Stanley Paine (British, B. 1934) "Rolls Royce Silver Ghost" Signed lower right. Original Oil painting on Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the Great Britain 29p Silver Ghost & Silver Spirit Rolls-Royce stamp issued October 13, 1982. The Rolls-Royce Company, founded in 1904, early the first name in luxurious motorcars. Cars like the Silver Ghost helped earn this reputation for its manufacturer. The Silver Ghost 40/50 model was introduced just three years after the Rolls-Royce Company opened its doors and within ten years had deservedly gained a reputation for being the finest car in the world. Of the first thirty-six Silver Ghosts made, no fewer than eight went to the United States. This excellent motorcar was hand-built to the highest possible standard of mechanical perfection and craftsmanship. Roll-Royce the running chassis and a specialist coachbuilder of the customer's choice was then engaged to create the body to the required specifications. Thus, no two Silver Ghosts were ever exactly alike. The Silver Ghost depicted in the painting is the 1908 model with Roi des Belges coachwork by Barker of London. Near the turn of the century, the Silver Ghost set standards of unsurpassed reliability and excellence both for its own day ... and for many years to come. For example, in 1907 a Silver Ghost traveled fifteen thousand miles nonstop between Glasgow and London, nearly doubling the then world reliability record. In commemoration of this historic drive, the same car -- now with a recorded mileage of over half a million miles -- once again made the journey from Glasgow to London in 1982. Indeed, the Silver Ghost was fit as a fiddle and built to last. Image Size: 6 x 7 in. Overall Size: 11.75 x 13 in. Unframed. (B07693) See More