It is hard to imagine many cars, let alone among those that come to auction, that can match this one in terms of being touched by genuine Hollywood glamor and 20th century iconography. The car in question is a 1960 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II drophead, owned and loved for nearly 20 years by none other than Elizabeth Taylor. And the car will be up for sale without minimum reserve through Guernsey’s Auction on August 6 this year at The Pierre Hotel, a luxury hotel on Fifth Avenue in New York City.
The Pierre further is a highly meaningful location as it is where the iconic star Taylor lived with her husband Eddie Fisher when they originally purchased this Rolls-Royce. “The Green Goddess”, as Taylor lovingly referred to it, as well as being available to the highest bidder in August, also will be on display—and, illustrating its importance, under guard—from late July under The Pierre Hotel’s awnings.
Taylor, likely the most famous actress in the world at the time as well as one of the 20th century’s most iconic figures, married popular singer Fisher in a highly-publicized event in 1959. The following year, Taylor ordered this very custom-made Rolls-Royce; Taylor selecting the unique custom green as it was her favorite color, which matched her favorite dresses including her wedding dress.
In early 1961 she traveled to England to pick the car up and later that year shipped it to the US. In 1962, Taylor—again accompanied by the Green Goddess—with Fisher traveled to Rome to film her leading role in the landmark movie Cleopatra. There Taylor met and started an affair with her co-star Richard Burton, for whom she left Fisher and married in 1964, starting that most notable of Hollywood pairings; Burton indeed was often spotted driving the Green Goddess from 1963. Taylor in the Green Goddess was featured routinely on covers of various leading magazines, including Vanity Fair.
Taylor owned the Green Goddess Silver Cloud II—which even has a “LIZ SC2” license plate—for nearly two decades, only offering it for sale, in the Wall Street Journal, in the late 1970s. It was then stored and sold from her “bungalow” at Beverley Hills Hotel, and the person who purchased it from Taylor has owned it ever since, meaning the machine has only had two owners.
The current owner also has maintained the car fully over more than 40 years of ownership, all on the US west coast in fine weather conditions. The Rolls-Royce remains in beautiful condition with a rebuilt engine, new leather interior and new convertible top. It is a matching numbers automobile, and has 40,644 miles on the clock. Further, this is one of only approximately 20 left-hand drive Silver Cloud II drophead coupés ever built.
Images courtesy of R Couri Hay Creative PR
