Franklin Mint / 1933 Duesenberg SJ Torpedo Phaeton by Rolston - Twenty Grand / FM Discontinued / 1:24th Scale
Silver
Own a classic from the Golden Age of Automobiles. Wow, What a Duesy!
The most luxurious Duesenberg ever, the world knew it as the 20 Grand. For
in 1933, it had the bold price tag of $20,000—far beyond the reach of the
millions who first saw it at the Chicago World’s Fair. Today, its value would be
in the millions. Now, the most elegant Duesy ever can be yours—in the form of
this sensational die-cast replica.
Handcrafted with 148 separate parts, it’s authentic to the smallest detail—from
the famed Duesy hood ornament to the genuine instrument panels with full array
of switches, gauges and levers. Painted a posh champagne silver, it’s a
certified classic, just like the original.
The year is 1933. In Chicago, crowds gather at the Century of Progress
Exposition, a World's Fair unlike any other. There, the future is presented to a
nation weary of its depression and finding relief in the presentation of better
times to come. As visitors flock to the Travel and Transportation Building, they
are mesmerized by the stunning 1933 Duesenberg SJ. This motor car is not only
the most luxurious Duesenberg ever built, it is also the most expensive. And its
price would also become the motor car's namesake—the Duesenberg "Twenty Grand".
Built expressly for the World’s Fair in Chicago, the "Twenty Grand" would steal
the show as millions shared in the aura of grandeur and wealth that surrounded
such a car. Even the colour, described as metallic platinum, suggested the
sterling quality of such a machine, and perhaps indirectly, pointed toward a
silver lining on the black cloud of the Depression.
Chief designer, Gordon Buehrig, designed the "Twenty Grand:, adapting several of
the earlier coach styles, and the noted coach-builder Rollston Body Company,
made the design a reality. With polished stainless steel tubing covering the
exposed exhaust pipes, and an aerodynamically slanted windscreen, the luxurious
"Twenty Grand" exuded a feeling of speed, as well as grandeur. Its long and
sleek lines, uninterrupted by superfluous extravagance, elegantly belied the
power that lay under the bonnet—a 320-horsepower supercharged engine that was
claimed to have pushed the machine to speeds as high as 130 miles per hour.
The power and elegance that were revealed by the exterior were complemented by
the sumptuousness of the interior. The "armchair" type seats were upholstered in
broadcloth bounded with silver patent leather. Instrument panels, in the front
and back seats, were panelled in two-tone burl walnut with silver inlay.
Only one was ever built. And perhaps a car as unparalleled as the 1933
Duesenberg SJ "Twenty Grand" should be alone in its class. Today it is part of
the Merle Norman Beauty Collection in the San Sylmar Museum where it is on
exhibition.
The Duesenberg name connoted quality and style. The 1933 Duesenberg SJ connoted
more than that—it was a machine of dreams, of fantasies, of "Twenty Grand".
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Technical Specifications
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Part #: PW73
Condition: Mint in the box w/ papers & 1989 hang tag
Price: 0.00
Status: SOLD!
