Maharaja's tiger-hunting Rolls-Royce brings the firepower to Quail auction

13 years, 4 months ago - 28 July 2011

You expect to find all sorts of optional equipment on a Rolls-Royce. It could be pearl-inlayed veneers or a special paint job. But this example is something else entirely.

Crafted for Sahib Bahadur – also known as Umed Singh II, Maharaja of Kotah – this 1925 Rolls-Royce New Phantom was coachbuilt by Barker & Company of London and includes some rather unusual accessories. Namely, a mounted shotgun, rifle stand, Lantaka cannon, a pair of search lights and a machine gun fitted to a matching trailer.

The car was custom built for the Maharaja for the purpose of tiger hunting, and though requested by the Indian Consulate for donation to a museum, is now going up for auction at the hands of Bonhams at the Quail Lodge mid-August, where it's expected to fetch between $750,000 and $1 milllion.