The R-Type Continental created a template for Bentley grand touring cars that lasted decades, and this very car is the first production example built – appropriately designated chassis BC1A. The H.J. Mulliner Fastback was finished on May 2, 1952 and was specified with desirable features such as alloy bumpers, lightweight bucket seats, a manual gearbox, and custom appointments. After a 393-mile test at the M.I.R.A. proving grounds, overseen by Bentley’s chief engineer, the car was sold to its first owner in Paris through Franco-Britannic Automobiles. In the late 1950s, the Continental was sold to a US customer through Ed Jurist’s famed Vintage Car Store in Nyack, New York. The Bentley has continued to reside in New York, most recently in the hands of a long-term caretaker. The Bentley is presented in Antelope brown over a brown leather interior. As the first example of a landmark model, this is one of the most important postwar Bentley automobiles ever to come to auction. This unique opportunity to acquire BC1A, a significant Bentley that has been in hiding for 45 years, is an occurrence that will not be repeated.