Beschreibung:

SIR MALCOLM CAMPBELL'S BLUEBIRD A LARGE PAINTED WOOD AND IRON BOUND ENGINEER'S CHEST, THE BLUEBIRD NO.1 The front of the chest titled 'SIR MALCOLM CAMPBELL' 'NO.1' and 'Geneva' 'Switzerland' The hinged top opening to a removable timber tray to reveal further storage. The underside of the 'lid' of the chest bears chalk inscribed numbers or calculations, strongly suggesting that this relates directly to calculations regarding one of the speed record attempts. 83cm high, 152cm wide, 69cm deep It seems highly likely that the multi-layered blue paint on the chest paint reflects the changing of the colour of Campbell's Bluebird vehicles over time. It also appears clear that the chest was used before he was knighted as the title 'SIR' appears to have been added, therefore dating the chest originally to Campbell's earlier speed records. Sir Malcolm Campbell was Knighted at Buckingham Palace by King George V on 21st February 1931. This followed his return from Daytona Beach where he set a land speed record of 245.736 mph. It is highly interesting and possibly significant to note that the underside of the 'lid' of the chest bears chalk inscribed numbers or calculations, strongly suggesting that this relates directly to calculations regarding one of the speed record attempts. Provenance: In the possession of Sir Malcolm Campbell's mechanic, Leo Villa. Leopoldo Alfonso Villa was a key part in nine land and four water world speed record attempts. Following Sir Malcolm Campbell's passing, Villa found himself continuing to be chief mechanic, but to the many record attempts of Sir Malcolm's son Donald. Purchased by Drew Pritchard in 2015. SIR MALCOM CAMPBELL AND THE 'BLUEBIRD' LAND AND WATER SPEED RECORDS Sir Malcolm Campbell's cars and boats, all named 'Blue Bird' are some of the most famous record setting vehicles of all time. Malcolm Campbell developed a passion for speed early in life, and by 1912 adopted the name 'Blue Bird' after seeing a stage play of the same name, he considered this to be a lucky name, and thereafter all of his race cars and boats (and an aeroplane) were painted blue and named 'Blue Bird'. Between 1928 and 1935 six new land speed records were established by Campbell in the United States at Daytona Beach, Florida and the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. The second 'Blue Bird' car was first constructed in 1926, and established a new land speed record of 174.883 mph at Pendine Sands in South Wales. In 1928, Campbell drove the second 'Blue Bird' to set the record at Daytona of 206.956 mph on February 19, 1928. Between 1931 and 1933 Campbell established three more land speed records there, ranging from 246.09 mph to 272.46 mph. The last record to be set by Campbell at Daytona was 276.82 mph in 1935. For these runs, 'Blue Bird' was powered by a supercharged Napier aircraft engine. Campbell's next goal was to set a 300 mph land speed record and chose the Bonneville Salt Flats for the location of his final land speed record attempt. The 'Blue Bird' was again modified, with a resulting weight of almost five tons and a length of over twenty-eight feet. It was fitted with a Rolls Royce R-type 2500 horsepower engine, which had an estimated life span of three minutes at top speed. On September 3, 1935, Sir Malcolm Campbell, at fifty year of age, piloted the last 'Blue Bird' and set a land speed record of 301.13 mph at Bonneville. Campbell never again raced on land, instead turning his attention to setting World Water Speed records. The Rolls Royce R-type engine from the second car was ultimately used in more than one of the 'Blue Bird' boats which set several World Water Speed records in the late 1930s. Sir Malcolm Campbell died on New Year's Eve, 1948, and the racing tradition was continued by some members of his family. His son, Donald Campbell, became the first person to establish both Land and Water Speed records in the same year (1964). Campbell's granddaughter, Gina, achieved success in offshore powerboat racing