73-year-old Cadillac with 24-karat gold trim sells for record $1.27m at auction

A 1953 Cadillac known as the Elegante, adorned with 24-karat gold plating, sold for $1.275 million at a US auction, setting a new all-time record for a Cadillac sold at public auction. The one-of-a-kind vehicle drew exceptional interest for its combination of extreme rarity, the involvement of a celebrated designer and an Italian coachbuilder, and a dramatic restoration history.

According to The New York Times and international automotive media, the Elegante sold for $1.275 million at the 56th Auburn Auction and Show hosted by Cruze Auction in Auburn, Indiana.

Including the buyer's premium, the final transaction price came to approximately $1.4 million.

The previous record for a Cadillac at public auction was held by a 1934 V16 Fleetwood Aerodynamic Coupe, which sold for $940,000 at Broad Arrow Auction in 2023. The Elegante surpassed that figure by $335,000.

The auction also marked the first time the Elegante had appeared on the open market in roughly 73 years since it was built.

The Elegante was not a mass-produced Cadillac built for sale. It was a one-off commission by Harry Birdsall, a commercial artist based in New York, and Joe Mascari, a building contractor, who wanted a car entirely their own.

The foundation was a 1953 Cadillac Series 62. The two men chose to mount a completely new body on the Cadillac chassis.

German-born automotive designer Albrecht von Goertz contributed to the design. Goertz later designed the BMW 507, widely regarded as one of the most beautiful classic sports cars ever made, and was also involved in the development of Nissan sports cars.

The actual bodywork was carried out by Carrozzeria Motto of Turin, Italy — a city considered the heartland of automotive design. Craftsmen hand-formed aluminum panels to complete the body. Construction alone took about 30 months and reportedly cost around $30,000 at the time.

Given that this was the cost of building a single car in the early 1950s, it was a remarkably expensive undertaking even by the standards of the day.

The Elegante lives up to its name in appearance.

While the body is not made of gold, 24-karat gold plating was applied to the door handles, windshield frame, headlamp surrounds and other exterior trim. The car pairs a pearl-white body with a gold roof, and the interior is finished in red Italian leather.

A steering wheel made from Lucite, a transparent acrylic material, is another striking detail. The dashboard features an illuminated figure of St. Christopher, the patron saint of travelers and drivers.

Under the hood sits Cadillac's 5.4-liter V8 engine of the era, paired with a four-speed Hydra-Matic automatic transmission. The car also features an electrically and hydraulically operated folding hardtop — a remarkably experimental feature for a vehicle built in the early 1950s, both in design and in its array of convenience technology.

The completed Elegante made its public debut at the 1955 New York International Auto Show. It was not kept solely as a show piece — it served as its creator's everyday vehicle and passed through several owners over the years.

A dramatic restoration story also contributed to the Elegante's value.

When Hurricane Andrew struck Florida in 1992, the garage where the car was stored collapsed, severely damaging the Elegante. The vehicle, which might otherwise have been lost to history, was later reacquired by the son of Harry Birdsall, the man who originally commissioned it.

An extensive restoration effort then began to return the car as closely as possible to its original condition. Work on the body, interior and various trim elements reportedly took about 16 years.

After its long restoration, the Elegante returned to prominent classic car events. According to Cruze Auction, the car won the People's Choice Award at the 2014 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance, one of the world's premier classic car gatherings. At the time it was offered at auction, the car had accumulated just 4,331 miles (roughly 6,970 kilometers).

The sale is widely seen as more than a record for an old Cadillac. Its unmatched rarity as the only example in existence, its place in the early career of a distinguished designer, its hand-built Italian body, its 24-karat gold detailing and its lengthy restoration all combined to give the car value beyond mere transportation — what Cruze Auction officially tallied as a final sale price, including the buyer's premium, of $1.4 million.