LONDON.- Among the most elegant 1930s French cars H&H Classics have offered is this imposing 1934 Delage, which not surprisingly was awarded first prize at the 1993 Paris Deauville Concours d'Elegance and 1994 Rallye de Lisieux. It is estimated to sell for £40,000 to £50,000 with H&H Classics at Duxford, Imperial War Museum on March 18.

It was rebodied in the style of Saoutchik by coachbuilder Daniel Nantou of Bazemont during 1989. Resident in France for most of its life, the Delage spent seven years on Guernsey before entering the current UK ownership during 2013. It is believed to be one of just 18 survivors of this model from the magnificent French marque.

Known to the Delage Register and Les Amis de Delage, the svelte Cabriolet boasts 'matching' chassis and engine numbers. Equipped with a more modern fuel pump and alternator, it has been used by the vendor for frequent 40-mile round trips.

Damian Jones, Head of Sales at H&H Classics says emphatically that it is: “Among the most elegant 1930s French cars we have offered.”

H&H was founded by Simon Hope in 1993 as a specialist auction house dedicated solely to the sale of collectors’ motorcars and motorcycles. Some 26 years later, the company can boast a continuous trading history, which exceeds that of any UK rival. The company is staffed by hands-on enthusiasts with over 600 years’ combined experience, and its specialist valuers are among the most knowledgeable in the industry.