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26 BARRETT-JACKSON EXPERIENCE WINTER 2024Life unfolds like chapters in a book, each page revealing exquisite yet fleeting moments, akin to the illuminating flash of lightning in a summer monsoon storm or the rare appearance of a comet's tail once every century. If not embraced, these moments can fade into the shadows of memory and remorse. In the mere blink of an eye, we risk overlooking something genuinely extraordinary – in this instance, the offering of a 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster with one-off coachwork by Mayfair Carriage Company, from the personal collection of Don Williams. Williams, an integral figure in the founding team of Barrett-Jackson and a cherished member of its family, left an indelible mark on the collector car hobby with his profound knowledge of classic vehicles. Alongside Barrett-Jackson Chairman and CEO Craig Jackson, Williams played a key role in establishing the Salon Collection at the Scottsdale Auction. Since its inception, the Salon Collection has showcased some of the world’s rarest, most valuable, collectible and sought-after vehicles, including the stunningly presented Mayfairbodied Mercedes-Benz 540K selling with No Reserve at the 2024 Scottsdale Auction, which runs from January 20-28 at WestWorld of Scottsdale. It was common for upscale luxury cars built before World War II – such as those often showcased within the Salon Collection – to receive custom bodies crafted by renowned coachbuilders. However, the Mercedes-Benz 540K defied convention. Its factory body styles were so beloved that only 70 out of the 419 vehicles produced between 1936 and 1940 were designated for custom coachwork, an unusually low number for luxury vehicles CHRONICLES OF ELEGANCE