Marble-Swift

1903 Marble-Swift Model C

Offered by The Vault | Online | October 1-14, 2020

Photo – The Vault

The Marble-Swift Automobile Company of Chicago, Illinois, was around for a short time: from 1903 through 1905. It was founded by George W. Marble and George P. Swift. They offered a two-cylinder runabout for the first two years and sold a four-cylinder touring car in 1905.

This car is powered by an inline-three, which is weird because they never advertised such a car. The online lot description notes that it was probably a prototype, but really anything is possible. It could’ve been assembled from random parts in the 1950s. Who knows. Marble-Swift’s big innovation was a gearless twin-disc friction transmission.

Little is known about this particular car, but it’s selling at no reserve out of this collection. The “Model C” portion also seems to have been made up (as if the twin and four-cylinder cars were models A and B respectively). At any rate, it’s a very interesting, 117-year-old car. Click here for more info.