Boyce MotoMeter - Mercedes

[Ken J]

I have an old MotoMeter my dad had for 1929 Gazelle (Kit Car).  It is a replica of a 1929 Mercedes.   I am trying to find out if Boyce ever made one for Mercedes as I do not think they did.   It looks like someone took a original MotoMeter and imprinter the glass with a Mercedes logo.  Cannot find anything online for this one.   Any input on is it an original Mercedes MotoMeter, any idea of value.   Planning to list it online for sale but not sure if I have one off or an older Ford or other model with the glass printed with a Mercedes logo.

[TerryB]

This one on Hemmings is supposed to be an original.

 

[wayne sheldon]

Yours is basically the same reproduction ones made and sold for the past fifty years to be used on Model T and model A Fords. The reproducers made them with name plates for many other cars as well.

I would only be guessing, but they may have made a bunch of these for the Gazelle cars.

The cap and wings also look like the modern reproduction ones made for the model T Ford.

[TexRiv_63]

I have never seen one for a Mercedes but would not be surprised if they were not offered as an aftermarket piece. This Opel variant would be an example of this but probably not factory supplied.

[Walt G]

Interesting discussion and topic.  Especially the one noted for sale on Hemmings with the glass tube and ornament.

I don't have the time to go into it now, but there were a variety of figural motor meters with glass tubes made in the 1920s up into the early 1930s when most ceased to be produced because of the availability of dash mounted temperature gauges. At Hershey last October  I purchased a collection of the figural die cast motor meters, some quite large and all having the glass temperature tube concealed at the back to face the driver. I never really saw anything like this up close or knew it was produced.  I was used to the assorted size lollipop shaped ones that we all are familiar with that were by Boyce  whose factory was about a half hour drive away from where I type this. The "figural" I mention is not just a pair of wings nor a dog bone shaped addition below the motor meter.

This is a whole story with photos that needs to be looked into further. The ones I have are all die cast "pot meta" ie zinc. Amazingly none have suffered the normal pot metal fatigue and cracked!

Not trying or wanting to get off topic but because the Mercedes one is shown here I thought I would mention what I know and was new to me all happening in the past 7 months since my purchase as mentioned. This is another part of the grand overall story that happened a century ago  but is so rarely discussed or thought about.

[TerryB]

2 hours ago, TexRiv_63 said:

I have never seen one for a Mercedes but would not be surprised if they were not offered as an aftermarket piece. This Opel variant would be an example of this but probably not factory supplied.

I’ve attached a page from my MotoMeter catalog that says they will do special custom plates with a minimum order.  That makes it a bit difficult to identify a non standard make as a new creation.  I would agree most non typical makes are later recreations but the possibility does exist some can be original.

 

[Ken J]

Thanks to all for the discussion.  I think it is a recreation of some type.  I will treat it as that and price it online accordingly.  Thanks, and great comments. 

[wayne sheldon]

I have never gotten deeply into them except as ones that might be appropriate for cars I might have some day. However, Motometer collecting is quite a thing in itself. I like them on most nickel era cars, and since I like nickel era cars second only to brass era, I have played with quite a few mostly common Motometers.

Boyce did manufacture a lot of specialty name plates to fit otherwise common meters. It might surprise a lot of people to learn that many of the most valuable Motometers with original rare name plates can readily sell in the thousands of dollars! The highest price I ever saw confirmed was over $5000! (Although I did hear a rumor that an especially rare firetruck one sold for $12,000? But never saw confirmation.) Most of the most expensive Motometers are either tractors, or firetrucks. The one I saw confirmed for over $5000 was one of two known originals for a specific rare tractor!

 

"Wanna be flippers" BEWARE!!!!! Motometers are a specialty that one should not play around with without some serious research first! Just because a few very desirable ones sell for several hundred to thousands of dollars does not make all of them valuable. Most decent looking hopefully functional Motometers are realistically worth less than $200. And about half of them are rarely worth $100. I still see ones for sale for less than that $100, often wishing I had a few dollars to spare just so I could add them to my "hope shelf" that I might get a car I would want to use it on. But the truth is, I still have about six good Motometers, including two original Paige ones for my 1927 Paige 6-45 sedan. I also have a rare late 1910s early style, and a mid 1920s jumbo model in nice condition and a nice junior one that I have used on several model Ts over the years. I really do not need any more at this time.

Between originals versus reproductions, and numerous different models of the common "lollypop" style, and the bizarre realities of supply versus demand? There is a lot to learn about them. Hint, if you find a really nice 1920s Packard Motometer? You did not strike gold. I swear, literally thousands of car owners must have saved the Motometer off the old Packard when they sent it to the scrap metal drives for World War Two. There must be at least three surviving meters for every surviving Packard that should have one! Seriously, I knew a fellow that found a nice original face plate for his Buick? He bought a Packard Motometer to switch the face plate into.

[Mark Gregush]

Restoration supply does or did sell inserts for a number of different makes and models but think that one is too new for anything they sold. They are easy to change. Take the 4 screws out, remove the glass and gasket and it should come right out.