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A Bentley Mk VI Graber from 1947 and its mysterious metamorphoses

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Created on January 26, 2013

Reading time 5min

Written by:

Bruno von Rotz

Photos:

Bonhams

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Bonhams

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Bentley Mk VI Graber Convertible (1947) - als Lot 536 angeboten an der Bonhams Grand Palais Versteigerung in Paris am 7. Februar 2013

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Bentley Mk VI (1948) - mit elegantem Franay-Cabriolet Aufbau - gezeigt auf dem Pariser Autosalon im Oktober 1948

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Bentley Mk VI Graber (1947) - von Graber karossierter Bentley im Stil der Zeit - so könnte auch B138 BH ausgesehen haben

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Bentley Mark VI Graber (1951) - die Karosserieausprägung weist bereits in Richtung Pontonform - mit sechs Zylindern und 4566 ccm

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Bentley Mk VI Graber (1950) - stilvolle Präsentation der Arbeit von Hermann Graber

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Bentley Continental Graber (1955) - die typische Graber-Linie der Mitfünfzigerjahre - schlicht, elegant und formschön

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Hermann Graber, vermutlich in den Fünfzigerjahren aufgenommen

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Summary

Fifty years ago and more, it was good manners to have an individual body built on a prominent chassis. This is how a Bentley Mk VI with a Graber body was created, although it has an unusual history. In fact, the Bentley Mk VI chassis was bodied not once, but twice. This report traces the history of the 1947 Bentley Mk IV, which will be auctioned in Paris in February 2013, and illustrates it with historical and current pictures.

This article contains the following chapters

The Bentley Mk VI chassis B138BH
Pontoon or traditional?
Graber for the second time
Always in the same possession

Estimated reading time: 5min

Preview (beginning of the article)

Whereas at the beginning of the 20th century it was still common to buy a chassis and then go to the coachbuilder of choice and have a body built there, the 1930s saw the introduction of standard bodies, which usually consisted of pressed sheet steel parts that were welded together. However, those who could afford it continued the tradition of bodies individually constructed by a coachbuilder. The advent of the self-supporting body in the fifties and sixties finally put an end to most coachbuilders. However, their illustrious names - e.g. Franay, Figoni & Falaschi, Saoutchik, Chapron, Wendler, Rometsch, Reutter, Mulliner Park Ward, Pinin Farina, Frua, Touring, Tüscher, Worblaufen, Graber - are still fondly remembered today and the vehicles they have fitted are considered special.

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