Established | 1971 |
---|---|
Location | Sylmar, California, U.S. |
Coordinates | 34°18′24″N118°27′49″W / 34.30667°N 118.46361°W |
Type | Automotive museum Music museum |
Collection size | 250+ automobiles |
Founder | J.B. Nethercutt |
Owner | Nethercutt-Richards family |
Website | www |
TheNethercutt Collection is a multi-storied museum and car collection complex located in Sylmar, California. It was founded by J.B. Nethercutt in 1971 and its centerpiece is the prestigious automobile collection of the Nethercutt-Richards family that contains over 250 cars, nearly all of which J.B. originally collected and owned. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest car museums in the world. §
From 1971 to 1994, the collection's San Sylmar penthouse tower was one of J.B. Nethercutt's private estates, serving dual purpose of a museum when he wasn't there, in which it was one of the largest houses in the United States at 60,000 square feet (5,600 m2). [1] [2] In 2000, the collection expanded with The Nethercutt Museum, a 40,000 square feet (3,700 m2) self-guided museum building.
The museum also houses collections of mechanical musical instruments, including orchestrions, player pianos, music boxes, antique furniture, watches, and an automotive research library. [3] Another rare piece in the collection is the Canadian Pacific Railway's famous Royal Hudson steam locomotive No. 2839 built in 1937. The semi-streamlined Royal Hudson steam locomotive is one of four that survive today. [4] [5]
The Nethercutt Collection is considered as one of the greatest teams of all time in Concours d'Elegance competitions and car shows with its world-class restoration and detailing shop, holding the most Concours titles of any competitor worldwide including a record six Best of Show victories at Pebble Beach. [6]
In 1956 J.B. Nethercutt (1913–2004), the co-founder of Merle Norman Cosmetics, purchased two cars: a 1936 Duesenberg Convertible Roadster and a 1930 DuPont Town Car, needing refurbishing. The DuPont restoration, which Nethercutt thought would take a few weeks, instead took 18 months and over $65,000. By 1958, his rebuilt project claimed its first prize — the coveted “Best of Show” award at the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in California. Over the next decade he would purchase several other antique automobiles and restore them. [7]
In the late 1960s Nethercutt ascended to CEO and Chairman of Merle Norman Cosmetics and purchased several acres of land in Sylmar, Los Angeles to develop a warehouse for his growing car collection and connect it to a new Merle Norman manufacturing plant. Instead of a warehouse, he decided to develop a personal six floor, ten-story-tall Art Deco penthouse palace that will serve duel-purpose as a free of charge museum when he was not living there, and in 1971 the San Sylmar tower estate was constructed. [8]
The first two stories of the tower; the Lower and Grand Salon, featured most of J.B.'s vehicle collections, with a closed off 30,000 square-foot car workshop being connected to the Lower Salon. The Grand Salon features the most expensive vehicles and was architecturally inspired by a mix of 1920s-30s New York City luxury car showrooms, grand ballrooms and opulent theatres. [9] The vehicles in the Grand Salon alone are worth over US$100 million. [10] The third story features an awards room, a vast collection of hood ornaments, and a cafeteria for the Collection's employees. [11] The fourth story consists of a 10,000 square foot music room with several large antique music boxes and player pianos, with a massive Wurlitzer theatre organ in the centerpiece of the room.
The fourth floor also features a Louis XV-styled dining room and a large private kitchen that J.B. used for private dinners with French personal chef Yvon Hunckler, who previously cooked for The Beverly Hills Hotel, Grand Hotel Birmingham, and Hôtel de Paris in Monaco. [12] Yvon would author a series of luxury cookbooks titled Dining at San Sylmar. [13]
The fifth floor has a theatre which includes a 24 karat gold proscenium arch next to a massive storage room of pianos and musical records. There was a sixth floor private penthouse that included a full balcony which J.B. used as his secondary residence that was closed off from tours. The penthouse included a rotating Rococo-style bedroom. [14] The 1994 Northridge earthquake structurally damaged the sixth floor penthouse which led to the floor's deconstruction, which is now an empty open-air floor surrounded by a steel wall.
The San Sylmar estate was one of the largest houses in the United States at 60,000 square feet (5,600 m2) and the entire Nethercutt Collection as a whole was 90,000 sq ft (8,400 m2) with the workshops. [8] [2]
In 2000 the Collection expanded and constructed a new 40,000 square foot display building directly across the street which was separately called the Nethercutt Museum. In comparison with the Collection which requires reserved guided tours, the newer Nethercutt Museum is openly self-guided. [15] The building also contains the Nethercutt Automotive Research Library and Archive, which is considered one of the greatest in the world. [16] [17] Outside of the Museum contains a CPR steam locomotive Royal Hudson No. 2839 is presented together with a 1912 Pullman private car. [18]
After J.B. Nethercutt's death in 2004, the collection was handed down to Jack Nethercutt II and Helen Richards-Nethercutt. [19] The collection had a budget of around $2.5 million a year. [20] In 2011 OPI Products and Merle Norman Cosmetics styled its "Hussy" perfume and lipstick line after the Collection's distinctively red "Hussy" 1934 Packard LeBaron Sport Phaeton, which is nicknamed after John Hussey. [21] [22] From 2020 to 2021 the collection was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [23] In 2022 the museum underwent major cosmetic renovations, including a new logo wordmark. [24]
The Nethercutt Collection has over 250 prestigious, antique, and exotic vehicles from American and European origin, notably including from Aston Martin, Austin-Healey, Bentley, Bugatti, Cadillac, Duesenberg, Ferrari, Lincoln, Maybach, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Rolls-Royce and others. [25] Several vehicles in the Collection were formerly owned by politicians and celebrities such as Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah, Marjorie Merriweather Post, Fatty Arbuckle, Tim Allen, Constance Bennett, and others. [17]
The Collection acquired Canadian Pacific Railway's famous Royal Hudson steam locomotive No. 2839 which was built in 1937, it is displayed with a fully restored 1912 Pullman private sleeping car outside of the museum complex. No. 2839 steam locomotive is one of four that survive today. [4] [5]
The Nethercutt's 30,000 square-foot auto restoration and detailing complex is credited with being one of the finest in the world, with nearly all of the vehicles on display being in pristine condition and fully drivable. Many of the vehicles undergo several re-restorations to stay competitive for Concours d'Elegances and car shows. [28]
The Nethercutt Collection team competes in prestigious Concours d'Elegance competitions and car shows, widely being considered as one of the greatest teams of all time. The Collection has the most Best of Show titles of any competitor in the world, including a record six Best of Show titles at the pinnacle Pebble Beach and five at Amelia Island, both more than any other competitor. [6] [29]
Below is a list of known notable Best of Show titles:
The Collection houses dozens of world-class antique music sets, including mechanical musical instruments, phonographs, massive orchestrions, dozens of player pianos and music boxes, and antique furniture. [3]
The Nethercutt Collection's Wurlitzer theatre pipe organ is the largest theatre organ in the Western U.S. and third largest in the world. [36] [37] [38]
The museum wing contains the Nethercutt Automotive Research Library which contains archived encyclopedic engineering materials on American and European vehicles since the end of the 19th century, such as owner's manuals and engineering documents.
It is considered one of the ten greatest automotive research libraries in the world. [17]
The Collection hosts silent film screenings and organ concerts in the fourth floor music room, using the Wurlitzer theatre pipe organ. [37] [38]
From 2008 to 2010 the Collection's vehicles served as the lead car and transport of the Grand Marshals of the Rose Parade, including Emeril Lagasse, Cloris Leachman, and Chesley Sullenberger. [39]
Every year until his death in 2004, J.B. Nethercutt would take dozens of cars from the Collection with his family, friends, and invited guests on a parade-like cruise through the hills to a picnic at Frazier Park with catered foods from the professional chefs at the Collection. The event was one of the most exclusive items on any car lovers wish list as Autoweek magazine described it, "You can be as rich as Bill Gates or have a collection as big as that of the Sultan of Brunei, but you don't get a personal invitation from J.B. Nethercutt himself." The vehicle insurance of each picnic was stated to be in the multi-millions. [28]
The Collection has been named as one of the greatest car collections in the world by The New York Times [40] , Los Angeles Times [20] , Motor Trend , [41] CNET , [42] CBS , [43] and several other publications. It is listed as one of America's five greatest automobile museums by Autoweek . [44] It is one of the most valuable car collections in the world.
Automotive historian Jay Leno described the Collection as a "Smithsonian-style effort on the history of transportation in America" and "The hall of fame for cars.” [45]
The Royal Hudson steam locomotive No. 2839 appeared in the 1980 Coal Miner's Daughter film, which won an Academy Award. [46] [47] The 1949 film The Great Gatsby featured the 1936 Duesenberg SJN now owned by the collection. [48]
In 1999 the museum was featured in an episode of the PBS program Visiting With Huell Howser. [49] In 2005 the collection was exclusively featured on the Motor Trend series My Classic Car . [50] Many of the collection's vehicles have been featured on the CNBC series Jay Leno's Garage; the Bugatti Dubos, 1933 Hispano-Suiza J12, 1930 Cadillac V-16, 1928 Isotta Fraschini Landaulet Type 8A, 1967 Ferrari 365 California Spyder, the Twenty Grand Duesenberg, and 1923 McFarlan Knickerbocker Cabriolet Model 154. [51] [52]
In September 2024 the museum and its cars were the focus of a segment on the CBS Evening News. [53]
Duesenberg Automobile & Motors Company, Inc. was an American racing and luxury automobile manufacturer founded in Indianapolis, Indiana, by brothers Fred and August Duesenberg in 1920. The company is known for popularizing the straight-eight engine and four-wheel hydraulic brakes. A Duesenberg car was the first American car to win a Grand Prix race, winning the 1921 French Grand Prix. Duesenbergs won the Indianapolis 500 in 1922, 1924, 1925 and 1927. Transportation executive Errett Lobban Cord acquired the Duesenberg corporation in 1926. The company was sold and dissolved in 1937.
Gordon Miller Buehrig (B-yur-rig) was an American automobile designer.
The Bugatti Type 57 and later variants was a grand tourer built from 1934 through 1940. It was an entirely new design created by Jean Bugatti, son of founder Ettore. A total of 710 Type 57s were produced.
The Royal Hudsons are a series of semi-streamlined 4-6-4 "Hudson" type steam locomotives formerly owned and operated by the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) and built by Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW). The engines were built in 1937. In 1939, King George VI allowed the CPR to use the term after Royal Hudson number 2850 transported the royal train across Canada with no need of replacement. These locomotives were in service between 1937 and 1960. Four of them have been preserved. No. 2839 was used to power excursions for the Southern Railway Steam Program between 1979 and 1980. No. 2860 was used for excursion service in British Columbia between 1974 and 1999, then again between 2006 and 2010.
The Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance is an annual automotive event held on the Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, California. It is widely considered the most prestigious car show in the world and it is the pinnacle Concours d'Elegance competition worldwide.
Avions Voisin was a French luxury automobile brand established by Gabriel Voisin in 1919 which traded until 1939.
In 1973 the Forest Grove Rotary Club created the Forest Grove Concours d'Elegance to raise funds for scholarships and financial aid to over 700 Washington County students to Pacific and other universities and community service projects. Each year, the net proceeds are divided equally among the two.
The Kirkland Concours d'Elegance at America's Car Museum is an automotive charitable event which has raised approximately 1.5 million US dollars during its first nine years for uncompensated health care for children at Seattle Children's Hospital and Evergreen Hospital Medical Center. The event was established in 2003 and was held the first nine years of its existence at Carillon Point in Kirkland, Washington. In September 2012 the event moved to the LeMay America's Car Museum (ACM) in nearby Tacoma, and was held until 2013.
The Misselwood Concours d’Elegance is an American classic car and motorcycle event that takes place on the last weekend in July at the Misselwood Estate, in Beverly, Massachusetts, and has been referred to as one of the most scenic classic car events on the East Coast and New England region. The event is a fundraiser for scholarship funds for Endicott College.
A Concours d’Elegance dates back to 17th Century French aristocracy, who paraded horse-drawn carriages in the parks of Paris during summer weekends and holidays.
Gooding & Company is a classic car auction company headquartered in Santa Monica, California. Incorporated in 2003, the company holds multiple all-time records for the most expensive cars sold in auction. The company also provides private treaty sales, estate planning, and appraisals. Since 2004, Gooding & Company has been the official auction house of the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. The global auction house also hosts its London Auction as the official auction partner of the Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace since 2021. Additional auctions are held each year in Amelia Island, Florida. At the present, the auction house holds the world record prices at auction for 12 automotive marques, including Duesenberg, Porsche, Ferrari, Bugatti, McLaren, and RUF.
Merle Nethercutt Norman was an American cosmetics magnate, chemist, and philanthropist. She was the founder of Merle Norman Cosmetics and was one of the early business pioneers of franchising.
Jack Boison Nethercutt was an American entrepreneur and car collector. He was the founder and namesake of the Nethercutt Collection, which he is considered a pioneer of car collecting and the greatest car restorer of all time.
Jack Boison Nethercutt II is an American businessman, restaurateur, and former racing driver with Ferrari and Lotus. He is the chairman of Merle Norman Cosmetics and president of the Nethercutt Collection.
The Nethercutt-Richards family is a prominent American family in the fields of business and cars. The family originated from the Midwestern U.S. in the 19th century and made their fortune primarily from the cosmetics industry in the early 20th century.
Merle Norman Cosmetics Inc. or simply known as Merle Norman, is an American cosmetics company that manufactures skin care, personal care, and makeup products founded in 1931 by Merle Norman. The company sells its products through e-commerce and its beauty store studio franchises, along with operating day spas through its Merle Norman Spa brand. As of 2021 the company had 1,007 locations throughout 7 countries, primarily in North America.
The Twenty Grand is the name given to the one-off custom 1933 Rollston Arlington Torpedo-bodied Duesenberg SJ ultra-luxury sedan. The design's initial price tag of US$20,000 during the height of the Great Depression infamously gave it its nickname of Twenty Grand. It is widely considered to be the most famous Duesenberg ever built and the pioneer of the ultra-luxury car design, making it one of the most valuable cars in the world at over $40 million dollars.
The Bugatti Type 51 Dubos Coupe is a one-off automobile originally built by Bugatti in 1931 as an open-top Bugatti Type 51 race car that was driven by legendary racer Louis Chiron, and then modified by Louis Dubos to be a luxury road coupe. It is one of the most valuable cars in the world, estimated at around $20 million dollars as of 2023.
Canadian Pacific 2839, nicknamed Beer Can, is a class H1c 4-6-4 Royal Hudson built by the Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW) in 1937 and was retired in 1959. It was restored to operating condition in 1979 by the Southern Railway for their Steam Excursion Program and was sold to the Blue Mountain and Reading Railroad before it was retired again in 1985. It is now on static display in Sylmar, California.