A 1961 Land Rover Series II 88-inch Hardtop Chassis once owned by iconic American playwright Arthur Miller is to be auctioned off by Bonhams without reserve on January 24, 2025.
The vehicle was owned by the Pulitzer prize-winning Miller for over 40 years and has been in the posession of the family since Miller’s death on February 10, 2005.
The first thing anyone should know about the vehicle is that they won’t channel any of the vibes of Miller’s most celebrated works like “Death of a Salesman” (1949) “View from the bridge” (1955) or “The Crucible” (1953) by riding in it, all of which were published before this Land Rover was produced.
What they will get is a car purchased by Miller directly from the Solihull factory in 1961. Miller and his wife Marilyn Monroe divorced in 1961, so we don’t know if Ms. Monroe ever drove it or rode in it. Ms. Monroe died on August 4, 1962.
The car is listed as left-hand drive, 88 inches straight off the line and is used daily at Miller’s estate in Roxbury, Connecticut. Given its off-road strengths, it probably used to roam the area’s farmlands, back roads, and forests. It has a four-speed manual transmission. New, the car costs $2,850. How much was a gallon of fuel worth in 1961? 29 cents.
Another compelling aspect of the car is its complete lack of restoration. Of course, most celebrity car auctions don’t leave a fingerprint on the steering wheel or a puff of steam on the windshield.
Miller’s Land Rover is visibly worn and worn, full of dents and scratches and all the marks of a life well lived, materially of course. Whoever wins the auction will have a big recovery to look forward to unless they leave it as is: a piece of history belonging to one of the most notable writers of the 20th century.
Keys to Arthur Miller’s 1961 Series II Land Rover
Bonhams says: “Given its unique backstory and connection to Arthur Miller and Marilyn Monroe, it is expected to attract significant attention from vintage car enthusiasts and history buffs alike. “
The original Land Rover, like so many post-war all-wheel-drive vehicles, was inspired by the success of the Willies Jeep, which was the first vehicle I ever drove, sitting on my Pop’s lap. The Land Rover launched at the 1948 Amsterdam Auto Show and has been in production ever since. Miller’s Land Rover housed a 1595-cc inline four-cylinder engine.
Arthur Miller’s 1961 Land Rover Series II
The Land Rover Series II was introduced in 1958, with a new 2.2-liter four and a slightly wider track. A diesel also became available.
One Community. Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts.
Our network aims to connect others through open and thoughtful conversations. We need our readers to share their perspectives and exchange ideas and facts in one space.
In order to do so, please follow the posting rules in our site’s Terms of Service. We’ve summarized some of those key rules below. Simply put, keep it civil.
Your message will be rejected if we realize that it seems to contain:
User accounts will be locked if we become aware that users are engaging in:
So how can you be a user?
Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Please read the full list of posting rules found in our site’s Terms of Service.