371 - Pierre DUMONT (1920–1987)
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Estimate €50 - €100

Description

Pierre DUMONT (1920–1987) Bugatti Royale Type 41 12.8-litre Coupé Napoléon Gouache on card 27 x 61.5 cm (signs of damp, mould and soiling) Notes: ‘Although a few pre-First World War cars had engines even larger than that of the Bugatti Royale, and even a longer wheelbase, the Type 41 was the giant of its era. Seven Royales were built; five still exist in the USA and one in France. Commercially, it was a failure and, in fact, none was ever sold to a monarch. The engine was typical of the make, with its eight-cylinder in-line layout and a single overhead camshaft operating three valves per cylinder; externally, it was a masterpiece of architectural symmetry. Its displacement was 12,763 cm³ (125 x 180 mm) and its power output 300 CV at 1,700 rpm. The engine had to be completely removed and dismantled in order to run it in or replace a valve. The three-speed gearbox, with a direct drive in second gear, was mounted directly onto the axle. The theoretical top speed in third gear was 170 km/h. The chassis was strictly conventional, without even a servo to assist the mechanically operated brakes. The Royale’s engine was mass-produced to power French railway railcars. [Here], the exquisite ‘Napoléon’ coupé, recently sold by the Bugatti family to a French industrialist.’ Bibliography: P. DUMONT, *Aux Temps Des Automobilistes*, Lazarus Editions, 1965, our gouache reproduced on p. 136.

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About the sale Automobilia: In the Days of Motorists

Auction location

Auction time 10/17/2026 at 2:00 PM

Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House

371 - Pierre DUMONT (1920–1987) See original version (French)

371 - Pierre DUMONT (1920–1987)
See original version (French)