Tag Archives: 1902

Westfield

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1902 Westfield 13HP Model G Four-Seat Tonneau

Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. | November 3, 2017

Photo – Bonhams

Founded in Westfield, Massachusetts, in 1901 by Charles Moore, Westfield did not produce cars for very long and, in fact, never really sold any gas powered cars at all, even though this car is actually gas powered. Their first cars were steam powered but he also sold cars with a chassis and body, but no engine.

Giving owners the ability to choose their own engines for their cars would lead to some pretty outlandish automobiles today, but in 1902 pickings were slim and this car features a 2.5-liter two-cylinder engine making 13 horsepower – enough power to get this thing up to around 50 mph. It was built by a small engine building company called Remington.

Westfield folded in 1903, having lasted just three short years. Restored in the 1990s, the car spent most of its life in the U.S., with much of the late 1990s and early 2000s touring the show circuit there. It came to the U.K. in 2006 where it has continued to be shown (and toured). You’re unlikely to find another car from this marque and this one, which is quite usable, should bring between $260,000-$330,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $376,362.

Five Pre-War Cars from Bonhams’ Beaulieu Sale

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Five Pre-War Cars from Bonhams’ Beaulieu Sale

Offered by Bonhams | Beaulieu, U.K. | September 5, 2015

1909 Belsize 14/16HP Roi-des-Belges Tourer

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Belsize was an English manufacturer that was around from 1902 through 1925. They were known for their small cars – some used two or three cylinder engines. This car is powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine making 14/16 horsepower. The model was produced from 1909 through 1913.

This is the oldest known four-cylinder Belsize (of 12 that still exist). This car has known ownership history from new and has been restored twice over its life, with the most recent restoration having been carried out nearly 30 years ago. It’s entirely roadworthy and would be a great tourer. It should sell for between $70,000-$86,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $55,402.

1926 Clyno 10.8HP Royal Tourer

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Clyno was quite the large operation in England between 1909 and 1929. At one point there were the third-largest motor manufacturer in the U.K. They built motorcycles and nearly 40,000 cars during their existence. Yet, few remain today.

This car is powered by a 1.4-liter straight-four making 10 horsepower. It was produced between 1922 and 1928 and was far and away Clyno’s biggest seller, with approximately 35,000 built. Clyno got too big too quickly and their reliability suffered. When the Depression set in, bankruptcy came. This example was restored in 2012 and should bring between $19,000-$23,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $19,261.

1902 Flint Roadster

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

The Flint Roadster (yes, that was the name of the marque) was built by A.B.C. Hardy and his Flint Automobile Company between 1902 and 1904 in Flint, Michigan (if that wasn’t obvious). Only one model was available and it cost $850 when new.

The engine is an eight horsepower single-cylinder displacing 2.3-liters. Hardy didn’t play by the rules of the day and faced numerous lawsuits that effectively shut his business down. Only 52 Flint Roadsters were ever built. It is unknown how many remain but this car is entirely original (although the tires look to have been replaced). It spent much of its life in storage and would need a thorough mechanical overhaul to become roadworthy. It should sell for between $34,000-$39,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $40,273.

1910 Star 15HP Tourer

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

The Star Motor Company of Wolverhampton should not be confused with the entirely separate make that operated in the U.S. under the Durant Motors corporate umbrella. The English Star was active from 1898 through 1932. At one point Star was one of England’s largest automobile companies, peaking prior to WWI.

The 15HP model was built between 1909 and 1913 and was offered with a range of four-cylinder engines. This one was restored in the 1980s and is a driver. It should bring between $55,000-$63,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $42,024.

1927 Voisin C12 Tourer by R. Duvivier

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Voisin automobiles are fascinating. Gabriel Voisin is widely recognized as an engineering genius and his cars reflect that. Many of them feature Knight sleeve-valve engines, unique (and sometimes outrageous) coachwork and Jazz Age interiors.

The C12 was built between 1926 and 1933 and uses a 4.5-liter straight-six. Only 60 C12s were built and only three are known to survive. This is the only one that has a body on it (the other two are bare chassis). The body is by R. Duvivier of Levallois-Peret and has been meticulously restored (in 2004). It has covered nearly 2,000 miles since – meaning it’s ready for you to enjoy on the open road. It should cost its new owner between $310,000-$390,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of Bonhams’ Beaulieu sale lineup.

Update: Sold $334,825.

1902 Flint Roadster

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1902 Flint Roadster

Offered by Bonhams | Beaulieu, U.K. | September 5, 2015

Photo - Bonhams
Photo – Bonhams

The Flint Roadster (yes, that was the name of the marque) was built by A.B.C. Hardy and his Flint Automobile Company between 1902 and 1904 in Flint, Michigan (if that wasn’t obvious). Only one model was available and it cost $850 when new.

The engine is an eight horsepower single-cylinder displacing 2.3-liters. Hardy didn’t play by the rules of the day and faced numerous lawsuits that effectively shut his business down. Only 52 Flint Roadsters were ever built. It is unknown how many remain but this car is entirely original (although the tires look to have been replaced). It spent much of its life in storage and would need a thorough mechanical overhaul to become roadworthy. It should sell for between $34,000-$39,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $40,273.

Clément Tricycle

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1902 Clément Tricycle

Offered by Osenat | Fontainebleau, France | June 14, 2015

Photo - Osenat

Photo – Osenat

Clément is a fairly well-known brand among early automobiles. We’ve documented the tangled history of some of Adolphe Clément-Bayard’s companies before and this is kind of a different branch. He founded Clément cycles in 1878 to build bicycles. Motorized bicycles and tricycles came in 1902 after he merged with Gladiator.

This tricycle is powered by a single-cylinder De Dion engine and it is a runner. Use it in the next London-to-Brighton run, if you wish. Clément Cycles morphed into part of Clément-Bayard in 1903 and vehicles like this pretty much disappeared from the automotive landscape shortly thereafter. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $39,900.

1902 Rattler

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1902 Rattler Runabout

Offered by Worldwide Auctioneers | Houston, Texas | April 25, 2015

Photo - Worldwide Auctioneers

Photo – Worldwide Auctioneers

The 1902 Rattler (which, let’s be honest, makes it sound like it wasn’t put together all that well) is a mystery. No one really knows where it was built, nor who built it. It is one of many such one-off prototype cars built by men who wanted to get into this new automobile industry around the turn of the century. But it didn’t work out. Not for the Rattler, or numerous other early one-offs built.

But unlike many, the Rattler survived. Its setup is much like that of other early high-wheelers: large, wooden wagon-like wheels with a buggy-style body and an engine located under the seat. This probably isn’t a runner or driver, having spent many, many years in a museum. But it is original and complete.

It’s an interesting piece of history, that’s for sure. If you want to own it, it can be yours for between $40,000-$60,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $9,900.

1902 Autocar Type VIII

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1902 Autocar Type VIII 10HP Twin-Cylinder Rear-Entrance Tonneau

Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. | October 31, 2014

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Autocar is famous for being the oldest continually operating motor manufacturer in the United States. They haven’t built road cars since 1911, but they’ve been producing trucks since 1899.

Autocar offered quite a number of vehicles in their short passenger car producing lifetime, but the 1902 line was limited to just a few body styles. This car uses a two-cylinder engine making 10 horsepower.

The restoration here dates to prior to 1978 and the car was dated as a 1902 in the 1970s but it could be a 1904. Anyway, the engine was rebuilt in 1980 and it has been part of numerous tours and events. It will do a comfortable 25-30 mph, for you speed demons. It’ll sell for between $120,000-$140,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this awesome sale.

Update: Not sold.

1902 Rochet

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1902 Rochet Type D

Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. | October 31, 2014

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

The Rochet name shows up in a few places in the early days of motoring, most notably as Rochet-Schneider, of which this car has no relation. Rochet (and later, Rochet-Petit) was active in Paris from 1899 through 1905.

At the turn of the century, Rochet built front-engined cars that followed the current trends of popular automobiles, but in 1902 they introduced a retro model, the Type D seen here. It was a vis-a-vis style arrangement (where the driver and passengers faced each other). You see a fair amount of De Dion-Boutons from this era in this configuration.

The engine is also at the rear. It’s a single-cylinder making 4.5-horsepower. This car has twice completed the London to Brighton run and is entered this year. It’s a well-presented veteran car that is usable from a short-lived manufacturer. It should sell for between $80,000-$96,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

1902 Panhard et Levassor

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1902 Panhard et Levassor 15hp Model KB Roadster

Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. | October 31, 2014

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Panhard et Levassor was one of the first automobile manufacturers in the world. They’re still around, too, even if they haven’t built passenger cars in decades. They began selling cars in 1891 – becoming the first company to offer a production model. And they sort of came up with the whole “put the engine in front and have it drive the rear wheels via a transmission” thing.

This car uses a 3.3-liter straight-four and has a four-speed transmission, which seems pretty cool for 1902. It was purchased new from Panhard’s Paris showroom by Ricardo Soriano, a Spaniard who would later have his own car company (for a few years, anyway). It was the 18th car ever registered in Madrid.

It remained with that family until 1945, when they had the car moved to a collection – where it stayed until 1975. It was restored in ’75 and it passed into another collection that year. The new owners held onto it until 2007. It is being offered from the third owner. It’s a very early, running, driving, and complete automobile. Many parts are entirely original, which is incredible. It can be yours for between $960,000-$1,100,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Covert Runabout

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1902 Covert Runabout

Offered by RM Auctions | Hershey, Pennsylvania | October 9-10, 2014

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

This resembles a car that you’d see on permanent display in some historic automotive museum, locked away, never to be seen in public again. But it’s for sale. It comes from the collection of John Moir, who had a car for every letter of the alphabet (just wait, we plan to feature many of them).

Byron V. Covert & Company built cars in Lockport, New York, from 1902 through 1907. He built a steam car in 1902, but those from 1902 were gas – including this launch-year single-cylinder model that makes three horsepower. The Runabout was the only style offered for 1902.

Covert changed his business in 1908, switching to manufacture of running gear parts instead of full cars. This is a very rare example of a little-known marque and it’s a wonderful example of early American motoring. It’ll cost you between $30,000-$50,000. You can read more here and see more from this sale here.

Update: Sold $44,000.

1902 De Dietrich

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1902 De Dietrich Type 8 “Paris-Vienna” Rear-Entrance Tonneau

Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. | June 27, 2014

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

In Alsace, De Dietrich is more than just a short-lived, early car manufacturer. It’s an old family that owned lots of land and had lots of titles. They entered industry in the 1840s and in 1897 they sold their first automobiles. Strangely, as beautiful and well-engineered as these cars were, the De Dietrich marque would be gone after 1905 as the cars were then sold as Lorraine-Dietrichs.

This particular car has an interesting history – it was discovered during WWII when a German bomb blew apart the barn that this thing had been stored in since 1912. This model is identical to those that De Dietrich entered in the 1902 Paris-Vienna race. It uses a 4.1-liter straight-four that puts out 16 horsepower. It can power this fairly large car up to speeds of 55 mph on level roads.

This car was bought new by a member of the Guinness brewing family. He sold it and it was parked in 1912. In the 1940s, after it was unearthed by the aforementioned German explosive, the car was rescued from outdoor deterioration and a restoration was started in 1946. It has had a few owners since (and spent time in a museum) and a second restoration. This thing is beautiful. I wish I had the $1,300,000-$1,400,000 necessary to acquire it. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $1,700,349.