12:36 pm, July 14, 2025
The prestigious numberplate ‘JB 1’ owned by famous car dealer Jack Barclay was one of the standout lots of this weekend’s Bonham’s Goodwood auction – selling for £608,600, including buyers premium.
The plate went for more than double its estimate of £200,000 to £300,000 and made history as the highest price paid for a vehicle registration number in the UK.
Jack Barclay was a racing driver and legendary car dealer, with his name living on in the Bentley dealerships today although they are now owned by H.R. Owen.
The vehicle registration was sold with six historic photographs of it being used on Barclay’s own Rolls Royce and Bentleys.
The business was known for representing Rolls-Royce and Bentley, with Barclay also having close ties with the owners and modifying unique vehicles for customers as a coachbuilder.
A collection of automobilia was sold on behalf of the Jack Barclay estate, including photographs from his and the business’ history, historic manuals and documents, and correspondence.
In a collection of correspondence, documents and personal notes, sold for £256, there was a letter from Arthur Sidgreaves, who was famous for leading Rolls Royce during World War II, sent to Barclay to notify him that the business was the top for sales in the country.
He wrote: ‘I have just been looking at the turnover figures for 1934 for all of our retailers.
‘I understand that Major Cox has told you the result, i.e. that your firm have succeeded in in coming up into first place, that is to say, with a greater turnover than anybody else for Rolls-Royce cars and an increase of about 40% over your 1933 business with us.
‘I should like to congratulate both you and your staff most sincerely on the result of your efforts. I think they are amazingly good.
‘I have not yet seen the Bentley figures but there is little doubt that your firm will also hold the first place.’
