The Legend of Greystone
| To an untrained eye, the event that took place at Beverly Hills’ Greystone Mansion on Sunday, April 11, could have easily been mistaken for a cocktail party thrown during Hollywood’s Golden Age. Guests were treated to complementary fine dining, flowing open bars, and bird’s-eye views of the Los Angeles skyline from the grounds of an expansive estate. Rita Hayworth’s Cadillac and Fred Astaire’s Rolls-Royce were parked in the mansion’s motor court, while a host of scintillating prewar and vintage cars could be found in the guest parking lot on the north side of the grounds. |
In actuality, the City of Beverly Hills opened the gates of the hallowed estate, once home to the legendary Doheny family, for the inaugural Greystone Concours d’Elegance, a daylong celebration of food, fashion, and collectible vintage sports cars and luxury automobiles. The $100 price of admission ensured that guests were part of a pedigreed and affluent crowd, and the group of automotive aficionados and classic car enthusiasts in attendance enjoyed self-guided tours of the opulent mansion, a fashion show on one of the manicured lawns, and a judged exhibit of a wide selection of rare and desirable classic automobiles.
Santa Monica-based auction house Gooding & Company, which has shot to the forefront of the industry thanks to its annual Pebble Beach sale of classic autos, and Petersen Automotive Museum, a recognized leader in the local auto culture, both made a considerable impact on the event. Gooding displayed the Palm Beach Special, a one-of-a-kind 1956 Nash Rambler bodied by Pininfarina, as well as a 1938 Talbot Darracq T23 Drop Head Coupe. The Petersen Museum brought the aforementioned 1927 Phantom owned by Fred Astaire as well as the 1953 Cadillac that was once gifted to Rita Hayworth by her husband Ali Khan. The Cadillac has a Ghia-designed body, one of only two ever made, while the Rolls features a valuable-in-itself piece of Louis Vuitton luggage monogrammed with an “A” and packed with Astaire accoutrements including a cricket paddle, tennis racket, cane, top hat, and decanter.
-Best of Show 1933 Minerva AL Cabriolet, owned by Paul Emple
-Spirit of Greystone 1929 Packard Convertible Sedan, owned by Michael Harrah
-Tiffany & Co. Most Elegant 1937 Delahaye 135M Roadster, owned by Peter Mullin
-Mayor’s Choice 1956 Maserati A6G/2000 Zagato, owned by David Sydorick
-People’s Choice 1956 Fiat 8V Zagato, owned by Scott Gauthier
