Guest Stephen Lyons Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 A couple days back I posted a photo of a large brass era car in the gallery section. Chris Paulsen believes it is a Peerless. Perhaps someone here could take a look at it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Paulsen Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 I hope you don't mind, I will add the photo here. It looks like a 1914 California license plate on the front.Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Lichtfel Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 The radiator is Peerless. It appears to be a 1913 six cylinder. 38-six $4,200, or 48-six $5,000 or 60-six $6,000.The head light shields have been added. The pictured car is right hand drive which would indicate it was made for the European market. My hunch is from the size of the hood that it is a 60-six, a very rare Peerless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Stephen Lyons Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 So far as posting the image here, don't mind at all, Chris - I certainly wanted it shared & enjoyed.I actually hadn't noticed the right hand drivers position, not that such was particularly uncommon in the brass era, even for cars meant for the American market. Nonetheless, that did get me to get out my magnifying glass to make sure that the print was not in reverse (I have run into that with many old photos - a famous example is the widely distributed reverse print of Billy the Kid that wrongly led many to assert that he was left handed). Great eyes on that plate, Chris. I now see the small "L" at one end & the "4" at the other. I agree with your deduction that it is likely a 1914 California issue. Also, thank you, G.D. , for your detailed analysis of exactly what the car may be.One last comment: that's a pretty expensive car in any event. Am I the only one to whom the folks in the picture don't look that well off? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff_a Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Stephen -Great photo! Do you have any description to go with it? My take on it is that a governess, maid and cook are getting their picture taken with some tycoon, his wife, their girl, a great aunt, and a chauffeur (fellow with the watch fob and pipe). Maybe they're on a jaunt in the country to see the lemon trees, orange groves, & etc. I'll bet that the owner of the car is hideously wealthy, if anyone can "run the plates". My wife says that the fellow on the far left, having belt loops on his trousers, might date the photo to post-WWI rather than the 1912-to-1914-period in which the car was built.Green Dragon -Great to have you on board as a contributor to the Peerless Forum! Do you think the tires in the picture are what white tires looked like with use? I've heard that a lot of original tires were made w/ grey or white rubber back then. Also, I was wondering if there was a way to tell the 3 Peerless models apart simply by external appearance. There's something about the hood, you say? By the way, I said to you once that there might be only one Peerless owner who has messages here on the Peerless Forum....I was mistaken; there are 6. ----Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Stephen Lyons Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 Jeff - I don't have any info on the photo at all, I have just picked up some interesting old prints in the past. I was looking some of them over this week for the first time in years & decided to scan & share a few here. I posted three to the gallery this week, this one under Horseless Carriages, one to Maxwell, & one to Model A. The Maxwell photo is remarkable for a number of reasons. Go check it out if you have the time. Stephen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Lichtfel Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 Chris,The plaque on the ratiator is not something from Peerless.Could you see it better with a magnifing glass?The license plate could be English. Peerless had been manufacturing only left hand drive for the USA market but they did make right hand drive cars that were marketed in England and Europe. The Crawford museum in Cleveland has a 1914 6-60, if you could send them a picture they may be able to give you more information on it. Crawford auto and aviation museum, Western Reserve10825 East Blvd. Clevland, Ohio 44106-1777 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BJM Posted June 3, 2008 Share Posted June 3, 2008 Yes I agree that the emblem is not a Peerless emblem. It's also quite large, given that we can see it in relief against the massive grille. Not Packard, nor Pierce Arrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Paulsen Posted June 3, 2008 Share Posted June 3, 2008 Without seeing the original photo, I am quite sure the license plate is a 1914 Cal. I believe the diamond shaped plaque or emblem on the radiator core is a California Automobile Association badge.Are you certain Peerless didn't switch to left hand drive in 1913 or 1914 with most other US manufacturers?I hope this helps, and isn't taken as arguementative,Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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