According to prior owner and longtime Pierce-Arrow historian and connoisseur, Pat Craig, this powerful Model 48-B-4 was ordered new by Albert E. Swabacher Jr., who specified the seven-passenger touring body but without rear jump seats. A prominent San Francisco investment banker and civic leader, Mr. Swabacher spent his available free time at a dude ranch he owned in the Teton Mountains, and it was there that the Pierce-Arrow was kept, used for chauffeured hunting and fishing trips. Reportedly Mr. Swabacher would camp in a bed set up in the back of the car, hence the deletion of the jump seats, and had the horn mounted on the left side—as while he utilized a chauffeur to drive the car, the adventurous banker preferred to blast the car’s horn himself, alerting his staff that he had returned from yet another expedition into the wild.

The Pierce-Arrow remained in Mr. Swabacher’s ownership until his passing in 1963, then was sold to Roy Leiske, a collector in Wisconsin. Mr. Craig acquired the car from the Leiske family in 2008, becoming only its third owner. An exhaustive two-year restoration followed, in the subtle coach color of deep maroon, contrasted with natural rubber tires. The car is equipped with a trunk as well as straps under the top, designed to carry the occupants’ hats—a thoughtful touch, then and now. Significantly, it retains such wonderful notes of authenticity as the original chassis number stamping on the center cross-member of the frame, and it is correctly finished throughout.

Clive and Janet Cussler acquired the Pierce-Arrow from Pat Craig in early 2013, the renowned adventure novelist having, of course, loved an automobile with a great story behind it. It has since been one of the hallmarks of the Cussler stable, occasionally shown with pride at Western concours, as well as at the Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance in 2019 when the Cusslers were the featured Pinnacle Collectors. The restoration is extremely well-preserved, with its interior and paint both in overall excellent condition and would still be well-suited to show with its next proud caretaker.

Or they can take it fishing.