By 1934, Aston Martin had already fended off the threat of bankruptcy and was producing some of the finest motor cars Britain could offer. Now run by Augustus ‘Bert’ Bertelli, Aston Martin was making a name for itself in motorsport, and had begun to focus more intently on production vehicles.

The third series of Bert’s 1½ -litre cars were the culmination of nine years of continuous development. Essentially a dramatically improved Le Mans model, the Mark II was offered in varying styles – 2 or 2/4 seaters produced on the short chassis, or a 4 seater, sports saloon or drophead coupé on the long chassis. With 61 completed in little under two years, the short-chassis 2/4 seater was the best-selling of all Bertelli’s 1.5 litre Aston Martins.

Offered here is one such short-wheelbase Mark II 2/4 seaters built, boasting particularly fine sporting coachwork by Enrico ‘Harry’ Bertelli, Bert’s brother. Chassis no. C4/406/S was delivered new in May 1934 to Miss M C Smith of Keighley, Yorkshire, passing into the ownership of one R G de Quincey of Oxford on 31 January 1936. Various other owners are named on the factory car record card on file. One of these – John Godfrey, its owner from October 1953 – wrote an interesting article about the car for the AMOC magazine in 1956.

Later that year, C4/406/S was purchased from John Godfrey and imported into the U.S. by its next owner, Whitney H Gordon, a professor at Purdue University, Indiana. Subsequently enjoyed by various other owners before being purchased in 1988 by Christopher Salyer of Oklahoma City, a well-known Aston Martin enthusiast. It would remain in the Salyer family’s ownership for more than 25 years, and it is worthwhile noting that this car’s entry in the AMOC Register lists several 1st place concours awards at venues such as Monterey, Lime Rock, Topeka and Dallas while owned by the Salyers. This Aston has also competed in various ‘Vintage’ motor sports events in the U.S., as evidenced by copies of illustrated magazine articles on file.

Resplendent in red with black interior and featuring wet-weather equipment, the 2/4 seater benefits from an older restoration that still presents beautifully today. Along with the vehicle comes a well-documented ownership history dating back to its original owner, including invoices and correspondence. This Aston Martin has proven to be at home on the show field, on rallies, and at the race track, and presents an outstanding opportunity for the astute collector to acquire a rare and beautiful pre-war Bertelli design.