The M. Armstrong Company, Builders and Designers of High Grade Motor Car Bodies

[Dosmo]

In a few days, a friend is bringing this framed advertisement to me.  It is apparently an ad that was published by what I assume was a coachbuilder from over 100 years ago.  The M. Armstrong Company, designers and builders of high grade motor car bodies, was located in New Haven, Connecticut.

 

I’ve tried to do a small amount of research on the cars that are shown – Sheffield, Schwartz, Beach, Mitchell, Castle, and finally, Hotchkiss.  The only info I could find related to Sheffield was with a connection to Simplex, with the car called Sheffield-Simplex.  I have heard of the Mitchell automobile, and I think that I’ve heard of Hotchkiss.

 

I think it’s a pretty cool display.  I’d just like to know a little more about some of the cars shown here.  Sorry for the photo clarity – it is somewhat blurry.

 

 

Thanks in advance for your input.

Edited December 11, 2023 by Dosmo (see edit history)

[JV Puleo]

The Hotchkiss was a French car even though the founder of the company, B.B. Hotchkiss, was an American. They were primarily makers of Ordnance and the company logo is, in fact, a pair of "crossed cannon".

From the look of the designs this appears to be about 1920. Mitchell went out of business around 1924 so it clearly has to pre-date that. It would be interesting to hear what Walt Godsen has to add since I think he is the doyen of pre-war coachbuilding firms.

[Dosmo]

34 minutes ago, JV Puleo said:

It would be interesting to hear what Walt Godsen has to add since I think he is the doyen of pre-war coachbuilding firms.

I imagine there are many others familiar with the word "doyen".  Since I am not, I had to look it up.  I learned a new term today.  Thank you for that.

[prewarnut]

I don't find their company amongst those listed by the Coachbuilt website. This may help you however:

From the New Haven Courier 1/30/04 and later obituary in the Norwich Register 4/24/16:

[JV Puleo]

That's really a very curious ad...

Sheffield and Castle are both English although the Castle Motor Company made only 3-wheelers much like the early Morgan's. Hotchkiss is French and a very high quality car. Looking in GN Georgiano I find no reference at all to Beach or Schwartz. Mitchell, of course, was American. I'm wondering if some of those names aren't the make of the chassis but names assigned to the body style much like RR of America was doing at the time with their bodies, all of which had English names. The "flyer" is Mitchell but that was a  mid-price car built in Racine, Wisconsin and it seems unlikely that it would have attracted much the carriage trade.