Vanden Plas Badge
Name/Title
Vanden Plas BadgeEntry/Object ID
2024.14.206Description
This plate would have been installed on a Bentley that Coach Builder Vanden Plas produced. This would most likely have ben placed on a 3 Litre Bentley. Vanden Plas was a prestigious European coachbuilder founded in 1870 in Brussels, Belgium, by Guillaume van den Plas, a blacksmith, together with his three sons Antoine, Henri, and Willy. The company began by producing axles and horse-drawn carriages before moving into bespoke automobile bodies as the motor industry emerged. By the early 1900s, Vanden Plas had established itself as one of the leading coachbuilders in Europe, working with manufacturers such as De Dion-Bouton, Berliet, Germain, and Packard. In 1910, the British rights to the Vanden Plas name were acquired by Warwick Wright, leading to the creation of Vanden Plas (England) Ltd., which became closely associated with luxury marques like Bentley, Alvis, and later Daimler. In Britain, Vanden Plas became especially known for producing bodies for Bentley sports cars in the 1920s and 1930s, cementing its reputation among enthusiasts. Later, under British Leyland, the Vanden Plas name was used as a designation for top-trim luxury versions of mainstream cars, extending the brand’s association with exclusivity. Though the Belgian operation ceased in 1949, and the British arm was eventually absorbed into Jaguar, the Vanden Plas legacy endures as a symbol of craftsmanship and luxury in automotive history.Collection
Dr. Frederick A. Simeone Founder Collection, Simeone - AutomobiliaCategory
Automobilia, Bentley Motors Limited