edwardian Rolls-Royce, records chassis number '1910E' as originally having landaulette coachwork by Mulliners of Birmingham. The car was originally registered in the UK as 'O 12' and first owned by one Norman C Seeman of South West London. Two changes of coachwork are recorded: to a saloon by Martin & King circa 1925 and to a tourer by D Horner and S Ward in Melbourne, Australia in 1960 (see below).

Shortly after delivery '1910E' was shipped to Australia for new owner Albert Austin, who owned properties in Toorak and Victoria. Following her husband's death, Mrs Austin retained the Rolls-Royce initially before selling the car in 1917 to Frederick D Michaelis of Melbourne. His son Sir Archie Michaelis would later recall that as a boy learning to drive he had once started the car and driven it through the rear wall of the garage! Following repairs to the front tubular cross member, the Silver Ghost remained with the Michaelis family until at least 1922. Subsequently it was sold to Michaelis' business partner, Mr Hallenstein.

Around 1930 the Ghost was purchased by one J K Phillips of Melbourne. Little is known of the Rolls-Royce's subsequent history until the early 1950s when it was owned by Carden Rofe. Rofe stored the car out in the open and by 1958 the chassis, by now in a sorry state, had been purchased by Keith Gardner of Melbourne. In 1960 the car was sold to Fred Miller Robinson. The Martin & King saloon body was still in place at this time but unserviceable, so was removed. Rebuilt with cantilever suspension and a replica 'London-Edinburgh' body, '1910E' returned to the road in November 1960. Construction of the body had been entrusted to Doug Horner of Melbourne, while the panel beating was done by master craftsman Sid Ward. Painted grey at this time, '1910E' still carried its original bonnet.

In September 1961, to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the 1911 London-Edinburgh Run, two restored Edwardian Silver Ghosts from Victoria took part in an eight-day tour of a similar distance, and in top gear; the duo being Robinson's '1910E' and Jim Cooper's '40YB'. '1910E' achieved a recorded maximum speed over a special section of 70.6mph.

Miller Robinson drove the Silver Ghost at the 1964 Rolls-Royce Owners Club of Australia's federal Rally, winning the concours. It attended every Federal Rally from then until Robinson moved to Perth, Western Australia. In early 1970 the Silver Ghost was sold to Jack Jeffery in Sydney where conversion to London-Edinburgh specification was finalised. It was next owned by Peter McGrath of Double Bay, Sydney in the mid-1970s and then by David Jones in Victoria. A regular participant in R-ROCA and Veteran Car Club of Australia events, '1910E' continued to win concours awards into the 1990s. A printed account of its history in Australia is on file.

Unfortunately, it is not known when '1910E' returned to the UK or who commissioned the splendid Roi des Belges replica body. In its current form the Ghost has attended two Goodwood Revival/Members' Meetings and was last run approximately one year ago. It is hoped that further information will have emerged by time of sale.

Offered with copy factory build sheets and records, this magnificent Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost is an imposing motor car, looking stunning from all angles, and is, of course, eminently suitable for both R-REC and 20 Ghost Club events.