2 antique circa 1910s mystery car photos

[derrickcars]

Can anyone provide some help with identifying these two cars?

A. license plate says Massachusetts 1929
B. I wish they still made cars like this!

Thanks.
--Derrick

[roadrunner2]

The only info I have on these autos is out of the 'History of the American Auto' book I picked up at a Crackerbarrel Restaurant a number of years ago.

Pertaining to your 'B' auto first, the one most closely resembling your pix was named the American. (1899)
Renamed the Gasmobile, it appeared at the New York Auto Show but left the auto scene in 1902, after about 140 examples had been produced.

In the photo in my book, the auto had the same wood spoke wheels, lights and fenders, BUT is only a one seater.

In 1901, (called a Knox)I see a similiar vehicle except this one has the two-seater (as your pix shows), no fenders or lights (perhaps removed for a race). One maker copying another?

It also has wirespoke wheels.

A 'hedgehog engine, nicknamed for for the appearance of its air-cooled cylinder, powered this 1901 Knox.
In this one, passengers sat up front.


Item 'A' is a convertible closely resembling a 1928 Desoto Phaeton.

In my photo, the front view shows a single bumper bracket in the middle rather than two like your pix displays. Headlamps, fenders, brackets are the same.

Your pix doesn't show the wheels clearlyenough for me to tell if they are wood or wire spoked. My pix shows wire spoked wheels.

Hope that helps. Sorry I can't scan shoot these pix for you.

[derrickcars]

Thanks! I do agree with the Gasmobile. The pics I find on-line are dead-on. I think the front seat folds up.
The grill on car "A" is so unique, I don't think it's a DeSoto Phaeton. It looks like a lot of cars made back then, so if anyone else has other thoughts, please share.

[MagicRat]

I actually was looking through the same book as roadrunner last night, and I came to the same conclusion about the Knox.

Also, the presence of a particular wheel style is not definitive proof. Many cars of the day has wire wheels or spokes (aka artillery wheels) or solid discs depending on the preference of the buyer

[crazy Jim]

Originally Posted by derrickcars

B. I wish they still made cars like this!

Thanks.
--Derrick

look at the frowns on the passengers faces. It appears they hated cars made like that

[MagicRat]

Originally Posted by crazy Jim

look at the frowns on the passengers faces. It appears they hated cars made like that

Smiling for pics came much later. 100+ years ago, portraits, whether painted or photographs, people looked somber and diginfied.
Look at almost any vintage picture...... no smiling.

From this site:
http://www.vam.ac.uk/school_stdnts/s...phy/index.html

As the technology was only just developing at the time, it took a while to 'capture' the image and the sitters remained in pose for a long time - often looking quite uncomfortable and not smiling! As a result the photographs were generally quite formal.