2017 Monterey offerings - Bonhams

It's Pebble Beach time again and a look through the online auction catalogs shows that there will be a few early vehicles offered for sale. Bonhams, as usual, has the most on offer, including a 1904 Premier, 1907 Thomas Flyer, and a 1910 Cadillac Model 30. 

The Premier, from Indianapolis, IN, introduced their 4 cylinder air-cooled engine (mounted crosswise and making 16 horsepower) in 1904. An early proponent of racing, this is the same year the company campaigned the 8 cylinder Premier Comet racing car with none other than Carl Fisher at the wheel. The body on the car offered was recreated, but The Horseless Age of February 24, 1904, describes the cars as such: "The car may be used either as a runabout or tonneau, the tonneau seats being detachable, and when used as a runabout a wicker basket for carrying baggage can be put in place the the tonneau."

1904 Premier Model F - photo credit: Bonhams Auctions

1904 Premier Roadster - photo credit: The Horseless Age, Feb 24, 1904

The next car on offer is the mighty 1909 Thomas Flyer 6-70 (6 cylinder - 70 horsepower). These cars are substantial and quite rare. Bonhams is forthright in the catalog description noting that this car was built from the parts bin at the Harrah collection. Bill Harrah was a big fan of the cars from Buffalo, NY and had a significant collection of them. Most notably it was Harrah who purchased and restored "The Great Race" winning 1907 Thomas. This car has been re-created in the 5-passenger "Flyabout" body style.

1909 Thomas Flyer 6-70 - photo credit: Bonhams Auctions

Automobile Topics Oct 17, 1908

Also on offer is the 1910 Cadillac Model 30 Touring car. Cadillac was founded when the creditors of the first Ford Motor Company enterprise asked respected engineer, Henry Leland, to evaluate the assets. Naming the new enterprise after the French explorer, Antoine Laumet Cadillac, one of the founders of the city of Detroit, Leland became a partner 1902. Leland's focus on provision machining of parts was recognized in 1908 when Cadillac won the Dewar Trophy for Britain's Royal Automobile Club for excellence in manufacturing (interchangeable parts). In 1909, Cadillac was sold to General Motors. The 1910 offerings included the Model 30 - a mid-priced car of high-quality - starting at $1,400 three body styles were offered: Roadster, Demi-Tonneau and this five-passenger Touring Car. Powered by a 226 cubic-inch L-head four-cylinder engine, the engineer makes 30 horsepower.

1910 Cadillac Model 30 - photo credit: Bonhams Auctions

2017 Monterey offerings - RM Sotheby's

It's Pebble Beach time again and a look through the online auction catalogs shows that there will be a few early vehicles offered for sale. RM Sotheby's has only one - a 1911 Oldsmobile Autocrat. 

The Oldsmobile company was founded in 1897, and by 1904, Ransom E. Olds (the founder) had left the company that bore his name; divesting of his stock and starting REO. The Oldsmobile company became part of General Motors in 1908 - it's flagship brand. 

In 1911 the Olds Autocrat (also known as the Series 28), was the largest 4-cylinder car offered by Oldsmobile that year. Further, one of the largest cars offer anywhere due to its 38 inch wheels and 500 cubic inches of engine displacement. Oldsmobile had taken a big turn from producing smaller, more affordable cars to offering the Special (4-cylinder) at $3000, the Autocrat (4-cylinder) at $3500, and the LImited (6-cylinder) for $5000 in 1911.

The RM Sotheby's catalog notes that this car was originally purchased by John Henry Greenway Albert, the benefactor of a wealth Maryland mining family. It's stated that Albert promptly went about modifying the new car's coachwork by installing a “boattailed” aluminum body of his own design... and then he went racing.

1911 Olds Autocrat "Yellow Peril" - photo credit: RM Sotheby's

Olds Autocrat competing in Chicago reliability tour - photo credit: Motor Age Nov 2, 1911

1911 Olds Autocrat - photo credit: from the author's collection

2017 Monterey Offerings - Gooding & Co

It's Pebble Beach time again and regrettably I'm not going this year. However, a look through the online auction catalogs show that there will be a few early vehicles offered for sale. Gooding and Company has a 1907 Wolfe touring car on offer. 

The Wolfe (taking the last name of the salesman with whom the Wilcox brother partnered with) was manufactured in Minneapolis by the H.E. Wilcox Motor Company. The assembled car used a Carrico air-cooled engine or a Continental water-cooled engine (as this car has). It is thought that the company produced less than 50 cars this first year. Few car were built  through 1909 when the model name changed to Wilcox. They would continue through 1911.

1907 Wolfe - photo credit: Gooding & Co Auction

The Horseless Age of August 7, 1907 featured a quite up on the new car, covering the specifications. Additionally, the Cycle and Automotive Trade Journal list the new car among the year's offerings with the touring car priced at $1800 (not including top or windscreen).

The next car on offer is a 1912 Packard Model 30 (UE) Phaeton on the long wheelbase (129.5 inches). It is thought to be the only surviving example. The car was delivered in the summer of 1911 through the NYC dealership and apparently shipped to Europe. The car was soon back in Ottawa, Canada and purchased in 1912 by the Boyd family. They would keep the car for the next 66 year - selling it in 1978. The current owners have held on to the car for the last 39 years! Chassis number 20237 is said to be the 189th oldest Packard and certainly looks to be  a car to treasure. 

1912 Packard Model 30 Phaeton - photo credit: Gooding & Co Auction

1912 Packard Model 30 Phaeton - photo credit: Detroit Public Library National Automotive History Collection

1912 Packard as found circa 1978 - photo credit: packardsonline.com

2016 Pebble Beach Preservation

The ever-growing popularity of preservation cars is evident at Pebble Beach with both "pre-war" and "post-war" classes. The following early cars were exhibited in the pre-war preservation category with the 1902 Thomas winning the class.

1902 Thomas Model 17 Detachable Rear Entry Tonneau. Owned by Kirk Bewley and Stu Laidlaw, this car was formerly owned by John D. Rockefeller and Glen Gould. It is one of two known remaining Model 17's.  [Photography by the Author] 

1913 Mercer Model 35J Raceabout. Owned by Sam Mann, this car is one of an estimated two dozen remaining pre-1914 Mercer Raceabouts.  [Photography by the Author] 

2016 Pebble Beach Brass Cars (Closed)

Monterey and the Pebble Beach Concours had much to offer enthusiasts this year, and there was a large assortment of early cars. In fact, Pebble Beach split the class into "Open" and "Closed" cars - you rarely see closed cars from this era. The following are some of the cars from the "Closed" class. Pat Craig's 1915 Piece-Arrow (with a two decade old restoration) won the class.

1915 Pierce-Arrow Model 48 Coupe. Owned by Pat Craig, this car has had only three owners from new.  [Photographed by the Author]

1912 Packard Model 30 Four Brougham. Owned by the Matthews Family, this car is one of very few remaining Model 30's with closed coachwork.  I had the pleasure of seeing this car earlier in the year at the Pierce-Arrow Society event in Northern California.  [Photographed by the Author]

1911 Oldsmobile Limited Series 27 Clark Carriage Limousine. Owned by The Nethercutt Collection, this car was previously owned by D. Cameron Peck and Otis Cahandler.  [Photographed by the Author]

1913 ALCO Model Six Berline Limousine. Owned by Crawford Auto Aviation Museum, this car is one of few surviving ALCO's and even fewer Model Six's.  [Photographed by the Author]

1912 Delaunay-Belleville La Carrosserie Industrielle Omnibus. Owned by the Mullin Museum, this car was built to carry the Russian Czar's guests between palaces.  [Photographed by the Author]

2016 Pebble Beach Brass Cars (Open)

Just back from a week in Monterey and it never seems to disappoint. The Pebble Beach Concours had more brass cars on display this year than I can ever remember - in fact they split the class into "Open" and "Closed". The following are some cars from the "Open" class, with the Keller Collection's 1911 Mercedes the class winner. 

1911 Mercedes (70 hp) Seven Passenger Touring by Vanvooren. Owned by the Keller Collection, this car was originally ordered by a nephew of Sam Colt (Firearms manufacturer). The Keller's acquired the car from Scott Isquick (long-time Mercedes collector). [Photographed by the Author]

1909 Pierce-Arrow Model 24 Runabout. Owned by Richard Anderson, this was the car's first showing.  [Photographed by the Author]

1911 American Underslung Traveler Touring. Owned by the Natural History Museum of LA County (they have a couple very nice cars), this car had been on loan to the Petersen Museum.  [Photographed by the Author]

1911 Benz (50 Hp) Tourer. Owned by Gerhard Schnuerer, this car was originally ordered by Chicago Railroad investor, Charles Hayes - who went down with the Titanic before he could take delivery.  [Photographed by the Author]

1912 Moon Model 30 Raceabout. Owned by Leland Powells, this car was found by Henry Austin Clark and later owned by William Harrah.  [Photographed by the Author]

1901 Panhard et Levassor Type B1 Race Car. Owned by Rob Kauffman, this car's history has recently come to light.  Researched and restored by Evan Ide, the car was built specifically to race in the United States competing in the 1901 New York to Buffalo race.  [Photographed by the Author]

2016 Greenwich Concours

This was my first visit to the Greenwich Concours, on the anniversary of their 20th year, and Mary Wennestrom (and her family) put on a wonderful event. Organized over two days, Saturday hosted mostly American cars, with Sunday featuring European cars. Vehicles are roped-off in circles by era or make, including: Classics, super cars, Ferrari, BMW, etc. The following are a few cars that caught my eye. 

(1934 Pierce-Arrow 840 brought by Charles Gillet)

(1929 DuPont Model G brought by Thomas duPont) 

(1963 Corvette Rondine brought by Michael Schudroff)

(2013 Aston Martin Zagato brought by Michael Odierna)

(1967 Maserati Frua Coupe brought by Blake Stevenson)

(1946 Lancia April Barchetta brought by Charles Schoendorf)

(1949 Ferrari 166S Coupe brought by Steve Frary)

(1954 Ford Comete Monte Carlo brought by Steve Wolf)