Does this Benz still exist?

[prewarnut]

   This is a long shot and I have no vested interest but in looking through the New Britain (CT) Daily Herald (Sept 1930) I came across this short article of Henry Ford adding an 1888 Benz to his collection. In looking at The Henry Ford collection currently they list an 1893 and 1903 Benz (not on display) but not this one (a 3 wheeled vehicle). I know museums will deaccession. Just curious if this is still around. I realize there are a bunch of replicas of these...

 

 

[1937hd45]

Hope someone has info on the car. 

[Leif in Calif]

I see the Ford Museum owns a 1893 Benz which seems to look the same. Given that Museums tend to hang on to things, I wonder if it's the same care and better scholarship showed it to be 1893 and not 1888.

[edinmass]

Pre 1898 automobiles very seldom change hands……..it’s a minuscule world. Dating any pre 1900 car is how shall we say……problematic at best as every year you go back, the value escalates at an exponential rate. Also, dating and bias come into play, as the RAC tends to dump on early American cars…..and there is no appeal to their determination. I’m fortunate to have extensively played with an American 1897 car, and a 1895 unit also.

 

In the mid 1930’s several people attempted to fake early US built cars. I can think about a half dozen cases. Most of them driven by Ford’s advertising to buy them for his museum. In the 90’s one that was “real”, was proven to be a fake…….. caveat emptor!

Edited March 11, 2023 by edinmass (see edit history)

[Gary_Ash]

There were about 100 replicas of the early Benz motorwagen made about 25 years ago.  Just this evening, I saw one of them in the Audrain Motor Museum in Newport, RI.  Another was sold at the Monterey, CA auctions in 2021 for about $70,000.

 

Benz replica front

 

Benz replica rear

 

Benz ad

 

Benz patent

 

 

[1937hd45]

There was a four wheeled Pre 1900 Benz in the barn at Lime Rock Park in the 1970's, belonged to a friend of Jim Haynes, wonder what ever happened to it. 

[prewarnut]

10 hours ago, Leif in Calif said:

I see the Ford Museum owns a 1893 Benz which seems to look the same. Given that Museums tend to hang on to things, I wonder if it's the same care and better scholarship showed it to be 1893 and not 1888.

That was a good thought but apparently not correct. The two that they have both have 4 wheels so not the same car. It just struck me that getting rid of an earlier vehicle, with 3 wheels would be an odd proposition but who knows?

Interestingly I just noticed the 1893 one has a painted 1888 date on the inside rear cover. Hmmmmmm someone got these confused but it is clearly not the 1888 3-wheeled version. I might smell a cover-up🙄

 

https://www.thehenryford.org/artifact/12651/

 

Edited March 11, 2023 by prewarnut (see edit history)

[Peter Gariepy]

https://www.thehenryford.org/collections-and-research/digital-collections/artifact/12651