Scope and Contents note

This material dates from the late nineteenth and early twentith century and consists primarily of catalogues, scattered correspondence on letterhead stationery, printed advertisements (particularly from Town and Country), instruction manuals, periodicals, newspaper clippings, handbooks, pamphlets, company histories, photographs, caricatures, road maps, tour guides, tickets, membership cards, and articles and books--mostly from manufacturers and dealers of automobiles. A large amount of the material is from pioneer manufacturers including Ford., Reo, Duryea, Packard, Auburn, Studebaker, Hupmobile, Franklin, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Oldsmobiles, and Buick.

There is a substantial amount of material from manufacturers and dealers of parts and accessories for automobiles which include horns, tires, windshield wipers, paints, autometers, springs, automobile tops, telephones, chains, clocks, heaters, transmissions ' carburetors, engines, spark plugs, anti-freeze, license plates and gasoline. Samples of permits, operator's licenses, titles, registrations and traffic rules and regulations are also documented. Companies that provide services such as car rentals, garages and maintenance of automobiles are also included. There are a number of images of automobiles, including photographs and illustrations in catalogues which document the developement of automobiles. Images include: Andrew Carnegie, J. Pierpont Morgan, John Jay Gould, John Jacob Astor, the Vanderbilts and their cars.

Scope and Contents note

Series 1: Manufacturers and Dealers of AutomobilesandSeries 2: Manufacturers and Dealers of Automotive Parts and Accessoriesare arranged alphabetically by name of company.Series 4: Related Publicationscontains periodicals which relate directly to the automobile industry and are arranged alphabetically by name of publication. The images inSeries 5: General Worksare arranged by type (i.e. photographs, caricatures). This series also includes applications for operators' licenses and permits, titles for automobiles, registrations, traffic legislation, traffic rules and regulations, patents, information from insurance, car rental, taxi service, and limousine service companies, schools, various clubs and associations, museums, and shows. The general materials are arranged by type and clubs and associations are organized alphabetically by name.

Series 4: Related Publications, ca. 1896-1950, contains publications including pamphlets, reports, books and periodicals of general interest. Articles from Town and Country are numerous, and other magazines are represented. The articles cover a variety of topics including automobile racing (1906), the development of the automobile (1903), women as motorists (1906), types of imported automobiles (1907), legal rights of automobilists (1904), automobiling as a sport (1926), insuring automobilists (1907), building motor parkways (1908), closed automobiles for winter traveling (1909), winter coats for motoring (1904) and taxi cabs replacing the hansom (1907). The articles are arranged alphabetically by name of magazine and then chronologically by date. Business cards, blotters, trip passes, fabric samples, stock cuts, newspaper clippings, abstracts of papers, reports, guide books, miscellaneous correspondence and pamphlets are also well documented. Handbooks, manuals and books covering mostly the history of the automobile but also maintenance and tour guides and maps are arranged alphabetically by location.

Scope and Content Note on Oversized Material

The oversize materials primarily consist of printed advertisements and other promotional materials, including in-house publications, brochures, and catalogs for automobile manufacturers and dealers. Some material was created by dealers of automobile parts and accessories, including motor clothing. Several general images of automobiles, articles, and printed ads for automobile publications are also available as well as some correspondence and periodicals related to automobile clubs and correspondence associations. Materials are arranged alphabetically by company or by publication and follow the same order of the vertical file materials.

Arrangement note

The collection is divided into five series:

Brand name index

The following is a list of the brand or trade names for various automobiles. The names that appear in this list are a compilation of those found on materials in the vertical document boxes.!It is not a complete list of all the names for automobiles. The list is intended to assist researchers locate desired materials when only the brand name is known. The names of automobiles are arranged in alphabetical order. The following information is included for each product when available: (1) the brand name and (2) the manufacturer.

Materials in the Archives Center

Archives Center Collection of Business Americana (AC0404)

Forms Part Of

Forms part of the Warshaw Collection of Business Americana.