1909 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Roi des Belges “The Silver Fairy”
This 1909 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost, nicknamed “The Silver Fairy,” has quite a rich backstory. Originally owned by John Henry Thomas, a photographer and botanist, it was delivered to him on August 4, 1909.
Thomas had the car customized with a shorter, 134 1⁄2-inch wheelbase chassis, giving it sportier proportions compared to the standard configuration. The body, a handsome Roi des Belges, was fitted by London coachbuilders Barker in their signature elegant yet close-coupled style.
In 1911, the Silver Fairy underwent a rebodying under Thomas’s ownership. He retained the car for over 300,000 miles of use until trading it in 1924 for a new Silver Ghost model. A testament to the quality and endurance of these vehicles.
The car was eventually purchased in November 1958 by Joe Loecy, a Rolls-Royce collector in Cleveland, Ohio. He imported the car and painstakingly restored it himself, fitting a duplicate Barker Roi des Belges body. The Loecy family maintained the Silver Fairy for over 40 years, winning First in Class at a national meet in 2002, before it was acquired by a prominent Silver Ghost collector in 2004.
Under this new ownership, renowned marque expert Steve Littin performed a comprehensive mechanical and cosmetic restoration, respecting and retaining all original components. The gleaming cream and gray color scheme, supple leather interior, and abundant wood furnishings give the Silver Fairy an aura of understated yet substantial elegance. Period details abound, like Lucas gas lamps, a Cobra horn, mounted toolbox and rich carpets.
Since the restoration, the Silver Fairy has collected various honors, including Best in Class at Pebble Beach in 2007. Maintained in excellent mechanical condition, it remains a supremely drivable pioneer motorcar, ready to provide its next custodian with a direct connection to the early days of the automotive arts. Truly the stuff of legend.
Credit: RM Sotheby’s
