Bugatti Type 46 Coupe Molsheim Factory Archive RARE 1930s - c1970s Photo

When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Bugatti Type 46 Coupe Molsheim Factory Archive RARE 1930s - c1970s Photo:
$100.00

A 8x5" vintage photo (NOT a modern reprint) from a collection of Bugatti automobile photos that we acquired at sale from the estate of the Mullin Automotive Museum and Gallery.

Provenance: Mullin Automotive Museum was a private museum in Oxnard, California, dedicated primarily to French Art Deco automobiles and design, especially pre-World War II marques like Bugatti, Delahaye, and Talbot-Lago. Founded by collector Peter Mullin, it became known for its world-class collection of rare coachbuilt cars before closing to the public after his passing and transitioning portions of the collection to other institutions.

Photo Overview

A Bugatti Type 46 coupe photographed in profile outside what appears to be the Bugatti factory or a related building in Molsheim, Alsace, France. The car features an elegant two-door coupe body with sweeping fenders, large chromed headlamps, louvered hood, and the distinctive Bugatti horseshoe-shaped radiator grille. The coachwork is likely by a prominent French carrossier, and the car sits on a gravel drive with potted rose bushes and a traditional Alsatian building with shuttered windows visible in the background. The number "213" in the lower right corner of the image suggests this was a factory catalog or archive photograph. This photo comes from the renowned Mullin Automotive Museum collection, one of the world's foremost collections of French automotive art and Bugatti automobilia.

Historical Notes

The Bugatti Type 46 was produced from 1929 to 1933, powered by a 5.3-liter straight-eight engine. Often called the "Petite Royale," it was positioned as a more accessible grand touring car below the legendary Type 41 Royale. Approximately 400 Type 46 chassis were built, making it one of Bugatti's more commercially successful models during a period when the Great Depression was devastating luxury car manufacturers. Many Type 46s received bespoke coachwork from the finest French and European coachbuilders. The Molsheim factory where this photograph was likely taken remained the heart of Bugatti production until the outbreak of World War II, after which Ettore Bugatti lost control of the property during the German occupation of Alsace. Today, surviving Type 46 examples are highly prized by collectors, with well-documented examples commanding prices well into the hundreds of thousands of dollars at sale. The Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard, California, assembled one of the world's greatest collections of French art deco automobiles before its closure in 2024, and material from its archives carries significant provenance for Bugatti enthusiasts and historians.

Text Present

Front, upper left corner (handwritten in blue ink): 5BG7
Front, lower right corner (printed/stamped): 213
Back, lower left corner (stamped in purple ink): 5 B G 7 1

Print analysis

This is a later photographic print, likely produced from an original Bugatti factory negative. The smooth, glossy paper stock and the clean white borders are consistent with prints made in the mid-to-late 20th century, likely for collector or archival purposes. The catalog number "213" embedded in the image field suggests access to original factory negatives. The purple stamp on the back and the handwritten catalog notation "5BG7" are consistent with the Mullin Automotive Museum's archival cataloging system. This is assessed as a Type 2 photograph - printed from original negatives but decades after the image was captured, likely c1970s-1980s for collector distribution.

Condition

Please see photos for condition. In fair to good vintage condition.