A superb
and rare photo of the Aston Martin DBS.
Aston Martin is a British manufacturer of
luxury sports cars, based in Gaydon, Warwickshire. The company name is derived
from the name of one of the company's founders, Lionel Martin, and from the
Aston Hill speed hillclimb near Aston Clinton in Buckinghamshire. From 1994
until 2007 Aston Martin was part of the Ford Motor Company, becoming part of
the company's Premier Automotive Group in 2000. On 12 March 2007, it was purchased for £479
million (US$848 million) by a joint venture company, co-owned by Investment Dar
and Adeem Investment of Kuwait and English businessman John Sinders. Ford
retained a US$77 million stake in Aston Martin, valuing the company at US$925
million. Aston Martin was founded in 1913 by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford.
The two had joined forces as Bamford & Martin the previous year to sell
cars made by Singer from premises in Callow
Street, London where
they also serviced GWK and Calthorpe vehicles. Martin raced specials at Aston
Hill near Aston Clinton, and the pair decided to make their own vehicles. The
first car to be named Aston Martin was created by Martin by fitting a
four-cylinder Coventry-Simplex engine to the chassis of a 1908
Isotta-Fraschini. They acquired premises at Henniker Place in Kensington and produced
their first car in March 1915. Production could not start because of the
outbreak of World War I, and Martin joined the Admiralty and Bamford the Royal
Army Service Corps. All machinery was sold to the Sopwith Aviation Company.
After the war the company was refunded at Abingdon Road, Kensington and a new car
designed to carry the Aston-Martin name. Bamford left in 1920 and the company was
revitalised with funding from Count Louis Zborowski. In 1922, Bamford &
Martin produced cars to compete in the French Grand Prix, and the cars set
world speed and endurance records at Brooklands. Three works Team Cars with 16
valve twin cam engines were built for racing and record breaking: chassis
number 1914, later developed as the Green Pea; chassis number 1915, the Razor
Blade record car; and chassis number 1916, later developed as the Halford
Special. Approximately 55 cars were built for sale in two configurations, long
chassis and short chassis. The company went bankrupt in 1924 and was bought by
Lady Charnwood, who put her son John Benson on the board. The company failed
again in 1925 and the factory closed in 1926, with Lionel Martin leaving. Later
that year, Bill Renwick, Augustus (Bert) Bertelli and a number of rich
investors, including Lady Charnwood, took control of the company and renamed it
Aston Martin Motors, and moved it to the former Whitehead Aircraft Limited
works in Feltham. Renwick and Bertelli had been in partnership some years and
had developed an overhead cam 4 cylinder engine, using Renwick's patented
combustion chamber design, and had tested it in an Enfield Allday chassis. It
was the only 'Renwick and Bertelli' motor car made. It was known as 'Buzzbox'
and survives to this day. They had planned to sell this engine to motor
manufacturers, but having heard that the Aston Martin car was no longer in
production they realised that they could capitalise on the reputation of the
Aston Martin name (what we would now call the brand) to give themselves a head
start in the production of a completely new car. Between the years 1926 and
1937 Bertelli was the technical director of Aston Martin, and the designer of
all subsequent Aston Martin cars during this period, these being known as the
'Bertelli cars'. They included the 1 1/2 litre 'T-type', the 'International,
the 'Le Mans,
the 'MKII' its racing derivative the 'Ulster, and the 2 litre 15/98 and
its racing derivative the 'Speed Model'. Mostly open two seater sports cars and
mostly bodied by Bert Bertelli's brother Enrico (Harry)a small number of long
chassis four seater tourers, dropheads and saloons were also produced. Bertelli
was very keen to race his cars and he was a very competent driver. One of the
very few motor manufacturers to actually sit in and race the cars he designed
and built, the competition no doubt 'improved the breed' and the 'LM' team cars
were very successful in national and international motor racing including at Le Mans and the Mille
Miglia. Financial problems reappeared in 1932 and the company was rescued by L.
Prideaux Brune who funded it for the following year before passing the company
on to Sir Arthur Sutherland. In 1936, the company decided to concentrate on
road cars. Car production had always been on a small scale and until the advent
of World War II halted work only about 700 had been made. During the war years
aircraft components were made. In 1947, David Brown Limited bought the company
under the leadership of managing director Sir David Brown—its "post-war
saviour". David Brown also acquired Lagonda that year, and both companies
shared resources and workshops. In 1955, David Brown bought the Tickford
coachbuilding company and its site at Tickford
Street in Newport Pagnell, and that was the
beginning of the classic series of cars bearing the initials "DB". In
1950, the company announced the DB2, followed by the racing DB3 in 1957 and the
Italian-styled 3.7 L DB4 in 1958. All the cars established a good racing
pedigree for the firm, but the DB4 was the key to establishing the company's
reputation, which was cemented by the famous DB5 in 1963. The company continued
developing the "grand touring" style with the DB6 (1965–70), the DBS,
and the DBS V8 (1967–72). Despite the cars' appreciation in value, the company
was often financially troubled. In 1972, it was sold to a company called
Company Developments Ltd., backed by a Birmingham-based consortium, and chaired
by Chartered Accountant and company director William Willson, (MBE). The
company was resold in 1975 to North American businessmen Peter Sprague and
George Minden. The new owners pushed the company into modernising its line,
producing the V8 Vantage in 1977, the convertible Volante in 1978, and the
one-off William Towns-styled Bulldog in 1980. Towns also styled the futuristic
new Lagonda saloon, based on the V8 model. In 1980 Aston-Martin had plans,
which did not materialize, to buy MG, which they would have utilized as a
sister marque, probably building smaller sports cars. Ideas were plotted to
design a new model and they revealed to the press their approach to an
'updated' '1981' model MGB.
This is a
very nice and very rare non period photo
that reflects a wonderful era of Aston Martin automotive history in a wonderful
way. This is your rare chance to
own this photo, therefore it is printed in a nice large format of ca.
8" x 12" (ca. 20 x 30 cm). It
makes it perfectly suitable for framing.
Shipping costs will only be $ 7.00 regardless of how many photos you
buy. For 5 or more photos, shipping is free!
(Note: A. Herl, Inc. does not appear on
photo, for ebay purposes only)
No copyright
expressed or implied. Sold as collectable item only. We are clearing out our
archives that we have gathered from various sources.
All items always sent well
protected in PVC clear files and board backed
envelopes.
We have
photographs that came from professional collections and/or were bought from the
original photographer or press studio! They are all of professional and
excellent quality.
After many decades
of professionally collecting photographs and posters we are clearing out our
archives. They make the perfect gift and are perfectly suited for framing. They
will look gorgeous unframed and will be a true asset nicely framed with a
border. They are a gorgeous and great asset in every home, workshop, workplace,
restaurant, bar or club!
First come -
first served. And you can always contact us for your requests. Please ask any
questions before the auction ends.