Nethercutt Collection facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Nethercutt Collection

Grand Salon of the collection
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Established	1972 (1972)
Location	Sylmar, California, USA
Collections	Automobiles and mechanical musical instruments
Collection size	250+ automobiles
Founder	J.B. Nethercutt
Owner	Nethercutt-Richards family

The Nethercutt Collection is a multi-storied private car collection and museum located in Sylmar, Los Angeles, California founded by J.B. Nethercutt in 1971. Its centerpiece is the prestigious automobile collection of the Nethercutt-Richards family, which has led several outlets including the Los Angeles Times and The New York Times to call it as one of the finest and greatest collections in the world.

The collection also houses collections of mechanical musical instruments, including orchestrions, player pianos and music boxes, and antique furniture. As Nethercutt's former secondary residence, the Tower of Beauty was tied as the 25th largest house in the United States.

Another unique piece in the collection is the Canadian Pacific Railway's famous Royal Hudson steam locomotive No. 2839 built in 1937. The locomotive is displayed with a 1912 built Pullman private sleeping car. The semi streamlined Royal Hudson steam locomotive is one of four that survive today. There are also two older-model railroad cars.

The collection is free of charge and has been consistently listed as one of the top 10 things to do in Los Angeles.

History

In 1956, J.B. Nethercutt (1913–2004), the cofounder of Merle Norman Cosmetics, purchased two cars: a 1936 Duesenberg Convertible Roadster and a 1930 DuPont Town Car, needing refurbishing. The DuPont restoration, which Nethercutt thought would take a few weeks, instead took 18 months and over $65,000. By 1958, his rebuilt project claimed its first prize — the coveted “Best of Show” award at the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in California.

In 1971, The Nethercutt Collection building was constructed, a 10-story tall tower in Sylmar, Los Angeles connected to a Merle Norman manufacturing plant, dubbed the "The Tower of Beauty." The first two stories of the tower; the Lower and Grand Salon, feature the most expensive vehicle collection of the family, with the Grand Salon being inspired after 1920s-30s New York City luxury car grand showrooms. The third story features an awards room and collection of hood ornaments. The fourth story consists of a music room with several large antique music boxes and player pianos, with a Wurlitzer theatre organ in the centerpiece of the room. The fourth floor also features a Louis XV styled dining room and a large kitchen. The fifth floor has a theatre which includes a 24 karat gold proscenium arch next to a massive room of pianos. There was a 6th floor penthouse which J.B. used as his secondary residence.

In the early 2000s, the Collection expanded and constructed a new display building directly across the street which was separately called the Nethercutt Museum. The building also contains the Nethercutt Automotive Research Library and Archive, which is considered one of the greatest in the world. In comparison with the Collection which requires reserved guided tours, the newer Nethercutt Museum is openly self-guided. Outside of the Museum contains a CPR steam locomotive Royal Hudson No. 2839 is presented together with a 1912 Pullman Private Car.

After J.B. Nethercutt's death in 2004, the collection was handed down to his son Jack Nethercutt II along with his wife, Helen Nethercutt. The collection had a budget of around $2.5 million a year.

From 2008 to 2010 the Nethercutt Collection's vehicles served as the transport of the Grand Marshals of the Rose Parade, including Emeril Lagasse, Cloris Leachman, and Chesley Sullenberger. In 2011, Merle Norman Cosmetics and OPI Products styled its Hussy perfume and lipstick line after the Collection's distinctively red "Hussy" 1934 Packard LeBaron Sport Phaeton, which is nicknamed after John Hussey.

From 2020 to 2021 the collection was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vehicles

The Nethercutt Collection has over 250 prestigious, antique, and exotic vehicles, notably including from Aston Martin, Austin-Healey, Bentley, Bugatti, Cadillac, Duesenberg, Ferrari, Lincoln, Maybach, Mercedes-Benz, Rolls-Royce and others.

Notably the Collection's custom 1933 Arlington Torpedo Duesenberg Model SJ dubbed the “Twenty Grand,” was a key display at the 1933 Chicago World's Fair. Its one-off design by Gordon Buehrig is considered to be the most beautiful Duesenberg built and is one of the most valuable cars in the world, worth over $30 million today.

Events

The Collection hosts silent film screenings in the music room, using the Wurlitzer theatre pipe organ, which is the largest theatre organ in the Western United States. The Collection also hosts organ concerts and occasional live orchestras in the 5th story theater.

Every year until his death, J.B. Nethercutt would take dozens of cars from the Collection with family, friends, and invited guests on a cruise through the hills to a picnic at Frazier Park with catered foods from the professional chefs at the Collection. The event was one of the most exclusive items on any car lovers wish list as Autoweek magazine described it, "You can be as rich as Bill Gates or have a collection as big as that of the Sultan of Brunei, but you don't get a personal invitation from J.B. Nethercutt himself."

Concours d'Elegance

The Nethercutt Collection team and family competes in several prestigious concours d'Elegance competitions internationally. The Collection is considered as one of the greatest teams of all time in the competitions and has won hundreds of awards since its foundation. The Collection has won dozens of Best of Show victories, including a record 6 Best of Show titles at the pinnacle Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and 5 at the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance, both more than any other competitor.

Notable results

Below is a list of notable known Best of Show victories:

Gallery

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  Tower of Beauty

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  Back view of the museum and collection complex

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  Grand salon view 1

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  Grand salon view 2

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  4th floor Music Room

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  Mighty Wurlitzer theatre organ

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  Portion of the Wurlizer pipe organs

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  Louis XV dining room

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  Museum display

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  Cars in the museum

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  Outside display with Royal Hudson and Pullman Car

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  One of the Collection's storage rooms with an Aston Martin DB9

Images for kids

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  Bugatti Type 51 Dubos at the 2009 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance

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  Museum display

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  Grand salon view 1