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.

Product sales literature is the pride of our library. In many instances the automobile maker had no other way to explain and illustrates the benefits of his vehicles, particularly before the era of mass media. As such, sales brochures are considered the “official” description of the car, with illustrations, specifications, and the information one might need to make a purchase decision. We believe this brochure might be the first one ever created.

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.

The 1924 Delaunay Belleville is one of the most bizarre pieces of literature that Dr. Simeone has ever seen.