.jpg?w=1)
La Bugatti Royale ou Coupé Napoléon est sans conteste la plus belle voiture classique de son époque mais aussi la plus chère du monde. Ses créateurs Ettore et Jean Bugatti voulaient que cette voiture surpasse toutes celles de la concurrence par ses qualités, sa puissance et sa renommée. Elle possédait des atouts indiscutables : une taille de 6 mètres de long, un moteur en ligne de 8 cylindres de près de 13 litres développant 300 chevaux de puissance, propulsant cette voiture d’un poids certain (2900 kilos) à une vitesse de pointe de 200km/h. Tous les principes esthétiques d’Ettore et de Jean Bugatti se retrouvaient dans cette voiture et pour parfaire le prestige de cette réalisation, ils souhaitaient mettre un bouchon de radiateur en argent sur la calandre. Ils eurent alors l’idée de rendre un hommage à Rembrandt décédé quelques années plus tôt, et choisirent le modèle de l’éléphant dressé de 1904, qu’ils firent fondre en argent par Valsuani.
Mais face aux coûts exorbitants d’une telle voiture, seuls 6 exemplaires furent réalisés dont seulement 3 furent vendus à l’époque. Cet échec commercial mit en danger l’entreprise qui fût sauvée par la réutilisation des moteurs dans un autorail, ancêtre de notre TGV.
Toutefois cette folie ne resta pas vaine et légua à la postérité une voiture restée mythique aux yeux de tous. Fritz Schlumpf, inconditionnel de la marque de Molsheim, acquiert jusqu’à 120 Bugatti en 1976. En 1963, il rachète la Bugatti Royale personnelle d’Ettore Bugatti lors de la vente du constructeur et moins d’un an plus tard, en acquiert une seconde lors de la vente Shakespeare. Ce seront les deux joyaux de son futur musée.
Pour imiter la légende – ou réalité - selon laquelle Jean Bugatti venait lui-même visser le bouchon de radiateur sur la voiture lors de sa livraison, Fritz Schlumpf conserva toujours les deux bouchons de radiateur de ses Royales et venait les visser sur ses voitures à chaque fois qu’il se rendait au musée. L’un d’eux fût vendu en 2009, le second est celui que nous présentons ici.
REMBRANDT BUGATTI (1885-1916)
MASCOTTE ELÉPHANT DRESSÉ, LE MODÈLE CRÉÉ POUR LA BUGATTI ROYALE, 1928
Details
REMBRANDT BUGATTI (1885-1916)
Mascotte Eléphant dressé, le modèle créé pour la Bugatti Royale, 1928
En argent
Hauteur: 19 cm. (7½ in.)
Portant le cachet du fondeur CIRE PERDUE C. VALSUANI à la base
Mascotte Eléphant dressé, le modèle créé pour la Bugatti Royale, 1928
En argent
Hauteur: 19 cm. (7½ in.)
Portant le cachet du fondeur CIRE PERDUE C. VALSUANI à la base
Provenance
Collection Schlumpf.
Dans la famille par descendance.
Dans la famille par descendance.
Literature
Philippe Dejean, Carlo-Rembrandt-Ettore BUGATTI, éditions du regard, Paris, 1981, p.200, 250, 256, 260
Jacques-Chalom des Cordes et Véronique Fromanger Des Cordes, Rembrandt Bugatti, éditions de l'Amateur, Paris, 1987, p.87
BUGATTI les meubles BUGATTI les sculptures BUGATTI les autos, catalogue d'exposition, Galerie Beaubourg, Château Notre-Dame des Fleurs, Vence, juillet-septembre 1995, p.42
Edward Horsewell, Rembrandt Bugatti Life in sculpture, Sladmore Gallery éditions, Londres, 2004, p.41
Philip Demandt & Anke Daemgen, Rembrandt Bugatti the sculptor 1884-1916 éditions Hirmer, Berlin, 2014, p.104
Ce lot sera vendu avec un certificat d'authenticité de Madame Véronique Fromanger
Jacques-Chalom des Cordes et Véronique Fromanger Des Cordes, Rembrandt Bugatti, éditions de l'Amateur, Paris, 1987, p.87
BUGATTI les meubles BUGATTI les sculptures BUGATTI les autos, catalogue d'exposition, Galerie Beaubourg, Château Notre-Dame des Fleurs, Vence, juillet-septembre 1995, p.42
Edward Horsewell, Rembrandt Bugatti Life in sculpture, Sladmore Gallery éditions, Londres, 2004, p.41
Philip Demandt & Anke Daemgen, Rembrandt Bugatti the sculptor 1884-1916 éditions Hirmer, Berlin, 2014, p.104
Ce lot sera vendu avec un certificat d'authenticité de Madame Véronique Fromanger
Further details
'ÉLÉPHANT DRESSÉ', A SILVERED CAR MASCOT FOR THE BUGATTI ROYALE BY REMBRANDT BUGATTI, CIRCA 1928
This lot will be sold with a certificate of authentification by Mrs Veronique Fromanger
The Bugatti Royale, also known as the Coupé Napoléon is without question the most beautiful classic car of its time, as well as the most expensive. Ettore and Jean Bugatti wanted this car to surpass those of all their competitors in quality, power and reputation. Themodel had astonishing features: it was 6 meters long, with an 8 cylinder strait engine, close to 13 liters producing 300 horse power, propelling this heavy car (2900 kilos) to a top speed of 200km/h. All of Ettore and Jean Bugatti’s aesthetic principles came together in this magnificent model. To top off the prestige of their creation they envisioned topping the hood of the car with a silver ornament. They also conceived the idea to pay tribute to Rembrandt, who passed away a few years earlier, and chose to model the ornament on éléphant dressé (1904). They had it cast in silver by Valsuani.
But due to the exorbitant cost of production, only six of these cars were produced, and of these only 3 were sold. The business was put in jeopardy by this commercial failure; and was saved only by the engines being reused in 'autorails’, the forefathers of our modern day TGV.
Nevertheless this folly was not created in vain and the Bugatti Royale is remembered by later generations as an almost mythical creation. By 1976 Fritz Schlumpf, an unconditional admirer of the Molsheim brand, had acquired around 120 Bugatti. Among these was a Bugatti Royale which he bought in 1963 from the personal collection of Ettore Bugatti. Less than a year later he acquired a second one from the Shakespeare sale. These two cars were to be the jewels of his future museum.
According to the legend – or truth- Jean Bugatti came in person to attach the silver mascot to each car before its delivery. Fritz Schlumpf kept the two mascots of his Royales separate from the cars themselves and used to attach them personally each time he visited the museum. One of the two mascots was sold in 2009, the remaining one is the one presented here.
This lot will be sold with a certificate of authentification by Mrs Veronique Fromanger
The Bugatti Royale, also known as the Coupé Napoléon is without question the most beautiful classic car of its time, as well as the most expensive. Ettore and Jean Bugatti wanted this car to surpass those of all their competitors in quality, power and reputation. Themodel had astonishing features: it was 6 meters long, with an 8 cylinder strait engine, close to 13 liters producing 300 horse power, propelling this heavy car (2900 kilos) to a top speed of 200km/h. All of Ettore and Jean Bugatti’s aesthetic principles came together in this magnificent model. To top off the prestige of their creation they envisioned topping the hood of the car with a silver ornament. They also conceived the idea to pay tribute to Rembrandt, who passed away a few years earlier, and chose to model the ornament on éléphant dressé (1904). They had it cast in silver by Valsuani.
But due to the exorbitant cost of production, only six of these cars were produced, and of these only 3 were sold. The business was put in jeopardy by this commercial failure; and was saved only by the engines being reused in 'autorails’, the forefathers of our modern day TGV.
Nevertheless this folly was not created in vain and the Bugatti Royale is remembered by later generations as an almost mythical creation. By 1976 Fritz Schlumpf, an unconditional admirer of the Molsheim brand, had acquired around 120 Bugatti. Among these was a Bugatti Royale which he bought in 1963 from the personal collection of Ettore Bugatti. Less than a year later he acquired a second one from the Shakespeare sale. These two cars were to be the jewels of his future museum.
According to the legend – or truth- Jean Bugatti came in person to attach the silver mascot to each car before its delivery. Fritz Schlumpf kept the two mascots of his Royales separate from the cars themselves and used to attach them personally each time he visited the museum. One of the two mascots was sold in 2009, the remaining one is the one presented here.
Brought to you by
Quitterie Marcellin