Lot #1301.1 - This 1929 Pierce-Arrow Sedan has been in one Northern California family for the past 40 years. Built on the 133-inch wheelbase, this Model 125 8-cylinder carries a restored Landau Club Sedan body finished in green and brown with white trim. Pierce-Arrow in Buffalo, NY, enjoyed a long and successful history prior to the difficult 1930s, having manufactured some of the greatest motorcars offered during the Brass and Classic Eras. The company's controversial merger of 1928 with Studebaker, driven by Pierce-Arrow's acute need for cash to finance new-model development, provided the needed resources for a new and highly acclaimed 8-cylinder engine in 1929, finally breaking the marque's long-standing reliance on 6-cylinder power. As the infamous 1929 stock market crash and subsequent Great Depression loomed, Pierce-Arrow was healthy and resolutely continued to focus on its luxury-car roots and its upscale, discerning clientele more than ever. Debuted for 1929, the new Pierce-Arrow "Eight" was a true breakthrough. Weighing some 100 pounds less than the big T-Head 6 that it replaced, the new engine delivered 25% more power from a 12% smaller displacement. It was even less expensive, with prices beginning at $2,775, making renowned Pierce-Arrow quality available to a broader market in no fewer than 12 body styles. Offerings for 1929 included Model 125, named for its 125hp output on the 133-inch wheelbase chassis, and Model 126 with the same power rating but on the 143-inch wheelbase chassis. Pierce-Arrow sales reached 8,000 units in 1929; a feat sadly never repeated.