1902 Haynes-Apperson

1902 Haynes-Apperson Two-Cylinder Surrey

Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. | November 2024

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Haynes-Apperson was an important pioneer in the American automotive industry. Elwood Haynes built one of America’s first cars (though he would long claim the first) and partnered with the Apperson brothers of Kokomo, Indiana, to found Indiana’s first car company.

Production started in 1898, and they sold a few hundred examples of their 7/8-horsepower twin in 1901. In 1902, the company expanded the line to two models, both twins: the small eight-horsepower runabout and the 12-horsepower car available as a phaeton or surrey, the latter of which is pictured here.

The car cost $1,800 new, and the two-cylinder engine displaced more than four liters. It carries chassis #74 (though it’s unclear how they were numbering their cars) and is thought to be the oldest operational Haynes-Apperson. A former Harrah collection car, it has run the London-to-Brighton route multiple times. It now has an estimate of $175,000-$200,000. More info can be found here.

1902 Prunel

1902 Prunel Model F

Offered by Gooding & Company | April 2024

Photo – Gooding & Company

Radiator as front bumper is always a good choice, isn’t it? Ste des Usines Prunel was founded outside of Paris in 1900 by a J. Prunel. The company initially marketed their cars under the Atlas marque for the first two years. Prunel didn’t appear on the cars until 1902, and they sort of faded away after 1907. The Phenix was built at the Prunel factory between 1912 through 1914.

This car was imported to the U.S. in 1962, at which time it was restored in New Jersey. It remained on display at the Briggs Cunningham Museum and the Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum for decades before being acquired by the Mullin museum in 1990.

The engine is a single-cylinder unit, and it’s not running because it’s been on display for so long. Still, an estimate of $30,000-$50,000 for a car of this age, condition, and rarity seems like a bargain here, running or not. Click here for more info.

Gas-Powered 1902 Century

1902 Century Tourist Dos-A-Dos

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Hershey, Pennsylvania | October 4-5, 2023

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The Century Motor Vehicle Company was founded in 1900 in Syracuse, New York. It’s founders are a list of names of people lost to history, including: Charles Saul, Charles Listman, Charles Bridgman, Hiram Plumb, and William Van Wagoner. Way to not be a Charles, Hiram and William.

They offered two different electric runabouts in 1901, while their 1902 and 1903 catalog consisted of electric cars, steam cars, and one lone gasoline-powered model. No matter how you wanted to move, Century had you covered. The Tourist was only sold as a runabout like this, and it has a rear seat.

It’s powered by a single-cylinder engine that made seven horsepower. The cost was $750, and this one was sold new in Newport, Rhode Island. Somehow, it remained undiscovered until about five years ago. Restored, it now carries and estimate of $55,000-$70,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $38,500.

10HP MMC

1902 MMC 10HP Twin-Cylinder Rear-Entrance Tonneau

Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. | November 4, 2022

Photo – Bonhams

MMC seemed to have been named in a hurry. The Motor Manufacturing Company didn’t get a fancy name, probably because company backer Harry J. Lawson was in a hurry. MMC was formed out of the remnants of the Great Horseless Carriage Company in 1898. The company went out of business in 1904 when Lawson was sent to prison for fraud. It reorganized twice before disappearing for good in 1908.

The 1902 model line included three front-engined options: a single, a twin, and a four-cylinder car. This car is the middle offering, powered by a 2.1-liter vertical twin rated at 10 horsepower.

This example has known history back to 1951, when it was found in a scrapyard. It took a while to get it back on the road, with the reconstructed body not being completed until the 1990s. It now carries an estimate of $195,000-$250,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $281,915.

1902 Darracq

1902 Darracq 9HP Voiturette

Offered by Bonhams | Scottsdale, Arizona | January 27, 2022

Photo – Bonhams

Alexandre Darracq’s automotive family tree has a lot of branches. This particular car came from the original French Darracq concern, which was founded in 1896. In 1902, he sold the company to an English company, and from there on things get complicated. But we don’t have to go into that here, as this car came from the Parisian company.

This car is powered by a 1.3-liter single that made about nine horsepower new. The two-seater bodywork was due for restoration during ownership by the Harrah Collection. But it never took place, and the car remained with Harrah until 1986. It’s had two owners since.

Bonhams describes the car as “potentially London-to-Brighton eligible”, with the model year as “circa 1902.” In any event, it’s selling at no reserve. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $100,800.

1902 Clement

1902 Clement 9HP Four-Seater Rear-Entrance Tonneau

Offered by Dorotheum | Vosendorf, Austria | July 3, 2021

Photo – Dorotheum

Adolphe Clement-Bayard founded Clement Cycles in the 1870s and would later become an investor in the Gladiator Cycle Company. In 1895, Gladiator produced a motorized tricycle. By 1898, Clement-Gladiator was selling motorcars. These automobiles were offered under both the Clement-Gladiator and Clement marques until 1903 when the brand name shifted to Clement-Bayard (Gladiator went their own way).

This 1902 model is powered by a nine-horsepower inline-twin and features a four-seat body with a single rear door for entrance to the rear seats. It was restored in the mid-1970s and was part of the Michael Banfield collection for some time as well.

Calling a Clement rare is kind of dumb, as pretty much any model from 1902 is “rare” today. But if you are trying to collect “one of each” of the Clement-related marques, this would be a great start. It is expected to sell for between $110,000-$160,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $112,358.

Arrol-Johnston Dogcart

1902 Arrol-Johnston 10/12HP Dogcart

Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. | October 30, 2020

Photo – Bonhams

This is London-to-Brighton royalty. Arrol-Johnston produced the first car in Britain, and the company was named after George Johnston and William Arrol. They were based in Scotland, and many of their early vehicles were “dogcarts” (which is a type of carriage). They looked like this, and by 1902, they were pretty old-school (they continued to sell this 1895 design until 1906!).

More modern cars followed, and the company limped along into the 1920s before merging with the French Aster to form Arrol-Aster. They then concentrated on sleeve-valved engines until going out of business for good in 1931.

The wood-bodied car is powered by a flat-twin that made 10 horsepower. This very car has completed 10 London-to-Brighton runs and is a very distinctive car on the run. It is expected to sell for between $100,000-$160,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $126,798.

1902 Boyer

1902 Boyer 9HP Two-Cylinder Rear-Entrance Tonneau

Offered by Bonhams | Scottsdale, Arizona | January 16, 2020

Photo – Bonhams

Boyer was a French automobile manufacturer based near Paris, and their name is thought to first have appeared on a car in 1899. Sales to the general public were underway by 1901, with one- and two-cylinder cars available.

Boyer was related to Clement/Gladiator, as the head of the company was a director of one of their branches. The Boyer was also sold in the U.K. for a hot minute under the name York. The last Boyers were from 1906.

This car is powered by a 1.3-liter twin good for 10 horsepower. It’s been in the U.S. for many years, having been restored under current ownership. It’s also a multi-time participant in the London-to-Brighton run. It is said that this is the only remaining two-cylinder Boyer, and it should bring between $175,000-$250,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Update: Not sold, Bonhams Amelia Island 2020.

Peugeot Bebe

1902 Peugeot Bebe 5.5hp Runabout

Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. | November 1, 2019

Photo – Bonhams

The Bebe was a car produced by Peugeot in the early 1900s. The name was used again prior to WWI, on an Ettore Bugatti-designed Peugeot as well. This earlier Bebe was purchased new off of the Paris Motor Show stand in 1902.

It has known ownership history from new and has never been restored. The “Bebe” name may or may not be accurate here, but many old, light Peugeots are referred to by that name. If it’s truly a car from 1902, it is likely a Type 37, which would’ve had a five horsepower, 652cc single-cylinder engine. Only about 100 of those were built. This lot doesn’t have enough photos or details to confirm this, however.

In any case, this London-to-Brighton veteran is expected to bring between $77,000-$100,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Bonhams.

Update: Not sold.

1902 Bartholomew

1902 Bartholomew 3.5hp High-Wheeled Spindler

Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. | November 1, 2019

Photo – Bonhams

George Bartholomew of Russell, New York saw someone driving a car in a nearby town just after the turn of the century. So he went home and built himself one. This, the Bartholomew, is a one-off car that was built by George, who used it regularly for about four years.

Power is from a 3.5-horsepower single-cylinder two-stroke engine manufactured by Fairfield. It’s actually a stationary engine that Mr. Bartholomew adapted for use in his car. Features include a teeny-tiny steering wheel and seating for two.

The car remained in his family until 1949, when it went to a museum. It ended up in the U.K. by the late 1980s and has successfully completed the London-to-Brighton run twice. It should now bring between $35,000-$46,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $25,254.