1938 Bugatti Type 57

To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION at RM Sothebys Monterey event, 15 - 16 August 2025.
$700,000 - $800,000 USD

• Approximately the 18th of 103 Type 57C examples originally built by the factory
• Significantly refurbished over the last 10 years, including two-year restoration by marque expert Scott Sargent completed in 2017; serviced in February 2025
• Class winner at the 1989 Pebble Beach Concours dElegance, and reportedly a three-time recipient of a CCCA perfect score
• Documented with period photos, former owners correspondence, restoration invoices, and history report by marque expert Pierre-Yves Laugier
• Beautifully presented, early example of the supercharged Type 57C, ideal for concours presentation or vintage rallying

Claiming a well-documented history that includes brushes with important early American Bugattistes, this beautifully restored Bugatti Type 57C is a particularly desirable example. According to a history report on file authored by marque expert Pierre-Yves Laugier, chassis number 57597 was built in late 1937, originally being equipped with engine number 18C, making it one of the earliest Type 57C examples constructed.

After being clothed with third-series Stelvio open coachwork from the coachbuilder Gangloff (including a rare, rounded tail reminiscent of the Atalante body style), the Bugatti was delivered in February 1938 to Pierre Monestier, a marque agent in Lyon. The Type 57C was sold to local resident Jean dAubarede, a lawyer whose family had been established in the area since the seventeenth century. The Stelvio was taken on a trade-in of a Labourdette-bodied Type 57 by dAubarede and his brother, Paul, who was an automotive engineer soon to work for Mercedes-Benz. He even occasionally used 57597 to commute to Germany.

Per Mr. Laugiers research, a Bugatti factory note indicates the dAubarede family returned the car to Molsheim for maintenance in early 1939, and one of Pauls sons later remembered that the car was requisitioned during the war but never returned. By the mid-1950s the Type 57C resurfaced in Lyon with a new registration to an unknown owner, and in November 1957 the car was brokered through Henri Malartre to Jean-Louis du Montant, a well-known Bugatti hunter living in Antibes.

Mr. du Montant and his brother owned another Gangloff-bodied Type 57C, chassis number 57809, and during the following few years both cars underwent maintenance at a local garage in Nice. It is believed that this was the occasion when the two cars supercharged engines were swapped, and stampings evident in the featured lot today suggest that 57809s original engine number 82C has remained in 57597 ever since.

In 1961 Mr. du Montant passed away and the Bugatti was inherited by his wife, along with several other Molsheim speed machines. In early 1963 she began offering the car for sale, and the availability was soon relayed by American Bugatti collecting stalwarts O.A. Bunny Phillips and Peter Williamson to their friend, Dr. Richard Roger, a cardiologist in Beverly Hills, California. A purchase was arranged and the Type 57C was imported to the US, arriving in June 1963. By then painted in a two-tone scheme of blue and silver, the Stelvio was enjoyed by Dr. Roger for 15 years before he sold it in 1978 to Gary Tiscornia of Milford, Michigan.

Given the Bugattis aging condition, Mr. Tiscornia undertook a full restoration, retaining Bob Lorkowski of Wisconsin for chassis work and Bunny Philips for engine considerations, while cosmetically the car received a finish in teal paint and matching upholstery. Following completion of the refurbishment, the Bugatti won its class at the 1989 Pebble Beach Concours dElegance, and it reportedly scored 100 points at three different CCCA events. After roughly 20 years in Mr. Tiscornias care, the Type 57C passed to the Blackhawk Collection in Danville, California, from whom it was sold in October 2000 to Robert Pond, a collector based in Palm Springs.

Following Mr. Ponds passing a decade later, the Bugatti was purchased from his estate by a Beverly Hills-based physician who offered the car at RM Auctions flagship Monterey sale in August 2014. Acquired then by respected collector Greg Manocherian, the Type 57C was the subject of a major two-year refurbishment by the noted marque specialist Scott Sargent, as reflected by invoices on file. An effort was also taken to elevate the color scheme with the addition of a secondary dark tone for the fenders and rear end, greatly enhancing the Stelvios finish and aesthetic appeal.

After being sold in August 2019 to a doting Bugatti enthusiast residing in New Jersey, the Type 57 was treated to further fine-tuning, with the new owner reportedly retaining the awarded restorer John Estell, Mr. Sargent, the well-regarded Steven Babinsky, and longtime Bugatti specialist Jim Stranberg to help dial in the car. Serviced in February 2025, chassis number 57597 features the same correct Type 57C supercharged engine that was installed by the early 1960s.

The beautifully and presented Stelvio is optimally poised for concours presentation or potential enjoyment in vintage touring rallies, exuding the race-winning essence of Molsheims celebrated Pur Sang. To view this car and others currently consigned to this auction, please visit the RM website at rmsothebys.com/auctions/mo25/.