Amelia Island Concours D' Elegance

Amelia Island Concours D' Elegance is one of the prestigious concours in the world. Held each year in March, at the Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island and The Golf Course of Amelia Island at Summer beach, Florida. The show attracts a prestigious car collection and a huge crowd each year.

This year the competition was so tough that two cars were awarded Best of Show Award,  a 1933 Duesenberg SJN Arlington Torpedo Sedan and a 1935 Duesenberg SJ Speedster.

1905 Buick Model C

1908 Mercedes Benz Brooklands Race Car

1910 Pierce Arrow

1912 Simplex 50

1926 Bentley

1931 mercedes Benz 370S Manheim Sport

1937 Bugatti 57SC Atalante

1942 Lincoln Continental Cabriolet

1949 Alfa Romeo Super Sport Cabriolet

1964 Porsche Carrera

1965 mercedes Benz 600 Pullman Landaulet (Ex Pope's car)

1966 Lamborghini 350GT

1972 Mercedes Benz 600 Pullman (Ex Hugh Hefner Car)

Interior of Hugh Hefner Mercedes 600 Pullman

1961 Maserati 3500GT Fura Coupe

A very rare Pininfarina's Mercedes 230SL

Pininfarina's Mercedes 230 SL back, note thin C pillars

1935 Mercedes Benz 500K Cabriolet A

Best of Show,1933Duesenberg SJN Arlington Torpedo Sedan

Best of Show, 1935 Duesenberg SJ Speedster

Picture credits: google, mercedes heritage, supercars.net etc.

Malibu Cool

April Architectural Digest has featured antiques dealer Richard Shapiro's Malibu house. From frescoed walls, antique fireplaces to sedate views of Pacific, it is all mesmerizing. Though it is new construction on old footprint, it looks as if it has stood there for ages.

With high ceilings and tall windows, the house is open, airy and full of light. Here 4th century Roman torso, 17th century Italian walnut door,18th century French chairs, antique fireplace from Cypress and textiles from Iran and Turkey all feel at home.

The living room with antique fireplace from Cypress

4th century Roman torso

A daybed in the library

A French chair and Spanish desk in Library

Sleek kitchen with basalt Island and countertops

Dining room 

Bedroom with frescoed walls

Master bath with minimalist tub

Credits: architectural digest

Tea Caddies

Tea and tea caddies came from China, where tea has been used for centuries. The earliest examples were mostly made of porcelain and in the shape of ginger jars. Later the tea caddies were made of wood, copper, silver, brass and tortoise shell. Wooden caddies were made with  multiple sections to keep various varieties of tea and usually the center section for sugar.

Once tea became cheaper, the caddies got abandoned and replaced by cardboard boxes. Tea caddies have become collectable and used for decorative purposes only. I think it is elegant to store your tea in a caddy. If you have one, try storing your Darjeeling or apple ginger tea bags in them.

Silver plate tea caddy

Sterling caddy

Silver caddy

Sterling caddy

Wood inlay caddy

3 sections with the middle one for sugar

Mother of pearl caddy

Picture credits: Google, yahoo etc.

Autobahn-Kurier

Mercedes Benz Autobahn Kurier were built in 1930s to be driven on the newly built autobahn system in Germany. The first prototype Autobahn Kurier was displayed in 1934, at Berlin Motor show. Jean Bugatti was so mesmerized by the Mercedes Autobahn Kurier that he rushed to Molsheim and designed Bugatti "Aerolithe" which was later called "Atlantic". 

The Autobahn Kurier were built on Mercedes 500K and 540K chassis at the Mercedes Benz Sindelfingen plant. The cars had a streamlined design, supercharged engines, independent suspension and could attain speeds exceeding 100mph. The exact number is a mystery but not too many of these were built. These were very expensive in 1930s and extremely expensive these days, if you can find one, be prepared to pay in 7 figures.

These are very beautiful cars, very advanced for their time, they are loved at Concours d'Elegance around the world. 

At Coppa d'Oro at the 2008 Villa d'Este Concorso d'Eleganza.

Streamlined back with rectangular exhaust pipe

5.4 litre 8 cylinder engine

Wood and mother of pearl dashboard

Detail of door and seat

Car came with it's own luggage

Mother of pearl instrument panel

Not too much space for luggage in the trunk

Picture credits: Google, Christian Wimmer, Paul Russel co. etc