RM Sotheby’s London sale, which takes place on November 1-2, 2024, has four post-war Bentleys from the Dean Kronsbein Collection up for grabs. The collection is led by a 1958 S1 Continental Drophead Coupé by Park Ward (pictured above and below), but this finely curated collection has several surprises up its sleeve as well.
The 1958 S1 Continental Drophead Coupé, chassis BC15FM, was first ordered by Weybridge Automobiles Ltd for a J Smit of KJ Smit & Sons Ltd, of Ely Place, London. Run by a Johannes Smit, the firm specialised in the supply of industrial diamonds for drilling bits and other uses. Smit would register the car on March 10, 1958, with the registration 100 FKX. The Continental was last up for sale at RM Sotheby’s Passion For Elegance sale in Liechtenstein in 2021, when it sold for CHF1.22m. It’s now estimated at between £750k and £950k.
The above 1947 Bentley MkVI Cabriolet by Franay, chassis number B26BH, is a one-off design on a Bentley chassis. Commissioned by paper-mill heir AJ Liechti of Saint-Louis, courtesy of Franco-Britannic Automobiles in Paris, it is similar to another Franay design on a Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith, but it is believed that these are the only two cars to use the design.
After being used by Liechti for continental touring, it changed hands in 1960 when it was purchased by Rolls-Royce Owners Club member Frederick Jones of Pittsburgh via auction. It would be a regular on the club concours scene, before being sold to David Block of Ridgefield, Connecticut. It was then acquired by Ed Thorpe of North Carolina, who had the car restored in two-tone grey.
It next passed to Rolls-Royce collector Sam Ornstein, before ending up with Gene Epstein of Newtown, Pennsylvania in 2000. It was then treated to a 5000-hour restoration, and subsequently displayed across the US, taking class victories at the Amelia and Greenwich concours events. Orin Smith then acquired the car; it changed hands again in 2017 and joined the Kronsbein Collection in 2019 at RM’s Arizona sale. For RM Sotheby’s London auction, it is estimated at between £250k and £350k.
This is another one-off design, this time by Mulliners. The 1952 Bentley MkVI Drophead Foursome Coupé was first commissioned by Standard-Triumph managing director Sir John Black; he wanted a vehicle to use during the events surrounding Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation, and to act as a design study for Triumph’s post-war sports cars. Its designer Stuart Peck was believed to have been inspired by French stylists, and it would be Mulliners’ only MkVI design; it’s also one of just five MkVI drophead coupés built.
Soon after the launch of Triumph’s new cars, the Bentley was sold to Leslie Onslow of Bournemouth, before making its way to California via several owners. Dr Kurt Hammerstrom bought the MkVI in 1973 and set about an extensive restoration; 37 years later, the Bentley passed to a multi-decade member of the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club and Rolls-Royce Owners Club, living in California. He immediately sent the car to restoration, which took 12,000 hours. The original black paint was replaced with a three-shade grey finish. It was then displayed at the 2014 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, and would take class victories and overall honours at other concours. It joined the Kronsbein Collection in 2018. For RM Sotheby’s London sale, it is estimated at between £275k and £325k.
This 1953 Bentley R-type Drophead Coupé, chassis B47SP, is one of three such bodies built by HJ Mulliner on a R-type chassis (another was built on the MkVI platform). It was originally built for AN Goulandris, a shipping magnate. More recently it came second in class at the 2012 Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club Rally. It’s estimated at between £120k and £150k.
The collection also has four other cars, including this 1967 Rolls-Royce Phantom V. Bodied in Touring Limousine style by James Young, it is the 502nd out of 516 Phantom Vs built. First delivered to Scottish dealership Macrae & Dick in two-tone Black over Garnet, it was optioned with air-conditioning, hydraulically operated rear seats, silk curtains, radios for both passenger compartments, plus a glassware set. Details about its early life are scarce, but it had a long-term owner between 1978 and 1999, before entering the stewardship of Peter Nightingale of Royston, Hertfordshire. It joined the Kronsbein Collection in 2014 and has been fettled by P&A Wood; it’s estimated at between £120k and £140k.
Other cars in the Kronsbein Collection include a 1942 Ford GPW with trailer (est £50k-£70k); a 1951 Land Rover Series I ‘Reborn’ (est £100k-£150k); and a 1978 Land Rover Series III ‘Royal Review’ (est £50k-£80k). The latter (pictured below) has had few details released thus far, but through our own research, when this chassis (911-84842-C) was auctioned by Historics in 2012, we know it had come from Ministry of Defence ownership. At the time it was believed to have been commissioned for Queen Elizabeth II. According to the Historics listing, it was sent to REME Central Workshops to be modified in 1979.
For more information on RM Sotheby’s London sale, held at the Peninsula London, head here.
