The JBS Collection is pleased to announce – in collaboration with co-presenter LaVine Restorations, Inc., of Nappanee, Indiana – that the 5th Annual Concours d’Elegance at Copshaholm will be held Saturday, July 8, 2023, on the grounds of the historic Copshaholm House Museum in South Bend, Indiana. The event will open to the public at 10 a.m. The Pass In Review and Awards ceremony will begin at 2:30 p.m. and conclude at 4 p.m.
The Concours d’Elegance at Copshaholm will feature marques Oldsmobile and Jaguar, highlight the Corvette, and showcase a wide array of automotive classes for judging and awards. Distinct Classes will include, among others, The Centennial Club: Pre-1923 Automobiles; The Corvette at 70; Indianapolis Classics: Cole, Duesenberg, Marmon, National, Stutz; Grace, Space and Pace: Jaguar; and, Studebaker’s Finest: The Raymond Loewy Era.
The event will also pay homage to co-presenters, The JBS Collection – owned by Laura and Jack Boyd Smith Jr. – and LaVine Restorations, Inc., owned by Vivian and Eric LaVine. The JBS Collection is one of the top 100 car collections in the world (The Key), and LaVine Restorations — which has worked to restore and preserve several of the rare and historic vehicles in The JBS Collection — has been a respected name in the restoration space for over 40 years.
The JBS Collection – which rose 50 spots this year to break into The Classic Car Trust top 100 car collections in the world, listed in The Key magazine – will not present for awards but will display several vehicles; including a 1906 Studebaker Model G, a 1936 Packard 1407 Twelve once owned by Charlie Chaplin, and the 1937 Cord 812 Phaeton Convertible – originally owned by American aviator Amelia Earhart – that represents one of the more historic and acclaimed collaborations between the co-presenters of the Concours at Copshaholm.
Awards for the 2023 Concours d’Elegance at Copshaholm will include Best of Class, Champion Awards for special merit, the Junior Judging Award, and a mix of Premier Awards; including – in honor of LaVine Restorations – the Vivian & Eric LaVine/LaVine Restorations Award: Spirit of the Hobby, which will be given to recognize demonstrated excellence and passion in preservation and restoration.
This fully-restored 1937 Cord 812 Phaeton Convertible — originally owned by American aviator Amelia Earhart and now a part of The JBS Collection — will be displayed at the 5th Annual Concours d’Elegance at Copshaholm. The iconic vehicle, restored in collaboration with LaVine Restorations, Inc., was recently named by The Hagerty Drivers Foundation as the 33rd vehicle to be inducted into the National Historic Vehicle Register and will be presented under glass at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. later this year.
Best of Show – the top award at a Concours d’Elegance event – will be selected from the Best of Class and Premier Award winners. Last year’s Best of Show winner was a 1936 Packard Super Eight owned by Allen and Nancy Strong, of Urbana, Illinois. Renowned automotive scholar and historian, Matt Short, will serve as Chief Judge for the 2023 Concours at Copshaholm. Judging will be French Traditional, and the awards ceremony will be narrated by automotive historian and raconteur, Bill Rothermel.
“A little over ten years ago, when Laura and I started building The JBS Collection, we realized it wasn’t just about the cars – it was also about these Concours events,” said Jack Boyd Smith Jr. “To attend a Concours and witness and appreciate the history of each and every vehicle is just an incredible experience. All the notoriety of late has been encouraging, but watching the Concours d’Elegance at Copshaholm evolve and grow right here in our own backyard — and co-presenting its fifth anniversary with Vivian and Eric — that is a wonderful feeling.”
To learn more about the 5th Annual Concours d’Elegance at Copshaholm, please call (574) 235-9714.