FOR THE PERSON WHO HAS EVERYTHING… Every Rolls-Royce Phantom V was by nature a bespoke automobile, but some were more bespoke than others.

Few have the story of this car, designed by the American-born Osmond Rivers—formerly of British coachbuilders Hooper—for an American couple, Marty Martyn, a prominent Hollywood talent agent, and his wife Margaret.

The Martyns were highly involved in the creation of their car, with Mrs.

Martyn specifying it to the tiniest detail, including designing the air-conditioning vents herself.

The actual creation of the design was carried out by Henri Chapron’s French atelier.

San Francisco Society columnist Herb Caen noted, “Mrs.

Martyn was quite pleased with the result and reveals that she dusts the interior personally with a custom dustcloth made of imperial sables.” Another more waggish news item listed the car’s accoutrements: “…a built-in bar with crystal decanters, a three wave-length radio, a hidden umbrella slot, a drawer with compact and make-...