Crow-Elkhart

1912 Crow-Elkhart Model 52 Five-Passenger Touring

Offered by Bonhams | Amelia Island, Florida | March 7, 2019

Photo – Bonhams

The Crow was a brand of automobile introduced in 1911 by Martin E. Crow’s Crow Motor Car Company. For the two years prior to that, they were selling the Black Crow, a rebadged version of the Black highwheeler. For 1912, they updated their own cars to be called Crow-Elkhart, so everyone knew where in Indiana they were built.

Five different four-cylinder cars were offered in 1912 in multiple body styles, with each body style carrying its own model number. Pick a number, 50 through 60, and Crow-Elkhart had a car for you. The Model 52 was a five-passenger touring car powered by a 26 horsepower, 3.7-liter inline-four.

The company went belly-up in 1923 and very few examples of their products survive today. The car seen here was restored years ago and has spent its recent years unused in a private museum. One thing I like about it is that you can see the influence of the Black Crow highwheeler in this car’s exceptional ground clearance. It should sell for between $45,000-$55,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Bonhams.

Update: Sold $60,480.