MURRELLS INLET, S.C. — Brookgreen Gardens is proud to announce the debut of an extraordinarily rare 1927 Diana "Straight 8" fully restored 4‑Door Sedan, now on public display in the Polack Gallery of the Rosen Galleries.
Manufactured by Diana Motors Company, a subsidiary of Moon Motor Car Company of St. Louis, the Diana was produced in extremely limited numbers—only about 2,500 vehicles were ever built, and only around a dozen are known to survive today. Brookgreen Gardens' newly installed model is believed to be the only Diana of its kind currently on public view anywhere in the United States.
The Diana was marketed in its era as an automobile "designed for women," reflecting both the trends and aspirations of 1920s American culture. Period advertising promoted its velvet upholstery, push-button start (a modern luxury compared to crank ignition), distinctive "diamond" headlights, and the elegant "feminine lines" of the coachwork. Its most striking feature—the hood ornament—is a reproduction of Diana of the Chase, one of Anna Hyatt Huntington's most famous works, created around 1922.
This historic automobile will enable Brookgreen Gardens to illuminate a new dimension of Anna Hyatt Huntington's legacy. While Anna was not involved in the car's production, the company used her artwork visually and symbolically in its brand identity and advertising. The installation highlights not only her artistic influence but also her business acumen and pioneering artistic presence in an era when women rarely held such creative and commercial authority. Its story also supports Brookgreen's designation as an important site in women's history.
Brookgreen Gardens acquired this historic vehicle through a generous private gift from a collector. Like many smaller manufacturers of the 1920s, the Moon Motor Car Company succumbed to the economic strain of the Great Depression and the rapid rise of mass-produced automobiles, such as the Ford Model A. The rarity of the Diana today is a testament to the brief but compelling history of America's early automobile innovators.
Brookgreen Gardens invites the public to experience this remarkable piece of automotive, artistic, and women's history—now on exhibit in the Rosen Galleries.