1934 Pierce- Arrow 840A Coupe Chassis no. 2080431 Engine no. 34965

1934 Pierce- Arrow 840A Coupe Chassis no. 2080431 Engine no. 34965
385ci Inline 8-Cylinder EngineSingle Carburetor140bhp at 3,400rpm3-Speed Manual TransmissionLeaf Spring Suspension4-Wheel Drum Brakes*Exquisite condition with only 1,800 miles since thorough restoration*Extremely elegant 'Art Nouveau' styling*Full CCCA Classic to tour or show*Believed to be one of just 47 examples producedTHE PIERCE-ARROW The Pierce-Arrow Motor Car Company was founded in 1901. A clear idea of the rapidity of Pierce-Arrow's rise to prominence may be gauged from the fact that as early as 1909, only eight years after the company's inception, the White House ordered two for state occasions. From then onwards, the name Pierce-Arrow would be synonymous with the ultimate in motoring luxury, ranking alongside Cadillac, Packard and Rolls-Royce. Royalty, heads of state, and countless celebrities were numbered among its clients, including Emperor Hirohito of Japan, the Shah of Persia, King Ibn of Saud of Saudi Arabia, King Albert of Belgium, American Presidents Woodrow Wilson, William Howard Taft, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt, John D. Rockefeller, Orville Wright, Babe Ruth, and Ginger Rogers. Woodrow Wilson would famously be chauffeured around Washington, DC in the Presidential Pierce, sitting in the back seat contemplating issues of state with no one to barge into the Oval Office and interrupt him.Clinging to traditional styling and handicapped by a range of sixes in an increasingly multi-cylinder marketplace, Pierce-Arrow saw its sales decline throughout the 1920s. In 1928, an alliance was forged with Studebaker, which viewed Pierce-Arrow's acquisition as a means of gaining entry into the luxury car market. A new range of straight-eights was introduced, and Pierce-Arrow sales doubled in 1929. THE MOTORCAR OFFEREDThis elegant 1934 Coupe has been known in the East Coast Pierce-Arrow Society since the 1970s, under the ownership of two successive collectors from Rutherford, New Jersey and yet another active owner from Suffield, Connecticut. During this time period, this Pierce was documented by Bernard Weis, the Pierce-Arrow Society's editor and publisher from 1963 until 2005. That same year this 840A was acquired by a collector in Montreal, Canada. Three years into his ownership, a comprehensive restoration commenced that brought this car to its current splendor. Finished in a lovely combination of Pierce Beige over a buttoned brown leather interior, this Pierce is beautifully presented throughout, having covered just 1,800 miles since the completion of its restoration. In November of 2015, a service was performed to change fluids, install new spark plugs, and lubricate the chassis. In August of 2016, Bonhams sold the Pierce to a well-known California collector. Invited to show the car at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance the next year, in addition to hitting the 18th green of the 2017 event, it also flawlessly completed the 70-mile Tour d'Elegance. Shown the same year at the Ironstone Concours, it won Best in Class and the Foundation Trophy on that occasion. With dramatic lines and sweeping curves, this handsome two-passenger Coupe, the last of only 47 built and seven known to survive today, is a great example of America's pre-war prowess in grand automotive styling. Beginning with its unmistakable Pierce-Arrow wide-set headlights and a raked radiator grille, this Coupe culminates in an elegantly down swept tail featuring a 'hidden' rumble seat and a mounted spare in a smart color-matching cover. The roofline adds to the drama, as do the bold accent lines that run down the length of the body and around the single side windows. Another decidedly modern accent are the taillights sculpted into the rear fenders, mimicking Pierce's iconic fender mounted headlights. This elegant Pierce-Arrow offers a great opportunity to acquire a rare and attractive example of a motorcar that typifies the style and engineering ability of pre-war American automobile manufacturers.