Sylvain de Jong, a native of Holland emigrated from his native Amsterdam to Antwerp, Belgium in 1883 at the age of fifteen. Beginning in 1895, he began manufacturing bicycles called Mercury. One year later he traveled to America to learn about machine tools and machining, returning to Belgium in 1897 to begin building a better bicycle called Minerva. Two years later he built his first automobile but not until 1904 did serious production begin. In 1909 he made a pivotal decision: the adoption of Charles Yale Knight?s sleeve-valve engine which was quiet, efficient, trouble-free and durable. Never mind that it was expensive to build, expensive to repair and had a thirst for oil and gasoline; all of which scarcely mattered to the exclusive clientele of the Minerva. The home market in Belgium was rather small for the expensive Minerva, so cars were largely built for export, especially throughout the British Empire. Like many of its contemporaries, the Minerva was a luxury which few could afford during the Great Depression and like other prestige manufacturers, it introduced more modest vehicles in order to spare itself from extinction. It merged with Imperia in 1934, the only other Belgian company still producing cars. By 1938, the company ceased operation, though two comebacks were attempted following World War II, the final one in 1956 fitting the name to a four-cylinder Continental-engine equipped Jeep-like vehicle. Ele Chesney's car wears stunning coachwork by the Paris, France firm of Hibbard & Darin and features an interior lavishly decorated in mahogany and German silver. It is known as a Transformable because the car can be driven as a full convertible or a landaulet with only the driver exposed to the elements. The car was built at the height of Prohibition for a Mr. Bruns who lived in Deal, New Jersey, but worked in New York City. As such, there are two wicker-lined compartments in the floor that were used to transport bootleg liquor. Ele notes that this was a $15,000.00 car in 1928!