Willoughby of Utica, New York, began building its formal “razor-edge” panel brougham body on Lincoln chassis in 1930. Designed and intended for use with a chauffeur, it featured an open driver’s compartment. The body could, optionally, be decorated in “canework,” hand-applied narrow lines of paint that resembled wicker paneling. The rear compartment boasted armchair-like folding “occasional seats,” as well as a telephone for passing directions to the chauffeur, and smoking and vanity sets for the passengers.

Elegant but already somewhat out of style, it was discontinued for 1934, only to reappear between 1937 and 1939, selling for $7,000; it was the most expensive factory-catalogued Lincoln body style available during those years. Accordingly, it was quite rare; in 1937, only nine examples were made, and just two remain in existence today.

The car offered here was formerly part of the famed Lincoln collection of J.C. Whitney founder, Roy Warshawsky, regarded in its time as the finest in the country. Restored by the noted Rick Kriss, it won its class at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 1988 and was a Classic Car Club of America First Prize winner, no. 1335. When the Warshawsky stable was dispersed in 1996, the Lincoln was acquired by Dr. Joseph Murphy of Pennsylvania, who sold it two years later to the renowned collector, General William Lyon. The Lincoln was a fixture in the Lyon Family Collection for 10 years before joining its current owner’s private museum in 2008.

A very well-maintained older restoration, the Lincoln would still show nicely at local concours and CCCA events, and would also be a distinctive and handsome choice for CARavans. It fairly radiates class and style, just as did in 1937.