The elegance of this beautiful 1931 Hudson Greater Eight Boat-Tailed Sport Roadster can only be matched by the elegance of its late owner, Dr. Barbara Mae Atwood. Ms. Atwood was one of the exceptions in a hobby traditionally dominated by men. In fact she had collected a remarkable range of classic cars during her lifetime, automobiles that will be offered for sale during RM's event at the Arizona Biltmore Resort in Phoenix on January 16th, 2009. "Throughout her lifetime, Dr. Atwood shared two passions-caring for animals and collecting automobiles. In the latter, she is renowned as the premier female collector of her time," said Mike Fairbairn, Executive Vice President and co-founder of RM Auctions.

Dr. Atwood received an early introduction to the automotive world through her father's involvement in the motor industry: he devised the adjustable door bumper to solve the problem of rattling doors. A young Barbara Atwood would often accompany her father on visits to clients and it was pleasant memories of these trips, coupled with her fondness for a 1941 Chrysler Windsor convertible-a prized gift from her parents-that led her to the world of classic cars in the 1970s. She was a keen participant on the show and concours circuit, receiving an enviable string of awards and honors, including six Pebble Beach wins in eight years.

Twenty-four of Dr. Atwood's prized possessions will cross the auction block, including a 1929 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Coupe by Fleetwood; a Graham-Paige Supercharged Dual Cowl Sport Phaeton built for the 1929 New York Auto Show; a handsome 1937 Lincoln Convertible Victoria by Brunn; and a superb 1933 Marmon Sixteen Convertible Sedan, Mrs. Marmon's personal car. Also set to cross the block are an unusual 1913 Herreshoff Runabout; a 1925 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Piccadilly Roadster; an award-winning 1932 Stutz DV-32 Super Bearcat by Weymann, and my favorite, that lovely Hudson seen above. Why do I prefer it? Because Hudson was a car that ordinary folk could aspire to owning, though seldom with this custom bodywork.