Waterhouse of Webster, Massachusetts is recognized for the beauty of its coachwork and the quality of its creations—but certainly not its production volume. Waterhouse built fewer than 300 automobile bodies in total, each clothing the finest chassis available in the Classic Era.

Ultimately, Waterhouse constructed just three bodies for Pierce-Arrow, each to a different design. Only one—this 1930 Model B—wore the dramatic Convertible Victoria style, which was something of a Waterhouse signature. The Model B’s generous 139-inch wheelbase gave the Waterhouse craftsmen ample room for expression, while its 366-cubic-inch inline-eight provided effortless motivation.

THE WATERHOUSES’ WATERHOUSE

Although the first owner of this magnificent Pierce-Arrow is presently unknown, whoever purchased this Convertible Victoria clearly wanted to make a particularly elegant statement. Purchased by a gentleman in New Hampshire in the 1940s, the Model B later passed to his three daughters, who used it as a daily driver for several decades. Eventually falling into a state of disrepair, it was stashed in a shed; disassembled as part of an abandoned restoration attempt, it was, fortunately, largely complete. There it would remain until 2004, when it was acquired by Lawrence Waterhouse, grandson of company founder Charles L. Waterhouse, Sr.

Enfield Auto Restoration of Enfield, Connecticut soon began the car’s total refurbishment, which included careful research to determine the car’s original configuration. Great effort was taken to preserve as much of the car’s originality as possible, including its original wooden artillery wheels; deteriorated sheet metal and wood framework were, however, replaced as needed, and a later Pierce-Arrow engine was sourced for the car and rebuilt to Model B specifications. The car’s factory surface finishes were uncovered beneath an older respray, permitting the identification and reproduction of the correct Orville Blue and Briarcliff Beige exterior as well as the beautifully woodgrained dashboard.

Once its restoration was complete, the Pierce-Arrow enjoyed a run on the show circuit, earning its Classic Car Club of America National First Prize in 2008 and winning People’s Choice and Best Coachwork awards at the Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance later that year. Featured in a July 2009 Hemmings article detailing the history of Waterhouse and this car’s heartwarming restoration story, it also appeared at the 2009 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

Unique and desirable, this Pierce-Arrow also has the distinction of having been restored under the ownership of a Waterhouse descendant. Scrupulously preserved during its tenure in the Adderley Collection, where it has resided since 2013, and accompanied by a book documenting its discovery and restoration, this Model B Pierce Arrow is well-suited to continued exhibition and ongoing appreciation.