The Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III represented a watershed moment for its manufacturer. Introduced for 1963, it was still a traditionally crafted luxury automobile with wood-framed bodywork featuring a library’s worth of burled walnut; the engine was reassuringly silent; and the interior was surpassingly comfortable. The engine, improved over the previous Silver Cloud II, was the epitome of the Rolls-Royce ideal of gradual refinement of a design. Yet this model also represented the company’s first nods towards contemporary styling, with quad headlamps, a lowered hood and radiator shell, smaller bumpers, and separate front seats.

As indicated by copies of Rolls-Royce factory documentation on file, this Silver Cloud III was delivered new to Mrs. K.S. Beinecke on 14 October 1963. A resident of New York’s glamourous Fifth Avenue, Mrs. Beinecke had married into the family that ran the Sperry & Hutchinson company, known for its S&H Green Stamps—a popular retail loyalty rewards program.

One of only 206 long-wheelbase examples produced, this Silver Cloud III would have been an ideal companion for her high-society lifestyle. Finished in Brewster Green, wide whitewall tires completed the car’s very elegant exterior picture. The interior was finished in Beige vaumol leather in both front and rear compartments, which were separated by a glass divider. Modern conveniences included electric windows and an electric antenna; though not noted in factory build records, the car is presently equipped with air conditioning .

Following Mrs. Beinecke’s ownership tenure, this Silver Cloud III’s next owner of record was William J. Farnbauch of Lake Worth, Florida, an enthusiast who maintained a stable of vintage Rolls-Royces and Bentleys. It was subsequently acquired by Woody Richey, also of Florida, a noted collector and enthusiastic Rolls-Royce Owners’ Club participant. In 1994 it was purchased by Leon Farmer, Jr., a businessman and philanthropist residing in Athens, Georgia; correspondence on file from the time of purchase described it as a fully restored “100 point show car” then displaying 56,000 miles.

Acquired by the consignor in 2013, the car appears today much as it did when it was delivered new to Mrs. Beinecke. Clad in the factory-correct, highly appealing combination of Brewster Green over a Beige interior—accented, of course, with huge swaths of lustrous woodwork—this wonderful Rolls-Royce has benefitted from years of gentle use and scrupulous care, with its well-maintained older restoration exhibiting modest patina. It is offered today with copies of factory build documentation, owner’s manual correspondence, chauffeur’s guidebook, and previous work order invoices from 1994.

Rare and elegant, this long-wheelbase Silver Cloud III is an ideal candidate for continued Rolls-Royce club activities and the ultimate vehicle for luxurious voyages…sure to be enjoyed whether one opts to drive, or to be driven.