Rolls-Royce – 20 h.p. (1927)

As early as 1922, Rolls-Royce presented a new model with the 20 h.p. which was intended to provide a rather more accessible entry into the genre of luxury cars. Nevertheless, most of these cars were still driven by a chauffeur, as is likely to have been the case with this particular example. Barker & Co. built the coachwork for the four-door tourer, including a striking second windscreen between the front and rear seats with glass wings at the side to protect the passengers sitting in the rear. A frequent passenger was the Nawab of Sachin, an independent princely state founded in 1791. He purchased this black Rolls-Royce in 1931 from the Indian importer of the English luxury marque and then proceeded to use it for ceremonies and as his preferred touring car befitting his status. After a frame-up, in-depth restoration,

the doors and a red central headlamp once again bear the arms of the Nawab. Legend has it that the ruler used to exchange the iconic bonnet ornament Spirit of Ecstasy for a rearing horse when he toured his state in the Rolls-Royce.