Sleeping Beauties

Book excerpt: Behind the walls of an old farm somewhere in France, several dozen antique classic cars had been neglected for decades, enjoying a kind of 100-year sleep. Surrounded by a profusion of plants and practically forgotten by their owner, no one knew of the collection until, in 1983, permission was granted for it to be photographed. The commission fell to one of Europe's leading photographers, Herbert W. Hesselmann, who promised never to disclose the identity of the owner or location of the collection, and the story made headlines all over the world. This haunting compilation expertly captures the mystery and drama of the vintage car collection of the century, and is accompanied with commentary by Halwart Schrader. Although the collection shown here no longer exists, the untouched patina of these cars still exerts a powerful and mysterious fascination, inviting viewers to explore a forgotten era.