Arthur Miller’s Land Rover Series II 88-inch hard-top, which he owned for 44 years, is to be auctioned at Bonhams‘ Arizona sale in January 2025. Ordered new during the latter stages of the American author and playwright’s famous marriage to Hollywood legend Marilyn Monroe, it is being offered at no reserve.
Miller bought the 1961 model directly from Solihull during his time with Monroe, as explained in documents that come with the car. He chose to equip the 88-inch basic model with private locks, rubber pedal pads, hard-top with side windows, additional windscreen wiper, hand throttle and auxiliary gauges. He also specified a heater, four side-facing rear seats and a rear PTO drive.
The Land Rover would live on the Roxbury, Connecticut country estate Miller shared with Marilyn. While she escaped the paparazzi glare, he would spend his time writing in a small outbuilding. He would also maintain and mend the Land Rover himself.
He ultimately had a much longer relationship with his Land Rover than he did with Monroe – they divorced in the same year as the Land Rover was registered. The car stayed with Miller until his passing in 2005, and it has been retained by his family since then. It is described as being highly original and unrestored, and in need of recommissioning after being out of action for some time. It is being sold with a title certificate and factory invoice, as well as a BMIHT Heritage Certificate.
Bonhams has placed no estimate on the Land Rover at the time of writing, and the car is being offered at no reserve. It’s being put up for grabs at the auction house’s forthcoming Scottsdale Auction, which take place on January 25, 2025 at the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa.
More details and plenty more photography can be found here.
