1903 Brown Tonneau

1903 Brown 8HP Twin-Cylinder Rear-Entrance Tonneau

Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. | November 3, 2023

Photo – Bonhams

Brown Brothers Ltd was a short-lived automaker out of London. They were around for a about decade, selling cars between 1901 and 1913. What’s interesting is that they company did not have a manufacturing facility. Instead, they had their stuff made elsewhere, including by Star.

This early example is powered by a two-cylinder engine that was rated at eight horsepower. The car is of decent size, sporting a large body for its day. This is said to be the 102nd car the company built. What’s fun is that Bonhams has two from this make in this same auction.

In 1904, the car went to New Zealand. A restoration was begun at some point, and, before it was finished, the car was sold to Brown Brothers back in the U.K. The restoration was obviously completed, and the car has been used in the London-to-Brighton run a number of times over the years. It now has an estimate of $160,000-$200,000. More info can be found here.

Demeester Torpedo

1905 Demeester 8HP Torpedo

Offered by Aguttes | Neuilly, France | March 21, 2021

Photo – Aguttes

Reading is hard. It has taken me far too long to realize that this car was built by Demeester, of Courbevoie, France, and not by Deemster, of London. Automobiles Demeester was founded in late 1905 by Leon Demeester and Dominique Lambejack.

The company built small cars, starting with twins and singles and eventually progressing to a line of four-cylinder cars before the company closed in 1914. This very early example is powered by a 1.1-liter inline-four that made eight horsepower. Demeester bragged that its eight-horsepower four-cylinder engine was the smallest such powerplant in the world.

This car has been in the ownership of the same family since 1966. It even retains its original bodywork. Side note, based on other sources, the 1.1-liter four may not have been introduced until 1907, meaning this car could’ve been built a little later than it is currently titled. It should sell for between $24,000-$36,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $126,439.

Four Oddities from Artcurial

Four Oddities from Artcurial

Offered by Artcurial | Paris, France | February 10, 2018


1907 Chameroy Tonneau

Photo – Artcurial

What? Never heard of a Chameroy Tonneau? Artcurial is presenting a collection of true oddball cars at Rétromobile and I love it. Automobiles Chameroy of Le Vesinet offered automobiles for only four years, from 1907 through 1910.

This 1907 model features a V-4 engine making “at least 9 horsepower.” It is likely an Aster engine and probably the largest car Chameroy built (which would likely make it the Type D, but that’s just an inference on my part). Chameroy was apparently more famous for their own special “non-skid tires” and may have had more success with them. As it is, this is the only known example of their cars to survive. It should bring between $12,000-$18,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $33,585.


1907 Louis Pouron 8HP

Photo – Artcurial

This little two-seat French roadster was not built by an automobile company. Instead, it was built by a French railway employee, likely while he was on strike (just kidding!).

It’s powered by an eight horsepower De Dion single-cylinder engine from 1903. Not much else is known about the car’s history or its builder. The collection of Michel Broual, of which this is being sold from, acquired it after many years of waiting as the car wound up in a shed that had sort of been made smaller around the car so it could not be removed. The owner refused to allow anyone to trample his garden and someone else snuck in and bought it out from under Broual who would have to wait years to buy it from that gentleman. Kind of weird story. But hey, it’s kind of a weird, one-off car. It should bring between $12,000-$18,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $16,062.


1907 Contal Mototri Type B

Photo – Artcurial

Camille Contal’s Mototri was a forecar built in France. Unlike many of its counterparts, this was not a motorcycle fitted with a front-facing chair. It was designed from the ground up as a tri-car.

First introduced at the 1905 Paris Auto Salon, the Contal would be sold to the public in 1907 and 1908. 1907 was a good year publicity-wise for the firm as one of their Mototris competed in the Peking-Paris race (even if it didn’t do very well). The Mototri could be had as you see here or as a delivery wagon. Compared to many of the cars in this collection, this one seems to be in quite decent shape. It should bring between $18,000-$30,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $65,709.


1925 SIMA-Violet Type VM

Photo – Artcurial

Ah, the SIMA-Violet. When I think “cyclecars” this is one of the first cars to come to mind (this is a close second). SIMA-Violet’s name comes from SIMA (Société Industrielle de Matériel Automobile) and the last name of the company’s founder: Marcel Violet.

The company produced their unique take on the cyclecar between 1924 and 1929. Most are two-seaters with the seats offset so that the driver sat farther forward than the passenger. They were all powered by a 497cc two-stroke twin designed in-house that was geared to do 60+ mph (no thank you). If you ever want to see a great example of one of these up close, head to the Lane Motor Museum in Nashville. The blue example on offer here should sell for between $10,000-$15,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $32,124.

Louis Pouron

1907 Louis Pouron 8HP

Offered by Artcurial | Paris, France | February 10, 2018

Photo – Artcurial

This little two-seat French roadster was not built by an automobile company. Instead, it was built by a French railway employee, likely while he was on strike (just kidding!).

It’s powered by an eight horsepower De Dion single-cylinder engine from 1903. Not much else is known about the car’s history or its builder. The collection of Michel Broual, of which this is being sold from, acquired it after many years of waiting as the car wound up in a shed that had sort of been made smaller around the car so it could not be removed. The owner refused to allow anyone to trample his garden and someone else snuck in and bought it out from under Broual who would have to wait years to buy it from that gentleman. Kind of weird story. But hey, it’s kind of a weird, one-off car. It should bring between $12,000-$18,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $16,062.

Imperia Fabric Saloon

1926 Imperia Type 8-25SS 8HP Fabric Saloon

Offered by Bonhams | Paris, France | February 8, 2018

Photo – Bonhams

Based in Liège, Imperia automobiles were first introduced in 1906. The company would grow throughout the 1910s and into the 20s, acquiring Metallurgique, Nagant, and Excelsior along the way. In 1934 they merged with Minerva but the merger disbanded in 1939. Imperial built a few cars after the war but the marque was gone by 1949.

The most interesting thing about Imperia (I think) was that their factory in Belgium contained a test track along the roof (which you can still see on Google Earth). The car you see here has a fabric roof and it powered by four-cylinder engine that probably displaces 1.1 liters, which would mean it makes 27 horsepower.

Imperias aren’t all that common today and this one has been owned by the consignor for the past 12 years. It’s a small, light, and affordable Belgian classic. It should bring between $24,000-$36,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Eldredge

1903 Eldredge 8HP Runabout

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

Photo – Bonhams

Bonhams’ London-to-Brighton sale is always full of interesting veteran cars – but most of them are usually European. But here we have an interesting American automobile. The National Sewing Machine Company began building bicycles in 1894 and followed it with cars from 1903 to 1906. The Eldredge name comes from the president of the sewing machine company that was based in Belvidere, Illinois.

This wonderfully brassy runabout is similar to others of the day with one major exception: it has a steering wheel on the left-hand side of the car. The first few Eldredges had tiller steering but the company became one of the first to feature LHD steering wheels. It’s kind of amazing to think today that this was something that someone actually had to be the first to do.

The engine is an eight horsepower flat-twin. This was the only body style that Eldredge ever offered and about 600 were sold over four years. This is one of three examples from the marque that are known to exist and it has known history going back to the 1960s. It should bring between $60,000-$73,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

1908 Sizaire-Naudin

1908 Sizaire-Naudin Type F1 8HP Sport

Offered by Artcurial | Paris, France | February 5, 2016

Photo - Artcurial

Photo – Artcurial

Sizaire-Naudin was a French marque that existed between 1903 and 1921. The Sizaire name lived on for a few years after 1921 in a few different forms. The company was founded by brothers Georges and Maurice Sizaire and their friend Louis Naudin in Courbevoie.

The car features unique styling at the front. The engine cover has a cyclops-like design to it and the eight horsepower single-cylinder engine resides beneath. Microcars aside, single-cylinder cars (especially of this size) went out of favor by about 1904. Still, this car is capable of 49 mph.

Sold new in Nice, the car is as it would’ve been when it was new and has been restored as needed over time, with major work being carried out in the 1980s and around 2000. It’s a rare marque and a fine example that should bring between $70,000-$90,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $133,561.

Albion Dogcart

1901 Albion 8HP A1 Dogcart

Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. | October 30, 2015

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Albion is a Glasgow, Scotland-based manufacturer that was founded by Thomas Blackwood Murray and Norman Osborne Fulton in 1899. That’s right, is – this company is still active, although they haven’t built a road-going vehicle since it’s last bus left the line in 1972 (passenger cars ceased in 1915). Today they make just axles for other car companies.

The rear-mounted engine in this A1 Dogcart is a 2.1-liter twin-cylinder making eight horsepower. We’ve always found “Dogcart” to be an interesting name for a car’s body style. Traditionally, it refers to a one-horse carriage with four-seats: two facing forward, and two facing backward. If you didn’t know this, perhaps you might think Albion was slamming the physical appearance of their customers. It’s a term we almost exclusively relate to the London-to-Brighton run.

This car has been in the same family since the 1960s and has competed in the London-to-Brighton run many times. These super-early cars are always fascinating. This one should bring between $170,000-$220,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $225,647.

MMC Tonneau

1904 MMC 8HP Rear-Entrance Tonneau

Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. | October 30, 2015

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

MMC is the abbreviation for the creatively-named Motor Manufacturing Company. Harry J. Lawson invented the “Safety Bicycle” in the 1870s and later saw the future: automobiles. His plan was to basically own all British motor production by acquiring as many patents as possible. He organized the Great Horseless Carriage Company in 1896. It failed quickly and was re-organized as the MMC in 1898. This company actually built some cars but went bankrupt in 1904. They built a few cars between 1904 and 1907 and were gone by 1908.

This car appears to have an eight-horsepower single-cylinder engine and known ownership history back to 1953. The restoration was finished in 1960, just in time for the car to be featured in a number of films in the 1960s. It was last used on the road in the 1960s and had some touch up work done in the 80s.

It is not road-ready, but it is rare, coming from a marque that had but a brief history and is fairly unknown. MMC is perhaps best known as having been founded by Lawson, who was later convicted of fraudulently raising money for his businesses – including this one. It should bring between $61,000-$92,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $79,383.

Cupelle Open Touring

1905 Cupelle 8HP Two-Seater Open Touring

Offered by Auctions America | Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | March 29, 2015

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

Cupelle is a very rare automobile marque. In the early years of automobile manufacturing, there were companies that specialized in different things. De Dion-Bouton, for example, was a prolific engine builder. And there was another French company, Lacoste et Battmann (of Paris), who built entire cars – for other companies.

Lacoste et Battmann built cars but didn’t want the hassle of marketing them, so they delivered them to other companies who badged, marketed, and sold them. Cupelle was one of those makes. Built by Lacoste et Battmann, this Cupelle uses an eight horsepower single-cylinder engine.

This example was restored in the 1950s and has been in a museum for a while. 1905 was the only year the Cupelle was manufactured, which makes this car mind-blowingly rare. It is thought that it may be the only one in existence. It can be yours for between $30,000-$40,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $45,100.