Stanley Paine (British, B. 1934) "Jaguar SS1/British Motor Cars" Signed lower right. Original Oil painting on Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting is the original painting which was published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the Great Britain 26p SS1 & XJ6 Jaguar stamp issued October 13, 1982. Fifty years ago, the SS1 was advertised to the British public as the "ultra sports car." It was as sleek a sedan as the 1930's automobile industry could provide and it was the true ancestor of today's Jaguar ... even though that name was not used until 1935 when the sports saloon SS Jaguar was introduced. The SS1 Sports Saloon, which is featured in the artwork, was the product of a joint venture between the Swallow Coachbuilding Company -- which constructed the bodies -- and the Standard Car Company -- which developed and supplied the running chassis. The moving force behind this dream car of the 1930's was William Lyonns, later Sir William Lyonns, of Jaguar Cars, Limited. The SS1 could be purchased with either a sixteen horsepower or twenty horsepower engine. The car's low and gracefully proportioned lines were a very distinctive feature at a time when most other car manufacturers were building highsided, vertical designs. However, this elegant car that looked like a real speedster was actually a sheep in wolfs clothing. It took a full twenty seconds to reach a speed of fifty miles per hour and had a top speed of only sixty-five miles per hour. The true meaning of the SS1 Sports Saloon's name has been a mystery ever since the car was first introduced half a century ago. It could be short for Super Sports or Swallow Sports or Swallow Standard -- no one seems to know for sure. However, it is possible that the manufacturer purposely kept the name a mystery. Image Size: 6 x 7 in. Overall Size: 11.75 x 13 in. Unframed. (B07691)