The Atwood Private Collection is Coming to Arizona

Dr. Barbara Mae Atwood, who passed away at 87 years old in Illinois earlier this year, was passionate about collecting and restoring cars. She has been described as an intensely private person and her collection was considered by many as a hidden treasure trove of automotive wonders that received an enviable string of awards and honors at shows, including six Pebble Beach wins in eight years.

Barbara Atwood’s love of the automobile was influenced by her father, Seth Atwood who solved the problem of rattling car doors in 1915 by inventing the adjustable door bumper. Young Barbara was delighted every time she saw the family name on the hinge of a car door.

Graduating from Stanford University, Atwood went on to receive a Masters Degree in Theology and a PhD in psychology from Cornell. Although Dr. Atwood was a practicing psychologist in Illinois, her grace and beauty lead her to a brief career as a fashion model for Vogue magazine. Considering her love of cars, she must have been pleased to appear in an advertisement for Hudson in the March 1948 issue.

Although we have lost this avid collector, her legacy can live on in the hands of like minded individuals. RM Auctions has been chosen to present a selection of automobiles from the Collection at their Automobiles of Arizona auction event at the very luxurious Biltmore Resort and Spa January 16th, 2009 in Phoenix, Arizona. This, in our opinion, is the perfect setting to celebrate a lifetime of meticulous collecting by the late Dr. Atwood, featuring a magnificent selection of pre-war American cars, each representing the epitome of motoring luxury for their respective marques.

Of the twenty four Atwood cars that will go under the hammer at RM's Arizona event, that collectively are estimated to sell for over $4 million, we will be paying special attention to the:

1929 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Coupe by Fleetwood

1929 Graham-Paige Supercharged Dual Cowl Sport Phaeton

1937 Lincoln Convertible Victoria by Brunn

1933 Marmon Sixteen Convertible Sedan

1932 Stutz DV-32 Super Bearcat by Weymann

You can view the complete Atwood Private Collection on RM’s website.

Photo © RM Auctions