Yard art now. What was it? Year/Make?

[Crusty Trucker]

[wayne sheldon]

Appears to be a child's hearse. They were actually fairly common back in the days before medical sciences eliminated a lot of childhood diseases. Even in the early 1900s, about one in four children died before the age of ten. It was one reason that many families had so many children in those days. While standard adult hearses were usually painted black, many child's hearses were painted white. 

I don't recognize the vehicle's marque. It could possibly be an Overland, but I doubt that. Many child's hearses were built on standard chassis, but some were built by specialty companies.

Sayers and Scoville built some. Many years ago, I had one of the very few surviving Sayers automobiles. They made an attempt to enter the midrange automobile market between 1919 and 1922. This radiator is different than the Sayers I had, but the fenders and headlamps look the same.

[wayne sheldon]

Someone really should try to save and restore that.

[dustycrusty]

3 hours ago, wayne sheldon said:

Appears to be a child's hearse. They were actually fairly common back in the days before medical sciences eliminated a lot of childhood diseases. Even in the early 1900s, about one in four children died before the age of ten. It was one reason that many families had so many children in those days. While standard adult hearses were usually painted black, many child's hearses were painted white. 

I don't recognize the vehicle's marque. It could possibly be an Overland, but I doubt that. Many child's hearses were built on standard chassis, but some were built by specialty companies.

Sayers and Scoville built some. Many years ago, I had one of the very few surviving Sayers automobiles. They made an attempt to enter the midrange automobile market between 1919 and 1922. This radiator is different than the Sayers I had, but the fenders and headlamps look the same.

I'd second that Sayers and Scovill vote. S&S and competitor James Cunningham & Son Coachworks really liked those intricately carved panels, but this one looks just like the "style 195" that S&S featured.

 

Heres a 1919 S&S.

[Walt G]

There was an incredible influenza pandemic in the era immediately after WWI. Hearses for children were made because of the number that died. At Bill's junk yard that used to exist in Valley Falls, Rhode Island on McCondry street in a building where parts from the pre war cars that were removed and stored sat a near mint condition hearse that was built to use for children. Ford chassis I believe ( saw this ca. 1974) and it's image has haunted me until this day. It was a very chilling sight for me as I was teaching 1,100 kids aged 5 to 12 most of the school year 6 days a week at the time ( and did so for about 35 years) I couldn't stay in the area where the hearse was for very long and the fellows that I went to visit the junk yard with saw how shaken I was after seeing it and wanted to know if I was ok.

Edited April 5, 2022 by Walt G (see edit history)

[Cadillac Nut]

Where ever that is is, it should be saved. Children's hearses are incredibly rare, it's a unique piece of history. 

[F&J]

On ‎4‎/‎4‎/‎2022 at 12:07 PM, Walt G said:

At Bill's junk yard that used to exist in Valley Falls, Rhode Island on McCondry street in a building where parts from the pre war cars that were removed and stored sat a near mint condition hearse that was built to use for children. Ford chassis I believe ( saw this ca. 1974) and it's image has haunted me until this day

Yes it was Ford, a Model T car chassis, not a TT truck.  A very short rear body, not like the big one in post one, that one is a full size hearse. Bill's was painted all white, he said children/infant hearses were always white.

 

I did wonder why Bill chose to save that type of vehicle rather than the many classics that he ran across over the decades of dealing with ancient cars.  I thought he only had just that one car saved indoors. 

[LI_BENTLEY]

The story I heard was one of Bill's children passed and he had the hearse built special for the child.  That's why he kept it.  Remember seeing it the 60s. What happened to it?

[Dandy Dave]

Looks like the 1917 Caddy that was in Red Pretorius's collection. If memory serves me right, his and a V8 engine. 

[Dandy Dave]

Here's something interesting. 

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/abandoned-1917-cadillac-has-been-sitting-for-93-years-v8-engine-wants-to-live-176401.html

[JV Puleo]

On 4/4/2022 at 12:07 PM, Walt G said:

There was an incredible influenza pandemic in the era immediately after WWI. Hearses for children were made because of the number that died. At Bill's junk yard that used to exist in Valley Falls, Rhode Island on McCondry street in a building where parts from the pre war cars that were removed and stored sat a near mint condition hearse that was built to use for children. Ford chassis I believe ( saw this ca. 1974) and it's image has haunted me until this day. It was a very chilling sight for me as I was teaching 1,100 kids aged 5 to 12 most of the school year 6 days a week at the time ( and did so for about 35 years) I couldn't stay in the area where the hearse was for very long and the fellows that I went to visit the junk yard with saw how shaken I was after seeing it and wanted to know if I was ok.

I remember it well. Bill was pestered by hot rod guys that wanted it but he absolutely refused to sell it, at least to them for that purpose. It was a Ford, a Model T and I seem to remember the engine was out of it. Above it, hanging from the rafters, was a row of new Model T fenders still in their wrappers...

[Walt G]

Joe, thanks for your recollections. I do now, after you mention it remember the Ford fenders in their wrappers hanging from the rafters.  Now does anyone know where that original child's hearse is now?

[JV Puleo]

I haven't see or heard of it since Bill died. The yard was taken over by a nephew who scrapped most of the old cars Bill had kept. It was later sold to a relative of Bill's wife. Because of its location it was grandfathered in despite changes in the local zoning laws. At one point I even inquired about buying it but was told it could only be sold to a relative. Oddly enough, the couple that bought it were friends of my mother's. It was managed by their son-in-law who had the old building we both remember torn down and built a new one. Since then, it's been sold again and is now one of those "pick your own parts" yards but there is nothing interesting there at all. Do you remember the Franklin snow plow?

 

I eventually became fairly friendly with Bill but he never said why he kept the hearse. There were other cars in that building. I particularly remember a French 3-wheel cycle car. The first time I went there it was to look at a "37 Chrysler that was in that building. My friend, John Zangari, wanted me to buy it so he could play with it. In any case, it was so buried in parts that it would have been the work of weeks just to clear a path to get it out. I was one of the handful customers that had free run of the storage area...

Edited April 9, 2022 by JV Puleo (see edit history)