Director Josef von Sternberg gave Marlene Dietrich one gift with the role of the temptress Lola Lola in the German/English classic movie, “The Blue Angel” (Der Blaue Engel). Another was a beautiful 1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Transformable Convertible Sedan. Featured in “Morocco,” another von Sternberg/Dietrich collaboration, it will be auctioned next month at Bonhams during the Scottsdale Car Week, when it’s expected to sell for $300,000-$400,000.
Update: the Dietrich Rolls sold for $524,000, well above its high estimate.
Andy Warhol’s 1974 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow, which the artist bought new and kept for 13 years until his death, is another highlight of the sale. Estimated at $40,000-$60,000, it comes with a copy of the original certificate of title bearing Warhol’s name. Three additional high-value cars likely to entice collectors are a 1929 Dusenberg Model J Convertible Sedan (est. $650,000-$750,000), a 1924 Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8 Torpedo Tourer with custom coachwork by Carrozzeriea Sala, the product of a 4000- hour restoration (est. $425,000-$525,000), and a 1932 Packard Model 904 Custom Convertible Victoria with coachwork by Dietrich—alas, not Marlene (est $600,000-$700,000).
