1950 Mercedes-Benz 170s

“I would love to have been born in your country. The Greeks are beautiful! And I am not only referring to their looks, although the eyes of the Greek people are always sparkling so strangely and so…lustfully. I love their guts and their light-heartedness as well as their spirit to always seek the best even in difficult times.”

So said a woman born Norma Jeane Mortenson in an interview with the Greek journalist, Alekos Lidorikis, in the early 1950s.

In February 1956, the Hollywood superstar and global sex-symbol the world knew as Marilyn Monroe insured her car - this car - for her use while she was visiting Greece, the vehicle having been imported to the country through Athens’ port of Piraeus earlier that year. 

The insurance ran until 5th August 1956, and we know that Marilyn was back in the USA on 29th June 1956 for her somewhat surprising marriage to the playwright, Arthur Miller.

We also know from a photograph in the public domain that she was in Greece in 1960, when she was photographed in an Athens nightclub in the company of Simone Signoret and Yves Montand. 

Now, please bear with us while we indulge ourselves in a brief moment of incidental conjecture. 

Firstly, it’s well documented that the Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis was more than a little fixated on Marilyn. He had a penchant for famous, glamorous women, and was married (at separate times, obviously) to Maria Callas and Jacqueline Kennedy.

Secondly, in 1955, Germany’s trade and shipping links to Greece were officially reinstated, no doubt with plenty of pressure applied by the ever-opportunistic Onassis.  

Thirdly, the vendor discovered that a monogrammed ‘MM’ badge, identical in style and typeface to those adorning her personal luggage (which is still with the car), was once affixed to the dashboard – which is exactly the kind of thing someone like Onassis might do when giving a car as a gift to a woman with those initials.

Maybe. Maybe not.

Anyway. We digress.

Marilyn’s experience of owning and driving this car while in Greece may be short on anecdotal record, but the fact of it is documented and its provenance has been accepted and published by the Mercedes-Benz Owners Club. 

The car has also been given a matching-numbers thumbs-up from the über-archivists at Stuttgart HQ.

The vendor bought the car from an anonymous private collector some 10 years ago and promptly took on the mammoth task of restoring this unique 170 S through the respected restoration specialists, Brookfield Classics Ltd, where the body-off, ground-up, comprehensive restoration was carried out by Steve Nott and Gavin Bicknell (‘Spike’).

He also invested a great deal of effort and care in tracing and validating Marilyn’s association with the car. 

After spending a considerable amount of time rummaging through Greek certification, licencing and insurance archives, he succeeded in discovering documentation verifying Monroe's ownership and registration - now officially apostilled and notarised. 

This dedication to detail extended to obtaining legal certifications from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, affirming the vehicle's historical significance and global legal status.

We can see from a certified translation of the insurance document that the car had been given the status of a ‘Special Category Vehicle’. 

We understand that this was a classification which, among other things, meant that high-profile people and their vehicles were known to the Greek police and afforded a some extra care, protection and diligent observation, lest they fall prey to the attentions of the then nascent paparazzi or the sort of people who might be a little too obsessive in their admiration for a woman who, with the possible exception of Queen Elizabeth II, probably had a higher profile than any other female on the planet.

The insurance document in question is signed ‘Marilyn Monroe’. 

Now, if you’re a sceptical type and are thinking that she would have used her real name, not her stage name, then we cordially invite you to think again.

She officially changed her name from the former to the latter in 1956, prior to marrying Arthur Miller, and thereafter was in the habit of using the initials ‘MMM’ (Marilyn Monroe-Miller) whenever the notion took her fancy.

Entirely appropriately, this wonderful ex-Marilyn Monroe car is captivatingly shapely, curvaceous and beautiful.

Well, it would be, wouldn’t it?

Marilyn Monroe was a serial and noted Mercedes-Benz owner, as even the briefest Googling session will attest. 

Among other cars, she had a green 220 SE of her own and, in 1961, John F. Kennedy gave her a black 190 SL as a ‘secret’ birthday present.

Mmm. Moving on.

In case you’re wondering, here’s our definitive verdict on the condition of this car.

It’s as good as it gets. 

There are no flaws anywhere that we could hope to detect without using a magnifying glass and adopting a spiteful attitude.

The black and white two-tone paint finish is thick, lustrous and shiny.

Everything pings, sings and dings with solidity, engineering integrity and, above all, minty freshness and obsessive attentive to authenticity and detail in equal measure.

Everything you can see, touch, lick or sniff has been restored with 100% devotion to period-correctness and authenticity. 

Virtually every marque specialist around the world has been prodded and poked to hunt down the right, genuine, 1950 parts. 

Where that simply wasn’t possible, those parts were fabricated to the highest possible standards, using original Mercedes-Benz blueprints, machining templates and even advice from some surviving Sindelfingen engineers who built these cars in the ‘50s.

The panel fit and shut-lines are as crisply exact and precise as you would hope and expect of the fastidious Mercedes-Benz engineers who were required in the 1950s to wear suits to work. 

The trim is intact and flawless everywhere you look, as is the full-length canvas sunroof.

The car’s lights, lenses, badging and other exterior fixtures and fittings are entirely beyond reproach and utterly period-correct.

Like we said, this is as good as it gets.

It’s the same story of faultless condition and rigorous authenticity in the car’s charmingly of-the-period interior.

The soft red leather upholstery and trim are untroubled either by use or the passage of time.

The seats, front and rear, are comfortable, supportive and inviting.

Each and every piece of wood trim is polished to a gleaming shine and is devoid of any scratches, marks or other blemishes.

The door cards are taut and pristine, as is the fabric roof lining.

The carpets and mats are following the same script in terms of quality and condition.

The ‘MM’ badging is in its original place under the glove compartment.

The only item needing remedying would be re attaching the passenger side window winder.

The vendor tells us that one of the ashtrays still has some ash remnants inside.

Well, you never know, do you?

All controls, dials, switches, levers and instruments are in first-class order.

As far as we and the vendor are aware, everything works as intended, including the ventilation system with its built-in, factory-optioned fan.

The boot, which is, of course, immaculate, contains a set of matching luggage that belonged to (and is monogrammed for) Marilyn Monroe.

The luggage has been preserved every bit as well as everything else.

We can confirm that we have seen a photograph of Marilyn Monroe holding this travel luggage.

The boot also contains a spare wheel, some original tools and a fuel filler cap mat.

The car has covered virtually no distance since being restored and has hardly ventured outside.

The engine and engine bay are clean, dry and everything you can see is authentic and in its right and proper place.

The same holds true for the clean, solid, sound and effectively factory-fresh undersides.

We just can’t fault any of it.

Aside from its extraordinarily starry provenance, the car’s history is documented and unbroken from new to the present day. 

There are invoices aplenty attesting to the restoration work carried out, and a great many of them are from Werner Karasch & Co GmbH, Mr. Karasch being not only one of the world’s foremost suppliers of authentic Mercedes-Benz parts but also a personal friend of the vendor.

It was through this contact that the vendor was put in touch with a man in Dortmund who happened to be the owner of a wholly unrestored and original 170 S of the same type and vintage. 

The vendor went to visit him (with a translator), and took countless photographs of the car.

These proved invaluable in ensuring the authenticity of the restoration.

As well as numerous invoices, bills and receipts, there are various accreditations, certifications and proofs attesting to the validity of the Marilyn Monroe provenance, and a number of letters from the Mercedes-Benz Owners Club to the vendor.

Marilyn Monroe’s brief Greek odyssey is a little-known episode in a life that would, ultimately, have all the makings of a Greek tragedy, played out on a global stage for all the world to see.

Even without the provenance of her ownership, this car is a total show-stopper and its expert restoration is surely unmatched for authenticity.

Factor in the Marilyn Monroe provenance and it assumes the status of a cultural icon by association with undoubtedly one of the most enduringly famous, talked-about, photographed, filmed and remembered people who has ever lived.

How do you put a price on that?

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.