Registration No: OM 3995
Chassis No: B111544
MOT: Exempt

• In single family ownership for the last 54 years
• Offered in the colourway it was restored some 54 years ago
• Pleasing history file with printed literature on the car’s history and more

Please Note: The reserve and estimate on this vehicle have been reduced.

Established component suppliers to the British motor industry, the Staffordshire-based firm of Harper Sons & Bean had turned its Dudley and Tipton factories over to munitions production during the Great War. With hostilities at an end, the lucrative munitions orders ceased and something had to be quickly found to replace them, so that the business could survive. At the time motor cars were becoming increasingly popular, and so the decision was taken for the company to become a car manufacturer. At this time the jigs, patterns, tools, and manufacturing rights for the Perry 11.9hp from Willys-Overland were up for sale and so A. Harper, Sons & Bean purchased them in January 1919 for £15,000 as a way of quickly getting into the industry by buying a tried and tested design. The company’s first car, the Bean 11.9, a slightly updated Perry design, was launched at the 1919 Motor Show. The models on display consisted of a 2-seater Tourer priced at £425, a 4-seater Tourer priced at £450, and a complete chassis. Unfortunately, the post-war boom in the car industry had come to an end and the following recession rapidly saw the end of the Harper Bean conglomerate.

During November 1921 a huge investment of capital by Sir George Bean, Barclays Bank, The National Provincial Bank, and Hadfields rejuvenated the company and production restarted early in 1922. The Bean 12, a smaller version of the Bean 14 was launched in May 1924 and would remain the mainstay of production until 1927. Bean cars had gained a reputation of being average, but reliable performers. The 14/45 put an end to all that. The company soon got a bad reputation, and sales fell to around 25 cars a week. By March 1929 the number of new cars with faults that were returned to the factory, was higher than the number of cars being produced. In June 1931 the company went into voluntary liquidation and vehicle production ended.

First registered on 04 April 1925, little is known of ‘‘OM 3995’s early life. In 1960, the car was finished in Green and in the ownership of a Cyril Scott, located in London. James Roberts, a BRS manager heard of the car before he retired in 1970, with one of his drivers spotting it in a lorry park in London. It was in a derelict state, had been vandalised and needed a lot of work. He paid £45 for it at the time and set about the restoration himself, with it completed 7 years after his initial purchase and finished in the colourway it is offered today. The car was cherished thoroughly in Roberts’ ownership, used and taxed every year. ‘Jim’ used the car for weddings when asked ‘as a hobby’ and the car even featured in BBC’s ‘Bride of the Year’ programme. Roberts would own the car for a period spanning 19 years until November 1989, when he passed the car to his daughter and son-in-law, who continue to cherish and own the car to this day.

Accompanied with the vehicle is a history file containing and original Bean ‘Twelve’ handbook, a continuation handbook, two copies of ‘Sentinel Motoring’ in which the car features, various communications with the Bean Car Club from James Roberts when he was searching for parts and from his daughter and son in law providing information to the club. Also included are extracts from an Autocar instruction manual, some literature relating to the Bean, sundry documents and the current V5C Registration Document which displays 1 former keeper.

For more information, please contact:
Andreas Hicks
andreas.hicks@handh.co.uk
07929 363573