This is one of the most successful advertisements in the history of advertising and represented an entirely new way to approach marketing the automobile.
Alex Kow was one of the most prolific, and in demand artists of his day. His work, mostly advertising ads and few posters, focused exclusively on French manufacturers and was always signed “A. Kow”.
It is said that Carl Benz was the world’s first commercial automobile manufacturer. His first effort, the Benz Patent Motor Wagon was released and offered for sale as early as 1888. At the time, this newfangled technology befuddled many of its operators, and it was soon decided that some sort of instruction manual needed to be produced to assist with their operation. Before you is an extraordinarily rare publication that was devised to suit this purpose.
The 1924 Delaunay Belleville is one of the most bizarre pieces of literature that Dr. Simeone has ever seen.
Based on our research, we think this might be the oldest surviving automotive oil can in the world. We believe that this very clear image is that of an 1897 DeDion Bouton. The clarity is remarkable, especially when you consider that this particular object will most likely be 125 years old next year.
Dr. Simeone tells the story.
Our library collection contains two well-produced brochure which appear to be selling a car, but were more likely an early example of a designer conducting market research.
We recently unearthed these incredibly rare photographs in our library, depicting a Renault, in the mid-1920's, seemingly doing the impossible, navigating the streets of Paris, without an operator at the wheel.
Did you know that West Virginia once produced a luxury car that was five to six times more expensive than a comparable Ford of the same era?
We all think that hybrid cars are a novel invention, but did you know that hybrid automotive technology has been in use since as early as 1905?
Early in the nineteen twenties, French aviator and inventor Gabriel Voisin sought to leverage the popularity of the French Impressionism movement to sell motor cars.
Harry John Lawson was a British entrepreneur who sought to create an early monopoly on petrol-driven cars through the acquisition of multiple patents. His end goal never included vehicle production, rather he aimed to exploit the patents he purchased by charging royalties to manufacturers that produced vehicles from the patents he owned.
Sales brochures have become an important part of the history of the automobile. Among our collection of great sales brochures, we have found one which we find very puzzling.
