Description
This car is Lot 149 to be auctioned by Bonhams|Cars at Les Grandes Marques du Monde à Paris Sale on 6 February, please see the Bonhams website for full details.
Public Viewing:
Available Tuesday 4 February from 08:00 until 18:00 and Wednesday 5 February from 9 AM - 6 PM, at The Grand Palais Historique, Paris.
Lot 149
1924 Bugatti Type 23 'Brescia' Open Tourer
Registration no.
Chassis no. 2064
Delivered new to Australia
Complete known ownership history from new
Restored in the 1970s
Previous ownership from 1985 to 2019
List of works since 1985 available
Enthusiastically used and well maintained
Mille Miglia, Solo Brescia elligible
Belgian registration document
'Bugattis encapsulate concepts of engineering which, once seen, change your ideas radically and definitively. Drive them, and you realize that each car is form and engineering in equilibrium, and a work of art.' William Stobbs, Les Grandes Routières.
By the early 1930s Ettore Bugatti had established an unrivalled reputation for building cars with outstanding performance on road or track; the world's greatest racing drivers enjoying countless successes aboard the Molsheim factory's products and often choosing them for their everyday transport. Developed from the first Bugatti to be built at Molsheim - the short-wheelbase Type 13 of 1910 - the Type 13 'Brescia' took that name following the factory's first four places at the 1921 Italian Grand Prix for Voiturettes, held at the eponymous racetrack in Lombardy. Longer wheelbase Type 22 and Type 23 models were made, both of which used the single-overhead-camshaft 16-valve Brescia engine and were built alongside 8-valve 'Petit Pur Sang' versions.
Introduced in February 1923, the updated Brescia was a true thoroughbred sports car, derived directly from the racing Brescias that had dominated the voiturette category at the 1921 Italian GP. At a time when many 1½-liter production cars struggled to achieve 50mph, the Brescia was guaranteed to exceed 70mph. Of advanced design, the engine incorporated a ball-bearing crankshaft and aluminum crankcase and was coupled to an excellent four-speed gearbox developed from that of the Brescia racers; indeed, many Brescias were raced with great success.
Bugatti produced approximately 2, 000 Brescias between 1914 and 1926 with engine capacities of 1, 368, 1, 453 and 1, 496cc.
Arnold H Wootton, a key figure in Victoria's motorsport scene, received this Brescia #2064, one of the first delivered to Australia by Bugatti's London agent, Colonel W L Sorel, on 5th May 1924.
The car went on to have seven owners -with an exclusive list available- and participated in competitions, including a hill climb in 1924, before eventually coming into the possession of John Porter, complete but in poor condition, in the 1970s. It was then beautifully restored in Victoria.
Between 1985 and 2019, the Bugatti was regularly used by the previous owner, noted marque authority Peter McGann, author of Brescia Bugatti and co-author with Bob King of Bugattis in Australia and New Zealand 1920-2012. Circa 2000, the car underwent modifications to widen the passenger compartment, with new seats, re-skinning, interior re-trimming, and a respray. In 2015, the engine was fully restored, and prior upgrades included a performance camshaft and overhauled components. Regular maintenance on the running gear included renewing various parts. A detailed list of all works since 1985 is available on file.
All lots are sold 'as is/ where is' and Bidders must satisfy themselves as to the provenance, condition, age, completeness and originality prior to bidding. Visit the Bonhams|Cars website for all pertinent auction information.
