Pioneering Brass Era 1904 Mercedes-Simplex Leads Early Consignments for RM Sotheby’s Monterey Auction

THE CELEBRATED VETERAN MODEL IS OFFERED FROM THE LONG-TERM CARE OF THE OWLS HEAD TRANSPORTATION MUSEUM

• An exceptionally rare 1904 Mercedes-Simplex 40/50hp Rear-Entrance Tonneau has been consigned for RM Sotheby’s flagship Monterey auction, which takes place at The Portola Hotel on August 14-15
• The pioneering Brass Era vehicle is one of only a handful of surviving examples and represents the pinnacle of period automotive technology and engineering
• The Mercedes-Simplex will be offered in Monterey following more than four decades in the care of the world renowned Owls Head Transportation Museum in Maine
• It is expected to fetch between $5,000,000 – $6,000,000
• Prior to auction, the Mercedes-Simplex will go on display at ModaMiami from February 28-March 1
• More information is available at rmsothebys.com

ONTARIO, CANADA – March 2, 2026 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – One of the most celebrated and collectible early motoring pioneers ever created has been consigned to RM Sotheby’s upcoming Monterey auction, which makes its return to The Portola Hotel from August 14-15 2026. An icon of the Brass Era and one of the most technologically advanced cars of the period, the 1904 Mercedes-Simplex 40/50hp Rear-Entrance Tonneau will also play a starring role at ModaMiami, where it will be on display from 28 February-1 March as part of the Origin Stories concours class.

Costing upwards of $7,500 when it first launched—almost 10 times the price of a contemporary Cadillac—the Mercedes-Simplex represented the pinnacle of luxury motoring in 1904 and quickly found favor with both royalty and wealthy industrialists. Among the early exponents of the model was racing pioneer and founder of the Vanderbilt Cup, Willie K. Vanderbilt, whose 19-year-old daughter Gladys Vanderbilt sensationally drove a Mercedes-Simplex along Bellevue Avenue in Newport Rhode Island in period.

The example offered—chassis 2626—was originally destined for C.L. Charley in Paris, but instead made the journey to New York via the firm’s sole US representative, importer Allen, Halle & Co. The car was later acquired by businessman, diplomat, and philanthropist Tom Watson Jr, son of IBM Corporation founder, Tom Watson Sr. The collector served as both IBM President and United States Ambassador to the Soviet Union, and would go on to donate the Mercedes-Simplex to the newly founded Owls Head Transportation Museum in Maine in around 1980. Watson was a driving force in the establishment of the museum, alongside James Rockefeller.

This truly spectacular Edwardian jewel remained in the care of the museum for almost half a  century, during which time it was exercised regularly and shared with the public at every opportunity, including entry to the 2022 Greenwich Concours d’Elegance where it was given the highly coveted Speed & Style Award. Among the most sought-after and celebrated Brass Era automobiles, it is expected to fetch between $5,000,000 and $6,000,000 when it crosses the auction block in Monterey on August 14-15.

Proceeds from the sale will benefit the museum’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathmatics) education program, which aims to encourage the next generation of automotive and aviation enthusiasts. By teaching the principals of innovation from the past with the possibilities of the future, students are prepared to lead, innovate, and thrive as they enter meaningful tech-based careers. Through interactive exhibits, live demonstrations, and a variety of STEM programs, learners are encouraged to ask questions, experiment, and think critically, generating a passion for physics and engineering. In 2025 alone, over 20,000 Maine youths took part in museum led programs.

The museum’s new Science and Industry Center is a powerful expression of the

commitment to hands-on, immersive, discovery-based learning designed to reach ages pre-kindergarten to young adult. This 14,000 sq ft center offers classrooms, interactive exhibits, a fabrication lab, and a demonstration theater with digital outreach capable of touching unlimited audiences. Within a three-acre indoor facility, centrered on a beautiful 100-acre plot, is showcased the museum’s incredible operating collection consisting of historic aircraft, automobiles, and engines significant to the evolution of transportation.

Continued expansion will allow the museum to interact directly with industry partners in a way that will help prepare the next generation work force to meet the demands of the

future. Thus, illustrating the Owls Head Transportation Museum’s belief that preserving

history and advancing education go hand in hand.

“In the world of Veteran automobiles, there are none better than those produced by Mercedes,” says RM Sotheyb’s Malcolm Barber. “Technologically advanced and engineered to perfection, they were—and still remain—the most accomplished motorcars of the period. This highly original and beautifully preserved 1904 Mercedes-Simplex 40/50hp Rear-Entrance Tonneau is among the best of its type and presents a vanishingly rare opportunity to acquire a true automotive icon. Offered directly from one of the most prestigious museums in North America, it is a fitting tribute to ‘King of Designers’ Wilhelm Maybach that the proceeds from the sale of this car will be used to encourage more young people into STEM occupations. We are immensely proud to have been entrusted with the sale of this highly significant and storied automobile.”

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About RM Sotheby’s

RM Sotheby’s is the world’s largest collector car auction house by total sales. With over 40 years of proven results in the collector car industry, RM’s vertically integrated range of services, from auctions (live and online) and private sales to estate planning and financial services, coupled with an expert team of Car Specialists and an international footprint, provide an unsurpassed level of service to the global collector car market. RM Sotheby’s is currently responsible for six of the top ten most valuable motor cars ever sold at auction.

Source: RM Sotheby’s

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