Art of the Classic Car

The rarity and historical significance of prewar classic and antique cars make them hot commodities on the collector car market. These are the automobiles that populate the fairways and manicured lawns of the world’s greatest car shows in alluring locales like Pebble Beach, California, and Amelia Island, Florida. These are the cars that bring a hush to the hall when they roll across the blocks at auctions around the world. These are the cars that fill the world’s greatest collections, like those of Ralph Lauren, Mark Knopfler, and various members of royal families. These are the cars from history’s premiere automakers: hallowed names like Packard, Duesenberg, Stutz, Bugatti, Mercedes-Benz, Cord, and others—six-figure and million-dollar machines that thrill Barrett-Jackson audiences and drive bidders to frenzy. Art of the Classic Car features the stunning studio photography of Peter Harholdt (Art of the Hot Rod, Art of the Muscle Car), lavished on the most significant automobiles from the classic era: the 1910s to early 1940s. Every page contains framable-quality portraits of some of the most important cars ever made, with each car accompanied by a short essay from automotive expert Peter Bodensteiner that places the model contextually within automotive history. Complete with period ads and promotional art, Art of the Classic Car is the most beautiful pictorial history of classic cars ever produced.

Art of the Classic Car features stunning  photography by Peter Harholdt of history’s most significant classic and antique automobiles, dating from the 1910s to the early 1940s.

Peter Harholdt (St. Petersburg, FL) is a lifelong car enthusiast, SCCA racer, and preeminent studio photographer. He has been trusted to photograph countless priceless works of art for museums and exhibit catalogs. He first developed his portable studio to create the stunning hot rod portraits featured in Motorbooks’ Art of the Hot Rod.

www.peterharholdt.com

 

Peter Bodensteiner (Vadnais Heights, MN) is the founder of Stance & Speed, a niche publishing company devoted to providing the very best books for automotive enthusiasts.

www.stanceandspeed.com

Prewar classic and antique cars—hallowed names like Packard, Duesenberg, Stutz, Bugatti, Mercedes-Benz, Cord, and others. These are the deep-six-figure and million-dollar cars that drive bidders to frenzy at the world’s premiere auction events and that draw thousands to the top concours shows. And now the very best of the best are collected in one volume: Art of the Classic Car. Featuring the stunning studio photography of Peter Harholdt (Art of the Hot Rod, Art of the Muscle Car) and an authoritative text by automobile historian Peter Bodensteiner, this book is as much a true work of art as the automobiles featured within.

Prewar classic and antique cars are blue-chip vehicles in the collector car world. In addition to their historical significance, the surviving examples are relatively rare, which drives their value, desirability, and interest among car enthusiasts. These are the automobiles that populate the fairways and manicured lawns of the world’s great car shows in exotic locales like Pebble Beach, California, and Goodwood, England. These are the cars that bring a hush to the hall when they roll across the blocks at auctions around the world. These are the cars that fill the world’s greatest collections, like those of Ralph Lauren, Jay Leno, and members of various royal families. In Art of the Classic Car, noted studio photographer Peter Harholdt lavishes his prodigious talent on the most significant automobiles from the antique and classic eras—the 1910s to early 1940s. Every page contains stunning portraits of some of the most important cars ever made. Each car is accompanied by a short essay written by automotive expert Peter Bodensteiner, expounding the virtues of each car and placing it contextually in automotive history.

Harholdt - St. Petersburg, FL, Bodensteiner - Vadnais Heights, MN

Introduction 6

Section I: Open Cars

1911 Mercer 35 R Raceabout

1916 Stutz Bearcat

1934 Edsel Ford Model 40 Special Speedster

1935 Duesenberg SJ Mormon Meteor I

Section II: Roadsters

1930 Cord L-29 Cabriolet

1930 Jordan Speedway Series Z Ace

1934 Packard Twelve Runabout Speedster

1935 Duesenberg JN Roadster

1936 Mercedes 540K Special Roadster

1937 Delahaye 135M Roadster

1939 Delage D8-120S Cabriolet

Section III: Coupes

1930 Bentley Speed Six Blue Train Special

1933 Cadillac Fleetwood V-16 Aero-Dynamic Coupe

1934 Packard Model 1106 V-12 Sport Coupe

1935 Chrysler Imperial Model C2 Airflow Coupe

1936 Delahaye Model 135M Coupe

1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atlante

1939 Delage D8-120S Cabriolet Aérodynamic Coupé

1937 Dubonnet Hispano-Suiza “Xenia” Coupe

1938 Alfa Romeo 8C2900B

Section IV: Sedans

1931 Duesenberg SJ Convertible

1933 Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow

1934 Hispano-Suiza J-12 Sedanca

1936 Cord 810 Model C92 Beverly Sedan

1941 Chrysler Town & Country

Index