A genuine “Maharajah Rolls-Royce”, Phantom II chassis number 50XJ was commissioned by Mahant Sarveshwar Das, 10th Ruling Chief of Nandgaon State, on the long-wheelbase 150-inch frame with louvered bonnet and polished nickel radiator shell.

The especially low and striking torpedo tourer body was built by Barker, the fabled London coachbuilders to royalty, with a straight-though beltline moulding, sharply vee’d windscreen with built-in sun visors, and a steering wheel, control knobs, and instruments finished to match the body in Nile Blue; a Tapley gradiometer, necessary for negotiating the rather rough Indian roads; and a nickelled cobra horn and tool trays mounted in the running boards. Rolls-Royce custom-finished the instruments themselves but were, amusingly, unsatisfied with their own work; the build records note that ‘the Nile Blue finish generally is not considered satisfactory and is to be rectified at Barker’s.’

As was typical of Barker’s craftsmanship, the interior was beautifully finished with the inlaid cabinetry for which its craftsmen were justly renowned. Finishing touches included polished disc wheel covers and a full complement of lighting, including Lucas P100 headlamps, a single driving lamp, dual fender lamps, and cowl-mounted spotlamps, necessary for nighttime use in the motorcar’s destination. The finished car was featured in the August 1930 issue of The Autocar, by which time it had already been shipped from London to Calcutta aboard SS Bangalore.

In 1966, American enthusiast Ray Howard discovered a hoard of fine automobiles in the ownership of the Maharaja of Orissa, and was able to acquire and export four of them—the most prominent being chassis number 50XJ, which had been acquired by the Maharaja from its contemporary original owner. The car was shipped first to Italy, serviced, driven to England, then shipped across the Atlantic to Oregon, then to the Howard retirement residence in Hawaii! There restoration was begun but not completed until the car was purchased by well-known collector, the late Richard Hooper, who completed the restoration to exacting standards, reportedly with the input of noted Rolls-Royce historian John Fasal. Several further American caretakers followed before the car joined its present owner’s collection a decade ago.

Today much as it appeared originally, absent only some of its original vanity accoutrements, this brilliantly styled, lavishly detailed Rolls-Royce is offered with considerable pride to a new caretaker who will appreciate its excellent, truly bespoke design and rich history.