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“King of Jazz” 1930 Duesenberg SJ Comes Out to Showcase Rollston Victoria Body

Paul Samuel “Pops” Whiteman was a 1920s and 1930s bandleader, composer, orchestra director, and producer who was so notorious he earned the nickname “King of Jazz” from the press of his time. So, isn’t it entirely appropriate for him to have once owned (from new) a Duesenberg Model J, one of the most luxurious and powerful cars at the time, and rightfully a darling of the celebrity world?
1930 Duesenberg Model SJ Rollston Convertible Victoria for sale by Mecum Auctions 35 photos
Photo: Mecum Auctions
1930 Duesenberg Model SJ Rollston Convertible Victoria for sale by Mecum Auctions1930 Duesenberg Model SJ Rollston Convertible Victoria for sale by Mecum Auctions1930 Duesenberg Model SJ Rollston Convertible Victoria for sale by Mecum Auctions1930 Duesenberg Model SJ Rollston Convertible Victoria for sale by Mecum Auctions1930 Duesenberg Model SJ Rollston Convertible Victoria for sale by Mecum Auctions1930 Duesenberg Model SJ Rollston Convertible Victoria for sale by Mecum Auctions1930 Duesenberg Model SJ Rollston Convertible Victoria for sale by Mecum Auctions1930 Duesenberg Model SJ Rollston Convertible Victoria for sale by Mecum Auctions1930 Duesenberg Model SJ Rollston Convertible Victoria for sale by Mecum Auctions1930 Duesenberg Model SJ Rollston Convertible Victoria for sale by Mecum Auctions1930 Duesenberg Model SJ Rollston Convertible Victoria for sale by Mecum Auctions1930 Duesenberg Model SJ Rollston Convertible Victoria for sale by Mecum Auctions1930 Duesenberg Model SJ Rollston Convertible Victoria for sale by Mecum Auctions1930 Duesenberg Model SJ Rollston Convertible Victoria for sale by Mecum Auctions1930 Duesenberg Model SJ Rollston Convertible Victoria for sale by Mecum Auctions1930 Duesenberg Model SJ Rollston Convertible Victoria for sale by Mecum Auctions1930 Duesenberg Model SJ Rollston Convertible Victoria for sale by Mecum Auctions1930 Duesenberg Model SJ Rollston Convertible Victoria for sale by Mecum Auctions1930 Duesenberg Model SJ Rollston Convertible Victoria for sale by Mecum Auctions1930 Duesenberg Model SJ Rollston Convertible Victoria for sale by Mecum Auctions1930 Duesenberg Model SJ Rollston Convertible Victoria for sale by Mecum Auctions1930 Duesenberg Model SJ Rollston Convertible Victoria for sale by Mecum Auctions1930 Duesenberg Model SJ Rollston Convertible Victoria for sale by Mecum Auctions1930 Duesenberg Model SJ Rollston Convertible Victoria for sale by Mecum Auctions1930 Duesenberg Model SJ Rollston Convertible Victoria for sale by Mecum Auctions1930 Duesenberg Model SJ Rollston Convertible Victoria for sale by Mecum Auctions1930 Duesenberg Model SJ Rollston Convertible Victoria for sale by Mecum Auctions1930 Duesenberg Model SJ Rollston Convertible Victoria for sale by Mecum Auctions1930 Duesenberg Model SJ Rollston Convertible Victoria for sale by Mecum Auctions1930 Duesenberg Model SJ Rollston Convertible Victoria for sale by Mecum Auctions1930 Duesenberg Model SJ Rollston Convertible Victoria for sale by Mecum Auctions1930 Duesenberg Model SJ Rollston Convertible Victoria for sale by Mecum Auctions1930 Duesenberg Model SJ Rollston Convertible Victoria for sale by Mecum Auctions1930 Duesenberg Model SJ Rollston Convertible Victoria for sale by Mecum Auctions
E.L. Cord’s notorious task for Duesenberg Inc. chief of engineering Fred Duesenberg when he came in charge of the company in 1926 was for him to design “the best car America had ever seen.” According to Mecum Auctions, that dream became reality in 1928 with the introduction of the Model J.

Of course, they may be a little biased since their upcoming Indiana State Fairgrounds Indy 2021 (May 14th through 22nd) event includes a couple of outstanding examples from the series. One of them is this Duesenberg Model SJ Rollston Quarter-Window Convertible Victoria, a car that’s entirely appropriate for its reputation as a celebrity car.

After all, it was purchased from new by none other than Paul Whiteman, the legendary “King of Jazz” bandleader of the 1920s and 1930s as a short-wheelbase (but still huge at 143.5 in/364 cm) example with chassis number 2293 and engine marker J-272. He originally acquired the luxury ride with a LeBaron Barrelside Phaeton body, but the two soon parted ways, and in 1932, it was sold to one G. Tucker Smith.

The new owner decided in 1935 to refurbish the SJ with an exquisite Rudy Creteur-designed Rollston body in a very reminiscent of the bygone era Quarter-Window Convertible Victoria. It’s incredibly impressive to this very day with its maroon-over-maroon styling and mind-blowing attention to details.

An older concours-level restoration is noted by the consigner, and highlights include things such as the matching top or the six “chrome-plated 19-inch steel-spoke wheels” created by the Wire Wheel Corporation of Buffalo, New York.

As with any other Duesenberg, another major attraction point sits under the extremely long hood. It’s the company’s green/chrome/bronze 420ci (6.9L) straight-eight engine packing a vertical centrifugal supercharger to churn out no less than 320 horsepower.

All ponies were sent to the rear wheels through a three-speed manual transmission, and we can only imagine the guts one needed to have to hammer the throttle to the floor knowing that stopping power is provided by 4-wheel hydraulic drum brakes.

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About the author: Aurel Niculescu
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Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution.
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