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1930's CADILLAC Dealership desk Illustration


1937hd45

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What can you tell me about this Cadillac desk illustration? Just found it 5 minutes ago on a basement organization, glad to finally find it, thought it was up in the attic. It was nailed to the wainscoting in the Doubleday carriage house, most likely by my grandfather, he was their chauffeur. I can clearly remember prying it off the wall when I was around 12 years old, still have the license plates too. It has V-16 in pencil in the lower left corner. I thought it was a "new car" back then, still hooked on pre 1935 stuff, but this may be an exception. Bob 

DSCF6048.JPG

DSCF6049.JPG

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12 minutes ago, Jeff Hansen said:

1933 Cadillac V-16 Aerodynamic Coupe.  1of 1.  It was Cadillac's Worlds Fair car.  The car is not known to have survived.

 

Not sure about what it is mounted on, though.

 

HTH,

Jeff

 

What distinguishes it from the later cars?  The bumpers?

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Bob, obviously a promotion piece for a Cadillac-LaSalle dealership, would have been on a desk in the showroom or more then likely on the edge of a shelf that rand along the bottom of the showroom window - would be there to stop people in their tracts to look at it and then possibly enter the showroom to see the cars on display or give  a salesman the opportunity to invite them in . If he felt they were a great perspective to buy a car they would be given a deluxe sales catalog or a portfolio, if they were just window shoppers a sales folder or business card. All the dealers had to pay for the sales literature they got! it was not sent free by GM for them to hand out.

Walt

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A Paper restoration specialist could do wonders with this example before it is framed.  Just depends on how much someone is willing to spend.  You might check the Art Department of your local college or university to see if they are interested or can give you some leads

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14 hours ago, alsancle said:

 

What distinguishes it from the later cars?  The bumpers?

 

Yes, the bumpers and the entire front ensemble (grille, headlamps, horns). Taillights are also different.  I don't believe the production cars (available from '34 to '37) had the recessed license plate on the trunk, either.  Interestingly, this body style (job 5799) could be had on either a V-8, V-12, or V-16 chassis.  Cadillac & LaSalle Club members have researched the cars produced and whether they survived.  That research is not currently at my fingertips.  It was done roughly 30 years ago.

 

Here are links to photos of a '34 V-16 survivor for comparison: 

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/96212023@N00/albums/72157617185027713

https://www.flickr.com/photos/96212023@N00/albums/72157622526254814

 

This '34 is believed to be in Australia currently and undergoing restoration.

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Thanks for the photos Jeff, the window trim looks different as well. When I first got interested in old cars Dad dug out all the old photos of family members with cars. The Doubleday's had a NYC  place in the winter and the Ridgefield estate in the summer. I was lucky to see the Ridgefield estate 400+ acres before is was subdivided into a housing development, wish I took photos. Must have been a great life, the carriage house was three doors wide and two cars deep with a wash rack in the center. The doors were unique, four or six panels that folded on to each other, then moved to the left and right.  Horse stables were in the back and living quarters upstairs. I don't know if everyone did this back in the day, but everyone at a dinner party got their car washed and detailed, must have been a busy time for my Grandfather, Dad & Uncle. Bob 

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I'm giving this Cadillac prototype illustration a bit more thought. Don't know how long they had the 1931-32 V-16 Towncar, and the Two Door Aero Coupe wouldn't be a good replacement, so maybe it was Jim Doubleday, the son who was dreaming of having one, and tacked that illustration on the wall.  He had made the progression of Model A Ford Cabriolet to L-29 Cord Cabriolet then 1933 Ford Cabriolet. 

 

Bob

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On 3/30/2020 at 10:20 AM, Jeff Hansen said:

This '34 is believed to be in Australia currently and undergoing restoration.

 

You are correct.  Currently undergoing restoration in Perth and coming along nicely.

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