Cars as a Dowry

My parents marriage was an arranged one and took place in 1925. My mother was then 15 years old and father was 21 . My mother was from the distinguished Purnaiya family , the grand daughter of Sir Purnaiya Narasinga Rao Krishnamurthy, Dewan of Mysore, and the Jagirdar of Yellandur). ( You will see all this from a Hyperlink in Purniah Dynasty ). Her mother, the Jagirdarni of Yellandur was interested in getting her daughter to marry  my father, son of A. Thirumala Rao Sahib, Jagirdar of Arni . My mother's second cousin was also interested in "acquiring" him.. The question of the dowry came up. My father wished that it be settled in terms of the number of automobiles offered-. My mother won the auction with 21 cars - obviously not at one go - but in stages ! Therefore, in spite of the Arni Jagir being then under the Court of Wards, Dad was still able to conduct his hobby of car collection!