This table has been made around an original Rolls-Royce Griffon rocker cover. The Griffon was the V12 aero engine that followed the earlier Rolls-Royce Merlin engine which had powered the Spitfire, Hurricane, Lancaster, and even the North American P-51D Mustang in Packard form.
The Rolls-Royce Griffon was a 37 liter V12, liquid-cooled aero engine designed and built by the British during WWII. It emerged in the late 1930s, evolving from the company’s earlier R and Buzzard engines. The Griffon was developed as a more powerful alternative to the legendary Merlin V12, which had begun to hit the limits of its development potential.
This is a Rolls-Royce Griffon aero engine on display at the Midland Air Museum in Coventry, England. It’s sitting in its original wooden shipping crate. Image is public domain.
The Griffon came into its own during the latter stages of World War II. It was used in various modified versions of established aircraft. Notably, certain models of the Supermarine Spitfire received the Griffon, which gave the aircraft a significant boost in performance.
Additionally, the engine was utilized in the Hawker Sea Fury, one of the fastest piston-engined aircraft ever built, and the Avro Shackleton, a British long-range maritime patrol aircraft.
While the proliferation of jet propulsion after World War II reduced the demand for piston engines in frontline combat aircraft, the Griffon found uses in other applications. It was adapted for various roles, including hydroplanes, where the engine’s power was harnessed for racing purposes.
Although the Rolls-Royce Griffon had a shorter operational and production span than its counterpart, the Merlin, its contribution to aviation, especially during critical moments in history, is undeniable.
Above Video: This episode from the official Imperial War Museums YouTube channel tells the history of the iconic Spitfire, including an explanation of the engine evolution from the Merlin to the Griffon V12 aero engines.
The table you see here features an original Rolls-Royce Griffon rocker cover which has had a piece of glass cut out for its specifically. The rocker cover rises up through a hole in the center of the table as the primary feature, and the glass top rests on a series of arms.
It measures in at 1500 x 700mm by 490mm high, which works out to approximately . It has steel legs that are designed to look like the central fuselage sections of a WWII era fighter aircraft, and the table is finished in grey while the Griffon rocker cover is finished in black with red highlighting.
This table is due to be sold by Bonhams at their Goodwood Revival Auction on the 9th of September with a price guide of £2,500 – £3,500, or $3,142 – $4,400 USD. If you’d like to read more about it or register to bid you can visit the listing here.
Images courtesy of Bonhams
Articles that Ben has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
