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-   -   How rich were the Maharajas before Independence! Cars of the Maharajas (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/pre-war/2653-how-rich-were-maharajas-before-independence-cars-maharajas-61.html)

Thanks for saving me the hunt this morning! Knew I had seen something similar before, did not have a clue where.

Thanks to KPS and Manvendra Barwani:

I have no knowledge of this particular car but it could have been from perhaps 1912 to late 1914 - it is difficult precisely to date cars having specialist bodies of this period but I can confirm it is a 45hp model.

A Jammu & Kashmir DeSoto at the Banihal Tunnel, 1956

courtesy: GoI Photo Division

Looks like "Doc" has been invited to the Salon Prive in London - with RR PI 53TC (Cooch Behar) and the Delage D8 (Holkar)

"Fit for A King" Class

http://www.salonprivelondon.com/pres...0-delage-d8-s/

http://www.salonprivelondon.com/2014-entrants/page/4/

The Prince of Wales' Crossley at Bharatpur, 1921

courtesy: Gallica

Mohsin has documented pretty well the restoration of the Bahawalpur Crossley Six Wheeler on his Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...7309732&type=1

An interesting image sent by a friend of mine. Looks like the Lanchester of Alwar ! But can be wrong - I can't seem to pin point the height of the original cars rear seat to compare with the image of the Royalty.

Cheers

Kasli,

Could it be a Hispano Suiza and not the Lanchester? From the photos I've seen on the forum, the Lanchester doesn't seem to have the curved chrome arrow-head type of trim on the front fenders-this car has those trims, very much like the Alwar Hispano's, though the height of the passengers is quite raised.

Regards

Prithvi

A lineup of Miraj vehicles, courtesy the Heritage Transport Museum



Can they be identified?

In a way you could be right as I do remember one of the Hispano's have an ornamental fender - Alwar 4 ( image attached ) but if you look closely the length of the grill and the particular Badge on it - is circular and not winged like it should be ! Lanchester

I know, I can't see the Hispano "wings" either but didn't the Lanchester have Grebel headlamps? This car doesn't seem to have such lamps. Plus, the height of the windscreen indicates to me that it was a more sporty car-perhaps like 2 other Hispano's that were also part of the Alwar fleet at some point of time such as the ones of which photos are attached (pics from the forum itself). If you're thinking theres no way the person can be at such a height in a 2 seater sports coupe, perhaps they were standing on the rumble seat:D

But Royalty thrived on whims and fancies-who knows, maybe it is the Lanchester but the Grebels were replaced along with the temporary addition of fender chrome trim for a special occasion.

Hang on, all this while I thought that that the people were standing in the car-just realised that it's highly unlikely they would have achieved such a height from the car seats-I can vaguely make out a decorated swan head-probably a raised platform with a throne for the royal.

Maharaja Jay Singh of Alwar died in exile in Paris. There are written accounts that his body was brought back and paraded in a car in Alwar, prior to cremation. So this could be a picture of the funeral procession.

The car in Kasli's picture, I believe is the Kellner coupe - the same car that was at Pebble Beach, 2012. A period colour picture is attached.

The bumper is different from Kasli's picture - but that could have been easily changed.

Oops, I forgot to attach the photos, one of which was the Kellner coupe that you mentioned! You must be right, the sunken eyes (quite macabre if you ask me) of the person may indicate that he was being paraded after his death (tradition maybe but one which I think was most morbid).

Not sure if this has been posted before. Found these pics of Maharani Gayatri Devi posing with a Jaguar XK and a Bentley (?).

Source : http://jyoti-kothari.hubpages.com/hu...lry-Show-2009#

The link also shows a rare footage of Maharaja Sawai Mansingh's marriage.