1953 Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn

In 1953, the previously export-only Silver Dawn was finally made available to British buyers.

And this very vehicle was the first of those cars, which makes it both truly unique and historically significant.

It was the first RHD Silver Dawn with an auto gearbox and a push-button start, a combination of factors that makes it, we believe, the first of the 221 thus configured to emerge from the Rolls-Royce factory.

It was displayed on the Rolls-Royce stand at the 1953 Earls Court Motor Show, reviewed in contemporary road tests by The Autocar and The Motor in October 1953, and illustrated in the official 1953 Rolls-Royce sales brochure…and all while sporting the same RTU272 registration it boasts today.

It came with the options of a sunroof and rear picnic tables.

The car was delivered new to Sir Frederick Handley Page at his home in Grosvenor Square.

If his name seems familiar it will no doubt be in relation to the eponymous Handley Page Halifax heavy bomber, which was constructed in vast numbers at the firm’s Cricklewood factory and, together with the Avro Lancaster, did much of the heavy lifting required by Arthur Harris at RAF Bomber Command during WWII.

Perhaps Sir Frederick’s passion for Rolls-Royce motor cars has its origin story in the four Rolls-Royce Merlin engines that powered the Halifax.

In 1962, the car was exported to California by its then owner, the splendidly monikered Count René de Mallory of Regensburg, Germany.

At some point around 1963, it changed colour from Belco Silver to the Mason’s Black livery you see today.

It returned to these shores (and its original registration plate) in 1988, after which it enjoyed two eras of long-term private ownership for 13 and 10 years, respectively.

The vendor bought the car in 2011 and has spent around £50,000 in the intervening years, mostly with revered marque whisperers Hillier Hill, in ensuring that it is one of the very best available anywhere today.

We have driven the car and can attest to the delightful urgency with which the straight-six engine springs into life at the push of the button.

That said, this car is so extraordinarily quiet that we had to press our ears to the bonnet to discern that it was running at all.

In fact, it’s so quiet it makes most modern electric cars sound like someone dragging a sack of cans down a farm track.

Out on the open road it purrs along effortlessly and doesn’t even look like breaking into a sweat if asked to cruise at 70mph for long periods of time.

It’s really very impressive indeed.

Relatively small by the standards of other Rolls-Royces, the Silver Dawn was aimed at the owner/driver and its neat and tidy proportions reflect its intent to be a rewarding car to drive.

Even with the larger boot fitted to the 1953 ‘E’ series cars (to align the styling with the updated Bentley R-Type), the car presents very handsomely from every angle and projects just the right amount of stateliness and grandeur to make you feel more than a little special whether you’re behind the wheel or the driver.

The bodywork is straight and true throughout, and the shut-lines and panel gaps are sufficiently exact to allow the doors, bonnet and boot lid to close with reassuring degrees of gravitas and certainty.

The chrome-work is gleaming and bright wherever you cast your gaze and we’ve seen no tarnishing, foxing or pitting anywhere.

Famously an unforgiving colour, the black livery mostly has a mirror-like shine and real depth of lustre.

In the main, even entirely standard stone chips and light scratches are far more noticeable for their absence than their presence.

All four road wheels are beyond reproach, as is the matching Michelin XCA Plus rubber in which they are shod.

The spare wheel is also fine, although its tyre is rather more worn than its counterparts on the axles.

In short, it’s all very good indeed.

But, as it’s our job to be nit-picking pedants, we’ve peered long and hard at this car with a magnifying glass and come up with the following very minor things to moan about.

In no particular order, there are few very small, touched-up stone chips around the front of the car; some light, sanding marks on the o/s/f wing; the odd paint chip where the offside bonnet handle catches an edge; a hint of overspray towards the bottom of both offside doors; a small scratch below the filler cap; a faint residue of masking tape on the n/s/r door near the handle; a tiny dent, a spot of orange-peel paint and a small scratch under the handle on the n/s/r door; and a paint bubble near the n/s/f indicator.

Like we said, we’re really just nit-picking.

The car’s lights, lenses, badging and other exterior fixtures and fittings all appear to be in fine fettle.

We know from the car’s original specification sheets and works instructions that the interior consists of red hide upholstery, piped red, with a grey headcloth and maroon carpets.

And we know from sitting inside it that it is a splendidly evocative and charmingly of-its-period environment in which to spend some quality time.

The seats, front and back are as comfortable and warmly inviting as an old catcher’s mitt.

Aside from a small hole at the side of the squab on the driver’s seat, the upholstery is patinated, characterful and creased, but by no means overly worn, damaged or beyond redemption.

In our opinion the upholstery has achieved peak patina, and we would encourage any future owner to invest some time and money in keeping it that way.

The maroon carpets have held up well.

So, too, has the grey headlining, save for a little loose trim at the top of the nearside ‘A’ pillar.

The sunroof, we can report, goes about its business of opening, closing and fitting snugly without complaint.

The walnut trim and inlays on the dashboard, door cappings, picnic tables and elsewhere are in very good order, as are the door cards, bar a little light wear on the front door armrests.

As far as we’re aware, all dials, gauges, knobs, switches and levers do what they’re supposed to do without hesitation, deviation or repetition – the only known exception being the clock.

There are a couple of thin cracks to the steering wheel rim.

The very capacious boot is every bit as good as the rest of it and contains a spare wheel, some tools and a car cover.

The impressive engine bay looks remarkably clean, dry and fresh, and everything appears to be in its right and proper place.

Even the original under-bonnet torch is still clipped into its holder on the bulkhead.

That should tell you something.

The undersides are entirely devoid of anything even remotely troubling, as you might expect to find on a car that’s spent a good portion of its life in California and the rest of it being pampered and indulged by a series of diligent curators.

Everything looks sound, solid, sturdy and possessed of oodles of structural integrity.

The car comes with all manner of original and copied documentation attesting to its remarkable provenance – both as the very first RHD, automatic, push-button starter Silver Dawn built for the British market, and its rather starry ownership courtesy of Messrs Handley Page and Count René de Mallory of Regensburg.

It also comes with its Works Instructions, factory Specification Sheets and original delivery orders.

It is accompanied by copies of the contemporary magazines in which it featured.

Shortly after buying the car the vendor set about hunting down an original Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn sales brochure.

You can imagine his astonishment upon seeing that the vehicle featured in the 1953 brochure was his actual car. The brochure comes with the car.

One of the box files that comes with the car contains a thick wad of invoices, primarily from revered marque experts Hillier Hill, covering some £50,000 of work carried out since 2011.

The car was serviced last month and has an MoT certificate, with no advisories whatsoever, that’s valid until 1st April 2027.

These cars were rare to start with.

Yes, over 7,500 nearly identical Bentley MK VIs and R-Types were built.

But only 785 Rolls-Royce Silver Dawns ever saw the light of day, with just 221 of them destined for UK buyers in RHD, automatic, push-button start configuration.

And this car was the very first of those 221, which gives it an enduringly special and exalted place in the history of Rolls-Royce motorcars and the wider British car industry.

The car drives exceptionally well – and it looks as good as it drives.

It has been looked-after and cared-for, with no corners cut, compromises entertained or costs dodged, by all the right people in a timely and diligent fashion.

If you’re holding out in the hope of a better one coming along any time soon, prepare yourself for a very long wait.

We are happy to offer this car for auction with an estimate in the range of £35,000 - £45,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at THE MARKET HQ in South Oxfordshire. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays (apart from Bank Holidays) between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.