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.

1904 Haynes-Apperson Model F Rear-Entrance Tonneau

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

Haynes-Apperson is a manufacturer that few know about. But it is one of the most important. Elwood Haynes, who would later hold a patent on stainless steel, partnered with brothers Elmer and Edgar Apperson in 1894 to build a motorcar. A company sprang up in 1898, the first in Indiana (Kokomo, to be exact), and was soon churning out cars as fast as they could. Haynes was a difficult guy to get along with from a business perspective, and the Apperson brothers departed the company in 1902. Haynes-Apperson became just Haynes in 1904.

In 1904, the last year before the name change, the company produced a car called the Model F. It is powered by a flat-twin capable of 18 horsepower. It featured left-hand drive, an adjustable steering column, and a bunch of brass, making it seem rather opulent for the time.

This example was restored by its late owner and is one of two known examples of the Model F in the world. Long overlooked, Haynes-Apperson deserves to be appreciated as one of America’s first, and thereby most important, automobile manufacturers. This car should sell for between $180,000-$240,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Bonhams.

Update: Sold $190,400.