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A princely proposition: the Riva of the ruler of Monaco is up for auction

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The retro yacht Riva, once owned by Monaco's thirteenth Prince Rainier Louis Henri Maxence Bertrand Grimaldi and his wife, Hollywood film actress Grace Kelly , is among the lots at RM Sotheby's Villa Erba auction on Lake Como. The bidding for the 26-foot 1958 Riva Tritone Via will take place on May 25.

Hull No. 62 of the Riva Tritone series was gifted to Rainier III by a close relative, Mr. Gianoglio, a wealthy Milanese textile industrialist.

Gianoglio ordered several «Tritones from Carlo Riva at once», and presented one of them to the ruler as a token of his admiration and gratitude.

Rainier and Grace adored the boat. The dignitaries could often be seen cruising alongthe Côte d'Azurand calling at the port of Hercule. In fact, the Tritone Via became the official flagship of their personal fleet as evidenced by the Princely couple's flag flying on her flagpole.

The Prince's Riva collection grew over time, however, with the arrival of the smaller, 19-footer Riva Junior, designed for water-skiing, replacing Tritone Via. Despite Rainier III parting ways with his once favourite, the Tritone Via remains in Monaco.

Theclassic Ranabout is powered by two Chris-Craft MCL six-cylinder engines with a displacement of 5.5 liters. Each produces 175 hp at 3,400 rpm. They are mated to the Chris-O-Matic automatic transmission, which at the time was a breakthrough in the United States automotive industry.

The particular wood pattern of the Riva Tritone Via hull, with its alternating red and white stripes, symbolizes the flag of Monaco.

The boat went to Holland a few years ago for a complete restoration from bow to stern. Having refreshed the exterior and interior of the classic, all the technical stuffing was also repaired. In 2014, the restored rarity, still a symbol of wealth and glamour, was bought by the current owner. Then the boat went under the hammer for €413 thousand.

Experts believe the piece of HISTORY in Tritone Via can be sold for $750 thou.

At present she is in Monaco Harbour where she is regularly serviced by Monaco Boat Service.

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