Description
This car is Lot 191 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 191
1929 Delage DM 'Skiff'
Registration no.
Chassis no. 26702
Delivered new in Mallorca
History known from its early days
Comes with its original number plate
Very attractive torpedo skiff wooden bodywork
Powerful 6 cylinders Engine
Spanish registration document
"It was missing in the Delage catalogue an intermediate model between the legendary 11 cv and the exceptional 30 cv. It has just been created, and according to the opinion of the experts, the new 17 cv 6 cylinder Type DM is a grand tourism car powerful, comfortable and flexible which all the fast drivers will appreciate when driving long distances without fatigue". With these lines introduced the new Delage DM the newspaper "La Vie Lyonnaise" in its october 1926 issue. Its beautiful OHV 6 cylinder engine (75 x 120) was an extrapolation of the 4 cylinder Type DI engine and was designed by the brilliant engineer Mr. Gaultier, who had been working for Delage from before the Great War of 1914. The car was also fitted with a servo-assisted brake already used in the Delage Type GL models, which allowed the impossing vehicle to stop in only 50 meters while driving at 100 km/ h, according to the period catalogue.
Also in the original Delage DM catalogues could be seen a long list of posible bodyworks, and among them it was described a "torpedo ponté "forme bateaux" avec pointe arriere en acajou verni", which is what today is commonly known as a "skiff" body like the one fitted to the motorcar offered here. In the year 1928, date in which chassis 26702 was manufactured, the price of the "Grand Tourisme Type DM" in bare chassis form was priced at 52. 100 Francs.
Back in the 1920s, Spain was one of the main markets for the Delage marque, and there were agents in many of the main provinces. The sunny and peaceful Balearic Islands were one of the zones where the Delage cars were sold better, and very probably the cars were sent there via the Barcelona official dealer Mr. Luis Piferrer. The car offered here was first registered in the city of Palma de Mallorca (hence the PM on its number plate) the 13th of July 1929. Its first owner was a lady named Mercedes Duazo Puertolas, but as soon as the 30th of July of the same year the car changed hands and was purchased by Pedro Riera Galmés from the city of Manacor. In the postwar years the car appears listed under the ownership of Jose Mas Zandalinas from the village of Inca, who installed a "gasogene" coal burner of the local brand "Nacional Muro" the 26th March 1942. In a document dated from December 1942 the car appears listed as "Turismo", which indicates that had not been converted into a van or small lorry; very probably it was fitted with a big closed bodywork and perhaps was being used as a rural taxi, as usually happened with big prewar vehicles fitted with gasogene during the 1940s in Spain.
Nothing is known about the following years until the car was restored in Madrid by the well known specialist Francisco Pueche in the 1970s decade. In this very same workshop was created the very attractive "skiff" wooden bodywork, a very accurate replica of the original ones. The car was later sold to Mr. Andres Vicente, a noted collector from Salamanca who enjoyed the car for many years, taking part in many rallyes and expositions until the mid 1990s. Since these dates the car saw Little use until it was recently purchased by the current owner, another important Spanish collector. The car was subject of a general mechanic overhaul, and as soon as it was ready for the road the Delage took part in the 2022 edition of the renown "Chantilly Arts & Elegance Concours", interestingly included at the "Preservation: prewar unrestored cars" category. Perhaps it was because of the patinated look of the skiff wooden bodywork, which today shows a great aged look all over it.
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.
