Nicholas II, the last Tsar of Russia, had a taste chopard mille miglia watch for the finer things which was of course cut short by that pesky revolution. Before the Bolshies got him he had a very fine Rolls-Royce with nickel-plated fittings and coachwork by Barker, painted royal purple. The car, a 1914 Silver Ghost, survived the uprising and ended up in the collection of Ringling Bros. circus impresario John Ringling at his 30-room Venetian mansion in Florida, along with six other Silver Ghosts. It has now been listed for sale on JamesList by Germany’s Fantastische Fahrzeuge Michael Fröhlich for €5.5 million.The price makes it the most expensive car currently listed for sale on James, no mean feat. So how did Nicky’s Rolls end up in Düsseldorf? After passing through Ringling’s hands it landed in a Floridian classic car museum and was later displayed in Las Vegas next to Adolph Hitler’s Mercedes. At some point the Rolls was acquired by a German collector who kept it hidden in an underground bunker for several decades where it was recently unearthed. In addition to having a royal provenance it is of course an important piece of automotive history, nearly 100 years old and among chopard mille miglia watch the first Rolls-Royces ever built.See the Tsar’s car for sale here
So far, The FIFA World Cup far been full of shocking upsets (as far as supporters of Germany and Italy are concerned) that have kept people glued to their TVs, filled arenas and kept pubs in business. Even with some straight-out disappointing performances, such as the expected massacre of the United States by England that ultimately never took place, the enthusiasm for football is just as vibrant as ever. This rings particularly true in the Netherlands, where few, if any, sporting events drum up as much interest as large-scale football extravaganzas. With the Oranje meeting Brazil in the quarter-finals on Friday, millions of fans are hopeful that things will go a lot more smoothly than their 2006 game against Portugal (a match I found to be tremendously entertaining, if ridiculous).However, there are people in the Netherlands who have their mind on different matters altogether. Far away from the aformentioned TV screens, final adjustments are being made to the most exciting powerboat rally around: BladeRun 2010. Setting off in Rotterdam on July 14, just a few days after the World Cup finals, BladeRun has been described as the Gumball of the seas. The event attracts high net worth individuals who wish to combine their love for the sea with a formidable challenge.So, what are we looking at? To some, it might seem to be an endurance race more than anything else!On July 14, the participants are treated to some fine dining before a star-studded party kicks off in Rotterdam, where they’ll mingle and share a few drinks (what a way to start a race) before The Big Day. After a hopefully soothing night’s sleep, the actual race kicks off. The first destination is Antwerp, a goal reached through the many inland waterways the relatively small nation has to offer. Every step, or nautical mile, will be covered by the BladeRun chopper. Once in Antwerp, the racers are quickly taken care of and groomed for the real challenge of the day: another BladeRun party at the Noxx Sky Club.If you make it out alive, the next day’s challenge is to reach the Belgian coastal city Ostend. Once there, be prepared for some more glamorous binging, as BladeRun is throwing another pulsating all-nighter at the Krush Club, headlined by Daniel Bovie & Roy Rox.There’s no rest for the wicked. If you’ve kept your alcohol intake to a strategic level, the final July 17 stretch is from Ostend back to Rotterdam, where you’re promised a hero’s welcome (defibrillators included) as well as a final, 1,250 guest party at the Club Vie headlined by DJ Afrojack.If you’re missing out on taking part of the actual rally, there’s still tickets left for the different parties right here. Whether or not the Netherlands makes it out alive in the World Cup, and whether or not you’re a participant yourself, BladeRun is something to chopard mille miglia watch out for in two weeks and for years to come. We’ll be covering the event after it has taken place, so keep checking with us here at James Spotting.For instant gratification, BladeRun tweets about the upcoming event right here.
