The Nizam of Hyderabad's Collection of Cars and Carriages

[HPP]

Originally Posted by DKG

If you recall seeing cars other than those posted here do please share details of the cars and which palaces you saw them in and how long ago was that. That would help

Will do. I'll also ask my brothers which cars were where, and which palaces we visited to keep it all straight. I think we have some old pictures of them as well(taken in the 80's and 90's), but on film.. I'll have to dig those up as well.

[PAVAN KADAM]

I am at loss of words after going through the entire thread.

DKG, Great work. Mindblowing.

[agspins]

I found another pic of Nizam VII (Mir Osman Ali Khan Asaf Jah) posing with a car probably a 1906 Darracq 12 hp(plz correct me if wrong).

[agspins]

AFA Prince Mukkaramjah's love for heavy earth mover and machinery goes, found this
clip mentioning it ...

YouTube - Coronation of 8th Nizam of Hyderabad (1967)

[maddy42]

Buddy DKG i am a loss for words. Tell us all when this muesuem is going to come up. It surely requires a visit.
Asad you got one of the most beautiful bentleys. This will be my wallpaper for quite long.
Overall 5* thread. Loved the amazing pieces of info going around.

[Julian UK]

Some more Hyderabad cars

RR Phantom I
#71 DC 1926 Barker tourer Nawab Wali Ud Dowla


RR Phantom I
#74 OR 1929 Barker Sedanca Nawab Moin-ud-Dowlah of Hyderabad



RR 20hp
#85K6 1923 Hooper 2 seater Nawab Moin-ud-Dowlah of Hyderabad



RR 20/25
#GTK19 1936 Windovers DHC Hyderabad


RR Silver Ghost #31KG 1922 Barker Tourer Mirza Dawood Ali Khan


All photos from Team-bhp

Some more Hyderabad cars
RR 20hp
#66H9 1923 Barker tourer Nawab Moin-ud-Dowlah of Hyderabad
RR Silver Ghosts
#1782 1911 Barker torpedo Nur Jahan Nawab Moin-ud-Din of Hyderabad
#1402 1910 Barker Roi des Belges “ Jewel of Asia” 1st owner Emery J. Inman 2nd owner Nawab of Hyderabad
#1685 1911 Barker Landaulette “Whitmore" Salar Yar Jung
#1692 1911 Barker Torpedo Tourer Salar Yar Jung
#1782 1911 Barker Torpedo tourer “Nur Jahan” Nawab Moin-ud-Dowlah
#2328 1913 Barker Torpedo Tourer Nawab Mir Lutf-ud-din Ali Khan Bahadur

DKG please do correct any of the names

[karlosdeville]

While on the subject here is a virgin original paint Dodge Kingsway from the royal stables, now in a private collection. Absolutely untouched, barring a Rolls Royce clock added on the dash, as "the nizam was used to seeing only this clock and no other"

[DKG]

Originally Posted by agspins

I found another pic of Nizam VII (Mir Osman Ali Khan Asaf Jah) posing with a car probably a 1906 Darracq 12 hp(plz correct me if wrong).

Thanks for this lovely picture. There are quite a few more that I need to have scanned and post here.

Originally Posted by maddy42

Tell us all when this muesuem is going to come up. It surely requires a visit.

The Chowmahalla Palace is open to public as a museum. You can view the website for more details. The cars have been shifted into their permanent display at the Palace and final touches are being made to open it soon. I will inform you all as soon as the date is set.

Originally Posted by Julian UK

Some more Hyderabad cars

Ahh my dear Sir. I was just going to start a thread dedicated to the awesome automobiles in all the families of erstwhile Hyderabad. Obviously you have just posted some stars already. Since this thread was intended to only document the Nizam's cars may I request your permission to shift this lovely post to the thread that will be started soon on the cars of Hyderabad's nobility? I thought if we put it all in one thread it will no doubt become rather big. What say? And thanks for the post, what a fine collection Julian. The streets of Hyderabad must have been such a delight in those days

[DKG]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

While on the subject here is a virgin original paint Dodge Kingsway from the royal stables, now in a private collection. Absolutely untouched, barring a Rolls Royce clock added on the dash, as "the nizam was used to seeing only this clock and no other"

Karlos thanks. BTW Azamjah's Caddy is also there in that collection, we need to have a picture of that car here too. For those not familiar this Dodge was used most extensively by the seventh Nizam post independence. There were a couple of these Dodges bought simultaneously for use by different members of the family and one other car survives.

My father distinctly remembers the seventh Nizam while seated at the rear had a quaint (rather stylish) way of acknowledging salutes as the car drove by. His hand rested on the window sill and simpy would raise a finger in acknowledgement. People had come to accept this as his acknowledgement

Here's a lovely Jaguar which once was owned by Prince Azamjah. Azamjah was the patron sponsor of the riding club and my father used to ride regularly in the grounds in front of the club, now the JNTU college. He remembers Azamjah coming to the grounds either in his Bentley or this Jaguar which originally was a dark green with a polo playing horseman for a mascot and sit for a while watching the riders.

The car was gifted to his ADC later and passed through a few hands before my friend Ajit bought and restored the car in Chennai. It has since been sold and is in Jaipur from what I gather. It had however lost its polo mascot







Here we see the seventh Nizam stepping out of what could be a Humber Pullman Limousine which apparently was used extensively by him

[Stanher]

The humber pic. reminds me- when Deccan Chronicle celebrated its 50th year in 1996-97 there was an author of one of the coloumns named Narendra Luther who'd mentioned he'd bought a 40s(?) Humber Hawk in the 60s, only to realise tat it originally belonged to tjhe Nizam.
Anyone got more news on this car as well?

[V-16]

Originally Posted by DKG

I'm making arrangements for Singh is Kinng to view the collection soon

God bless you, (and once again) God bless you Deepak.
That will be a dream come true.

This thread has not ceased to impress me with every post. So much is known of the Hyderabad royalty in other fields but their interest in everything beautiful astounds me. I can imagine what a man/men he/they might have been.

Thanks for all the lovely information and pics guys

Deepak im looking forward to it.

[iraghava]

Deepak ji that is a fantastic treat for us car lovers! Lovely work there with the oldies & looking forward to visiting the museum someday! Cheers & keep up the good work!

[karlosdeville]

Some comments and a lovely photo from Harit.

I have just seen this thread, could not write earlier as I was tied up. To justify me adding my 2 bits, I am attaching one of 2 pics I have concerning a Nizam and his Rolls. Hope you like. The other pic shows the car from the front. Someone can tell which Nizam this is and Julian I am sure would come up with the identity of the car, if it is not already among the pics of Hyderabad Roll's he has put up.
As far as Deepakbhai is concerned, he has done great service to shift the cars and now they are there for all to see. Great work, and that too he not being their owner.
Now, I think that it would be a good idea to think of - what next? The cars are being displayed I believe in a compound of a Nizam family palace. First, I would put up a box near the cars asking for voluntary contributions to restore these cars. Then, there should be some entry fees and some fees for photography. When a reasonable amount is collected, all cars should get tyres. Thereafter they should be sympathetically restored. The Rolls may be having original upholstry, but it is shredded and torn. No need to preserve the old upholstry in the car in its present torn state. It should be removed and preserved, and then copied. In Korea the royal family had old cars, one was a pre 1912 Daimler, which was restored in the UK. Because these cars were presents to the royal family, they only sent the coachwork to UK and restored the car including recreating the upholstry to the original pattern, style, colour and material. This could be done for these cars at the last stage. Who should restore and how it is to be done will have to be considered, but start somewhere perhaps with the wheels and tyres. Suddenly the cars will look a little bit alive.
I believe that there are still some Nizam and his relatives cars in Hyderabad collections. Perhaps these could be housed on a loan basis to the collection so that there are more cars collected. I remember seeing another early fifties Packard in Hyderabad which I was told was at one time also from the Nizam's stable.
I have a photograph of a convertible pre war Humber being driven in Hyderabad with Nehru standing in it, in a sort of parade on an open road. There is no registration number, on the plate it says 'Hyderabad'. This was probably after the police action. And the car probably was a Nizam?Hyderabad car.
Deepakbhai mentioned about a possible attempt to sell some of these cars. The first time I ever heard of a car being quoted at 1Cr, it was this very Rolls. All was secretive, I was under the impression that there were 2 Ghosts in the Nizam collection. This was in the 1990's.

Harit

[DKG]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

Some comments and a lovely photo from Harit.

I don't think this pertains to any Nizam as a picture would date back only to the era of the sixth or seventh Nizam whom I would recognise instantly.

They seem to be either Persian or Turkish. Does the gentleman in the centre look a bit like Shah Reza Pahlvi of Iran. Possibly his father? No clue really

On the subject of restoration one can have two schools of thought. One is to restore them to their former glory like when they were delivered new. No doubt it would make a stunning display.

The other school of thought is these cars are in a time warp, what with their aged, weathered look. But they are truly in an untouched state. Moreso they also represent the care taken by the family to hold these cars for so long despite disuse. Says a lot about the family. Considering that, they are in a remarkable condition.

My approach to these cars has been very simple. As is, to me, they are a spectacular exhibit. I am glad I was able to convince the estate that they are not really compromising the museum by displaying the cars as is. They were initially reluctant to do so. I am deeply happy that they chose to proceed to display them as is and open the exhibit. This is the right thing to do.

In time, as the museum generates funds, slowly one car at a time can be restored. Infact I would make the restoration process an exhibit in itself so visitors can enjoy seeing the cars come alive. That is my vision for these precious beauties, and I hope I am successful in prevailing on the estate.

As for me, personally, I like them as they are. I have asked for the upholstery to be tagged so it doesn't hang loose from the domed roof, but beyond that it really doesn't matter. I am also very clear that only an expert must be entrusted with the restoration and no compromise made during restoration.

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by DKG

Karlos thanks. BTW Azamjah's Caddy is also there in that collection, we need to have a picture of that car here too.

I assume this is the car?





Correct me if Im wrong, but I think this Chevy too had a connection.