Introduction
The Garbo mystique has been attached to the car for decades, but Garbo was never even seen with a J-481, at least not by anyone with a camera. And as she said she never owned it, so who are we to argue? Myths, however, sometimes find enduring life when attached to something as valuable as a Duesenberg.
Garbo's 1933 Duesenberg?
It is said that Garbo bought a custom-built cranberry-red Fernandez & Darrin convertible Victoria ‘Duesenberg’ in 1933. She couldn't know that the car would rank a half-century later as one of the world's supreme classic motor vehicles, valued at more than $3 million. Garbo's 1933 Duesenberg includes design traits to mirror her reclusive personality. The car's body, fashioned in Paris, kept the Greta completely hidden. The rear seat has secret compartments where she hid her jewelry.
What did Greta say about this ‘rumor’?
According to the book Conversations with Greta Garbo (by Sven Broman), Greta said:
"But most of the stuff in the papers is wrong. They once wrote that I had a car, the kind called a Duesenberg, specially fitted with a dressing table. I never had a Duesenberg."
She then went on to other subjects and no further reference to the car was made. In all the other Garbo books there are no references to a Duesenberg.
Was a Duesenberg ever built for Garbo?
As far as can be ascertained the answer is yes, but the car was never registered to Garbo. It was actually built in 1932 for display at the Paris Salon and it is long believed that car 2515, J-481, was a gift to Garbo, however, she was never photographed with it.
Photos do exist showing the car with her close friend, actress Suzy Vernon, and that's as close to Garbo as the J-481 gets. The car is now in a private collection in Reno, Nevada.
Source:
Garbo by Barry Paris and Conversations with Greta Garbo by Sven Broman
