Recently we talked about the hot kind, built on the base coupe Continental, which in turn was born out of the short-lived in the early 30-ies of the last century, and quite exotic brand Devaux. By the style of the first he puts his hand Count Alexis de Sahnoffski whose creations in the world of automotive design, as well as all of his unusual life, deserve a separate story.
Foreword
Behind the scenes of Alexis de Sahnoffski can be called the father of the aerodynamic design «streamlining». At least, thanks to his incredible activity in the promotion of this style in the early 20th century, aerodynamic shape, not only in the everyday life, but also entrenched in the automotive industry. However, the Count brought «strimlayning» not only in the automotive world, but also in a very unexpected areas such as toys, furniture, radios and even the dishes — of course all of this has been branded an aerodynamic design.
As acknowledged by most historians is de Sahnoffski is the author of, if not the most beautiful (this concept is very subjective), that is exactly the most unusual in the history of trucks. And we're not talking about concept-carts Luigi Colani, but the issue and are actively used in everyday life Truckee! (Title photo)
Well established in the graph as «experiment» Cord compartment 29 not only is a significant and indeed is recognized as one of the most beautiful cars in the world, but recently it has been sold at auction for nearly $ 2.5 million...
Unfortunately, for some reason, the figure of Alexis de Sahnoffski not recognize some historians. Their main argument is that he was not an engineer. And they are in their own way will be right. However, the designer, but in essence — the artist, and should not have the engineering knowledge of the designer! Rather, the question is hidden in the «immigrant» origin of the graph, which in life is rather a problem initially. Subsequently, however, the title of Count and mystery of Russian origin started to play into his hands.
Already in the «states» at the peak of his career in the late 30's, many companies have used exotic title and name as an additional public relations and advertising for their products. Moreover, some hired de Sahnoffski exclusively for «drawing» advertising already existing «STREAMLINE» products, to which in reality he had nothing to do, whether it is the train or the shoes...
However, the outline of his hands, and even now has become a reputable signature on them, attracted more attention of the public.
Conversely, grants «Detroit», actively use developments sketches de Sahnoffski not advertise their authorship, attributing to the final design of its car design office. And they were right back at it, paying for the work. I met and, so to speak, «golden mean», as some like firm Nash in the «40s, mentioned the „participation of the graph in the initial stages of design“...
There were in the life of de Sahnoffski and without women, but rather related scandals. Graf, a leading, if not the life of «Playboy», it just has a very free views on the concept of marriage, often became the hero of the «yellow press». However, this is again played into his hands, rather than the other way around...
Today, the materials about the life of this extraordinary man are extremely rare and often have a lot of inaccuracies and even contradictions. This is not surprising, as in life, journalists are often confused a lot, for example, even calling him a Belgian...
Fortunately, history enthusiasts from Coachbuilt unearthed extended de interview Sahnoffski. It was divided into three parts, and published in the late 50's, shortly before his death, in a small American magazines devoted to classic cars (Classic Car Club of America).
In fact, this interview was a kind of monograph, and the only one dedicated to the bright and unusual life of Alexis de Sahnoffski. Moreover, it includes a large number of personal testimonies, including anecdotal. Let's unveil the curtain on a thorny way of life remains largely enigmatic figure of this extraordinary man.
From Russia...
Alex was born on November 12, 1901, the year in Kiev, Ukraine, at the time part of the Russian Empire. The roots of his father, Prince Vladimir Sakhnovsky go to the Ukrainian Cossacks for a few centuries ago. Among other things, he was as much a financial advisor of Tsar Nicholas II. Moreover, his mother came from Alexei Tereshchenko of a certain kind, being the granddaughter of a sugar magnate and industrializers Artemon Tereshchenko — one of the richest men in Imperial Russia. Her father (grandfather Alexei) Nicholas inherited the business and the state of Tereshchenko, which was subsequently divided among the heirs.
To understand the viability of the mother of Alexei enough to mention one fact. Her grandmother, Elizabeth acquired in 1908 by more than 100-meter yacht «Ioladna», built in Scotland known shipbuilders Ramage and Ferguson Shipyards.
At that time, it was the size of the second largest in the world with a steam-driven boat! Buying held in 1911, the year and its «transport» from the Mediterranean to the Baltic Sea on board, among others were members of the royal family. Presumably with them and traveled 10-year-old Alex.
His childhood was spent in a five-storey house in the center of Kiev, where among the «subservient», numbering 18 people, at the disposal of the boy was a French governess and nurse Englishwoman. It is up to them, Alex learned the two languages, which later played a key role in his life. Then he met with the car: «My interest in the machines really woke up in 1912. Basically what Strepolet served as a steam driven my uncle, as well as more modern cars cousins, among whom were Opel, and Austro-Daimler, and Mercedes».
Mercedes family Tereshchenko became one of the first in the Russian Empire: «Just before the war, his father bought a large Mercedes, which I especially liked the unusual shape of the muffler. When our driver presses the pedal to the floor and at speeds under 100 km per hour from the branched pipe erupted in flames — it was unforgettable! Even then I knew that somehow my life would be associated with a large, beautiful and fast cars... »
To understand the viability of the mother of Alexei enough to mention one fact. Her grandmother, Elizabeth acquired in 1908 by more than 100-meter yacht «Ioladna», built in Scotland known shipbuilders Ramage and Ferguson Shipyards.
At that time, it was the size of the second largest in the world with a steam-driven boat! Buying held in 1911, the year and its «transport» from the Mediterranean to the Baltic Sea on board, among others were members of the royal family. Presumably with them and traveled 10-year-old Alex.
His childhood was spent in a five-storey house in the center of Kiev, where among the «subservient», numbering 18 people, at the disposal of the boy was a French governess and nurse Englishwoman. It is up to them, Alex learned the two languages, which later played a key role in his life. Then he met with the car: «My interest in the machines really woke up in 1912. Basically what Strepolet served as a steam driven my uncle, as well as more modern cars cousins, among whom were Opel, and Austro-Daimler, and Mercedes».
Mercedes family Tereshchenko became one of the first in the Russian Empire: «Just before the war, his father bought a large Mercedes, which I especially liked the unusual shape of the muffler. When our driver presses the pedal to the floor and at speeds under 100 km per hour from the branched pipe erupted in flames — it was unforgettable! Even then I knew that somehow my life would be associated with a large, beautiful and fast cars... »
According to the testimony of Alexis, 13 years old, he wanted to design a car for a king!
And he even started to practice, make the truck out of the sledge and the wheels of the pram, which, down the hill, he almost fell under the wheel of the family car. After this incident, «first car» de Sahnoffski was destroyed by strict parents, and soon came the more serious changes.
... With the ring, and 1000 rubles in his pocket
Came First World War, during which Sahnovsky Sr. led the strategically important port in St. Petersburg, as well as customs. Besides Vladimir headed the Bureau of Licensing vehicles — in other words, through it passed all the cars are delivered allies in Russia. It is not known how much they could get acquainted with Alex, but at some point it all became irrelevant.
After the first Revolution, Vladimir Sahnovsky resigned from all the powers, and with the arrival of the Bolsheviks, which is one of the richest families in Russia was an easy target, committed suicide in August 1918. Sam Alexis remembers well this time: «The Bolsheviks established the» curfew «at 6pm. I was in the next room when his father took poison. All that I have heard in complete silence — the roar of the metal rims of the wheels on the pavement. At this time on the street could be only the Bolsheviks, and this meant that for someone going to arrest him... »
In a further known that the 18-year-old boy joins the ranks of the army of General Wrangel, but how active he fought — is unknown. According to various sources, at the end of 1919 or January of 1920, a rather wealthy aunt, who lived in Marseille, pay a lot of money to smuggle across the border Alexei with his mother and sisters. In his pocket at that time it was 1,000 rubles and one diamond ring...
However, a relative helped Alexey pay Engineering (presumably) course in «University of Lausanne», located in the French part of Switzerland. Soon the money ran out and did not finish his studies, Alex moved to the beginning of the 20s in Paris, where he became the first attempts to earnings... design women's dresses! The future car designer was trying to sell designer sketches, but soon realized «Just pictures in Paris, it was impossible to make — it was still able to hold in their hands and be able to cut the needle... I hardly rescued 17–20 francs for a picture, and then not very regular... »
After the first Revolution, Vladimir Sahnovsky resigned from all the powers, and with the arrival of the Bolsheviks, which is one of the richest families in Russia was an easy target, committed suicide in August 1918. Sam Alexis remembers well this time: «The Bolsheviks established the» curfew «at 6pm. I was in the next room when his father took poison. All that I have heard in complete silence — the roar of the metal rims of the wheels on the pavement. At this time on the street could be only the Bolsheviks, and this meant that for someone going to arrest him... »
In a further known that the 18-year-old boy joins the ranks of the army of General Wrangel, but how active he fought — is unknown. According to various sources, at the end of 1919 or January of 1920, a rather wealthy aunt, who lived in Marseille, pay a lot of money to smuggle across the border Alexei with his mother and sisters. In his pocket at that time it was 1,000 rubles and one diamond ring...
However, a relative helped Alexey pay Engineering (presumably) course in «University of Lausanne», located in the French part of Switzerland. Soon the money ran out and did not finish his studies, Alex moved to the beginning of the 20s in Paris, where he became the first attempts to earnings... design women's dresses! The future car designer was trying to sell designer sketches, but soon realized «Just pictures in Paris, it was impossible to make — it was still able to hold in their hands and be able to cut the needle... I hardly rescued 17–20 francs for a picture, and then not very regular... »
At this point, Alex decided to pass a course in design located in Brussels, the «School of Arts» (Ecole des Arts et Métiers). For the study payment, he began to look for work «in place.» At that time, in the portfolio which has now become Alexis de Sahnoffski were only women's dresses and clothing accessories, but obvious creative talent pushed Antoine Van den Plaza hire a young Russian immigrant as a junior artist in the body shop of the same name is quite well-known company at a salary of 750 francs a month. We can not say that yet another trump card was his new employee multilingvistichnost, as the company performed private commissions for wealthy gentlemen from all over Europe.
From the outset, with the cars according to his designs were connected and «fried» stories like treason in perfectly suitable for «adultery» cabin with a folding front seats, but at the same time it and the first recognition with awards at the most prestigious beauty contests and subsequent journey to America where talent de Sahnoffski revealed in full.... However, the first stimulus to a new place of work Alexis, besides the money, was the toilet...!
To be continued.
