1911 Delaunay-Belleville HB6 25CV Landaulet

Chassis No. 4148

Few car manufacturers played in the league of Automobiles Delaunay-Belleville, which was not called the French Rolls Royce without reason. From 1904, the company, which had previously specialized in the manufacture and construction of steam boilers, also produced automobiles – their characteristic round radiator grille an homage to the company's high-quality boilers.

From the outset, the company's ambition was to play in the top league in the passenger car sector. Most models wore formal coachwork and were driven by chauffeurs; indeed, as rival carmaker Fernand Charron once declared, “No owner ever drives his Delaunay – you just don't.” After the era of the pioneers Panhard & Levassor, and before the arrival of Hispano-Suiza or Talbot-Lago, it could be argued that there were few cars of such quality as the Delaunay-Belleville. Delaunay specialized above all in the six-cylinder engine, which even then was associated with refinement and smooth running, and offered cars with displacements ranging from two to eight liters.

The HB6 offered here, a 25CV with a displacement of approximately 4.5-liters, lies in the middle of this spectrum. The body was made by one of the most respected coachbuilders of the time, Rothschild. The firm of J. Rothschild et Fils, headed by Messrs Rheims and Auscher, was responsible for a large proportion of the bodies mounted on top-of-the-range chassis such as Clément, Mors, Panhard & Levassor and Delaunay-Belleville. The “Maison” Rothschild was a pioneer in the use of aluminum for body cladding, replacing the traditional wood used for this purpose on horse-drawn vehicles. In 1901, it created the original body style of the “Roi des Belges,” which was copied so frequently that it was quite simply one of the leading “carrossiers” of the Belle Epoque era.

The majestic Delaunay can look back on a lifetime in France, where, according to a 1965 invoice, it was acquired by the well-known collector Jackie Pichon of Clères in Seine-Maritime, France. Jackie was the son of Roger Pichon, owner of the Auberge du Cheval Noir in Clères, who had maintained a prestigious automobile museum opposite his hotel since 1957. The collection once housed many wonderful and important machines. The Delaunay was later sold to Mr. Bruijn of Holland. He was the father of the well-known collector, enthusiast, and founding member of the Concours de Palais Het Loo, Jan Bruijn. At the time, the car was missing its original bonnet, fuel tank, instruments, and carburetor, and the radiator had been modified.

The restoration of the Delaunay was only started in earnest when Jan Bruijn began working on the car in the early 1980s, possibly taking it over where his father left off. Of utmost importance for Bruijn was that the car's bodywork was renewed in a sympathetic way. The rebuild was very extensive and is documented by a comprehensive file of invoices and correspondence, with the majority of the work being carried out by specialist Martin van Klei. To ensure accuracy, van Klei frequently worked with Ousbey Carriages of Stratford Upon Avon, England, who undertook color matching and assisted with the woodwork.

The finished car made its debut at the most prestigious concours of its day in Holland, the Paleis Het Loo, where it was awarded a 100-point score and Best in Class. Over the last decade, the car has been used modestly and presents in wonderful condition. With the rear landaulette folded down, the body can easily be transformed into an open and airy driving experience for the passengers and driver/chauffeur. Notable features of this magnificent car include matching Rothschild headlights and sidelights, a full set of period instruments, Michelin removable wheels, two spare tires, OS speedometer and drive, Bosch magneto and coil, and rear emergency seats.