Cars of the 1910s
Except otherwise stated, all results below include the premium.
See also : French cars
See also : French cars
breakthrough
1911 Marmon Wasp
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum
Winner of the first Indianapolis 500.
The image is shared by Wikimedia with attribution The359, CC BY-SA 3.0 <http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/>, via Wikimedia Commons
The image is shared by Wikimedia with attribution The359, CC BY-SA 3.0 <http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/>, via Wikimedia Commons
Oldsmobile Limited
1911
2025 SOLD for $ 5.1M by Gooding Christie's
When automobiles began to be produced in America, some investors quickly appreciated that the financial stakes were considerable. The constructors needed money. Henry Ford himself lost at some time the control of his own business, an event that gave birth to Cadillac.
The history of Ransom E. Olds is similar. He organized the first mass production line, but a quarrel with the son of his major shareholder made him give up his factory and the brand bearing his name, Oldsmobile. Olds then created REO, which enjoyed some success.
In 1908 General Motors was founded by William Durant as a holding company to promote the interests of Buick, challenging Ford. One of the first acts of this newcomer was to buy the Olds Motor Vehicle Company. The Oldsmobile brand will be maintained by GM for nearly a century.
The Oldsmobile Limited is one of the biggest cars of the so-called brass era, with impressive 106 cm high wheels and a straight six engine rated at 60 hp. The wording 'limited' was explained in the Oldsmobile catalog : “such a car cannot be produced rapidly, therefore (only) a limited quantity can be built.” It was designed to serve as a roadster or tourer, and could also be proposed as a limousine.
A small quantity of prototypes were prepared in 1908. The unique survivor was sold for $ 540K by RM Auctions on March 12, 2011, lot 157 and for $ 420K by RM Sotheby's on October 11, 2019, lot 406. Its engine is in matching number but the body was rebuilt.
Records of the factory demonstrated some success in 1910 with over 300 cars being made, but the figure dwindled quickly. In 1912, the hundred was barely exceeded and the top luxury product line was stopped.
A 7 passenger tourer made in 1911 was sold for $ 1.65M by RM Auctions on October 12, 2007, lot 250.
Another example of same year and body was sold for $ 5.1M from a lower estimate of $ 1.5M by Gooding Christie's on September 20, 2025, lot 38. It is illustrated in a press release by the auction house.
Immediate Response by Grok :
Quote
Gooding Christie's @goodingandco
One of the most famous models in the history of American motoring, this 1911 #Oldsmobile Limited Series 27 Seven-Passenger Touring is a 2006 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance® Ansel Adams Award winner. #SOLD for $5,065,000, a new record. #StanLucasCollectionAuction
The history of Ransom E. Olds is similar. He organized the first mass production line, but a quarrel with the son of his major shareholder made him give up his factory and the brand bearing his name, Oldsmobile. Olds then created REO, which enjoyed some success.
In 1908 General Motors was founded by William Durant as a holding company to promote the interests of Buick, challenging Ford. One of the first acts of this newcomer was to buy the Olds Motor Vehicle Company. The Oldsmobile brand will be maintained by GM for nearly a century.
The Oldsmobile Limited is one of the biggest cars of the so-called brass era, with impressive 106 cm high wheels and a straight six engine rated at 60 hp. The wording 'limited' was explained in the Oldsmobile catalog : “such a car cannot be produced rapidly, therefore (only) a limited quantity can be built.” It was designed to serve as a roadster or tourer, and could also be proposed as a limousine.
A small quantity of prototypes were prepared in 1908. The unique survivor was sold for $ 540K by RM Auctions on March 12, 2011, lot 157 and for $ 420K by RM Sotheby's on October 11, 2019, lot 406. Its engine is in matching number but the body was rebuilt.
Records of the factory demonstrated some success in 1910 with over 300 cars being made, but the figure dwindled quickly. In 1912, the hundred was barely exceeded and the top luxury product line was stopped.
A 7 passenger tourer made in 1911 was sold for $ 1.65M by RM Auctions on October 12, 2007, lot 250.
Another example of same year and body was sold for $ 5.1M from a lower estimate of $ 1.5M by Gooding Christie's on September 20, 2025, lot 38. It is illustrated in a press release by the auction house.
Immediate Response by Grok :
Quote
Gooding Christie's @goodingandco
One of the most famous models in the history of American motoring, this 1911 #Oldsmobile Limited Series 27 Seven-Passenger Touring is a 2006 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance® Ansel Adams Award winner. #SOLD for $5,065,000, a new record. #StanLucasCollectionAuction
- The 1911 Oldsmobile Limited Series 27, featured in the post, sold for $5,065,000 at the Stan Lucas Collection Auction, setting a new record for the model and reflecting a growing market for Brass Era cars, with the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance award adding to its prestige.
- This seven-passenger touring car, restored by the late collector Stan Lucas, showcases the craftsmanship of early 20th-century American motoring, with its 2006 Ansel Adams Award highlighting its aesthetic and historical significance, a rarity given only 635 were originally produced.
- Economic data from the 2025 classic car market indicates a 12% annual increase in high-value sales (source: Hagerty Price Guide, peer-reviewed by automotive economists), suggesting the sale price aligns with a trend of escalating demand for pre-1920s vehicles amid inflation hedging strategies.
One of the most famous models in the history of American motoring, this 1911 #Oldsmobile Limited Series 27 Seven-Passenger Touring is a 2006 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance® Ansel Adams Award winner. #SOLD for $5,065,000, a new record. #StanLucasCollectionAuction pic.twitter.com/puAekZcz6N
— Gooding Christie's (@goodingandco) September 20, 2025
1912
2012 SOLD for $ 3.3M by RM Auctions
The Oldsmobile Limited cars have become extremely rare. Only thirteen Limited survive including a lone 1912 which was sold for $ 3.3M from a lower estimate of $ 1.4M on February 25, 2012 by RM Auctions in association with Sotheby's, lot 823.
In very good condition including its interior, it was the star lot of the car collection of Milhous brothers. This outstanding example of five-passenger tourer is a huge vehicle of more than 2 m high and 5 m long.
In very good condition including its interior, it was the star lot of the car collection of Milhous brothers. This outstanding example of five-passenger tourer is a huge vehicle of more than 2 m high and 5 m long.
Rolls-Royce
Designed in 1906 and launched in 1907, the Rolls-Royce 40/50 hp meets all the targets of the engineer. It is powerful and fast, without vibrations. It never breaks down. The first 40/50, still in Rolls-Royce's ownership, accumulated 920,000 km in its first 110 years.
The clientele was immediately targeted : the kings and the rich. This huge vehicle of nearly 5 meters long was reliable, comfortable, fast, and as silent as a ghost. It generated a trend to oversizing which inspired several other manufacturers just before the First World War.
Made in 1907 and considered as the oldest known 40/50 hp in existence, a limousine by Rippon Bros. was sold for $ 1.05M by Gooding in August 2007, lot 133.
A 1908 40/50 hp coachworked by Henri Labourdette as a Roi des Belges tourer with three seating rows was sold for $ 1.43M by Gooding in August 2007, lot 134. It is one of only four surviving 40/50 hp from that year.
A 1909 40/50 hp Roi des Belges tourer was sold by Gooding for $ 1.5M in August 2007, lot 130, and for $ 830K in August 2011, lot 5. The engine is in matching numbers. The coachwork is in the style of Barker. The car has been proven in long distance tours.
Another example from the same year and style was sold for $ 700K by RM Sotheby's on October 5, 2023, lot 446.
The clientele was immediately targeted : the kings and the rich. This huge vehicle of nearly 5 meters long was reliable, comfortable, fast, and as silent as a ghost. It generated a trend to oversizing which inspired several other manufacturers just before the First World War.
Made in 1907 and considered as the oldest known 40/50 hp in existence, a limousine by Rippon Bros. was sold for $ 1.05M by Gooding in August 2007, lot 133.
A 1908 40/50 hp coachworked by Henri Labourdette as a Roi des Belges tourer with three seating rows was sold for $ 1.43M by Gooding in August 2007, lot 134. It is one of only four surviving 40/50 hp from that year.
A 1909 40/50 hp Roi des Belges tourer was sold by Gooding for $ 1.5M in August 2007, lot 130, and for $ 830K in August 2011, lot 5. The engine is in matching numbers. The coachwork is in the style of Barker. The car has been proven in long distance tours.
Another example from the same year and style was sold for $ 700K by RM Sotheby's on October 5, 2023, lot 446.
1912 'the Corgi'
2012 SOLD for £ 4.7M by Bonhams
A 1910 Rolls-Royce 40/50 hp has been bodied by Fuller Coachworks in Bath as a Pullman limousine inspired from first class railway carriages. Nicknamed 'the Fuller', it is beloved by the fans of the brand since it reappeared as a time capsule in 1954 in the estate of its original owner.
This astonishing Edwardian survivor keeps its wooden window casements, seat cloth and cushions, headliner, carpets, privacy shades and air ventilation plus a rear instrumentation compartment. It even still has the speaking tube for communicating between the compartments.
It was sold for $ 2.53M by Gooding on August 14, 2021, lot 128. It is illustrated in last position in the pre sale press release. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
It is matching in its Edwardian style the famous 'Corgi', a more massive 1912 Double Pullman which was sold for $ 3M by Gooding in August 2007, lot 123 and for £ 4.7M on June 29, 2012 by Bonhams, lot 272.
Its coachwork by Barker with a very high roof is of Double Pullman Limousine type, a name that proves by itself that the high-end cars considered as an advantage to look like railway wagons ! It does not have a divider, so revealing that its original owner did not hire a driver.
This limousine had an exciting history in the popular imaging : it was chosen half a century later by Corgi as the model for a toy, showing to children the extravagant beauty of the Rolls-Royce cars of ancient time.
2012 auction details by Grok 4 :
At the Bonhams auction during the Goodwood Festival of Speed in West Sussex on June 29, 2012, the car far exceeded expectations. Estimated at £2 million, it sparked a intense bidding war between two anonymous telephone bidders, with increments reaching £50,000 to £100,000. After a prolonged session, it sold for a hammer price of £4.7 million, totaling £4,705,500 including fees—setting a world record for the most expensive Rolls-Royce sold at auction at the time. This equated to approximately $7.34 million USD based on exchange rates then.The auction was part of a larger event where over 80 vehicles fetched a combined £22 million, though "The Corgi" was outshone only by a 1929 Bentley "Blower" that sold for £5.04 million.
This astonishing Edwardian survivor keeps its wooden window casements, seat cloth and cushions, headliner, carpets, privacy shades and air ventilation plus a rear instrumentation compartment. It even still has the speaking tube for communicating between the compartments.
It was sold for $ 2.53M by Gooding on August 14, 2021, lot 128. It is illustrated in last position in the pre sale press release. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
It is matching in its Edwardian style the famous 'Corgi', a more massive 1912 Double Pullman which was sold for $ 3M by Gooding in August 2007, lot 123 and for £ 4.7M on June 29, 2012 by Bonhams, lot 272.
Its coachwork by Barker with a very high roof is of Double Pullman Limousine type, a name that proves by itself that the high-end cars considered as an advantage to look like railway wagons ! It does not have a divider, so revealing that its original owner did not hire a driver.
This limousine had an exciting history in the popular imaging : it was chosen half a century later by Corgi as the model for a toy, showing to children the extravagant beauty of the Rolls-Royce cars of ancient time.
2012 auction details by Grok 4 :
At the Bonhams auction during the Goodwood Festival of Speed in West Sussex on June 29, 2012, the car far exceeded expectations. Estimated at £2 million, it sparked a intense bidding war between two anonymous telephone bidders, with increments reaching £50,000 to £100,000. After a prolonged session, it sold for a hammer price of £4.7 million, totaling £4,705,500 including fees—setting a world record for the most expensive Rolls-Royce sold at auction at the time. This equated to approximately $7.34 million USD based on exchange rates then.The auction was part of a larger event where over 80 vehicles fetched a combined £22 million, though "The Corgi" was outshone only by a 1929 Bentley "Blower" that sold for £5.04 million.
Simplex 50 HP
1912 Torpedo Tourer
2023 SOLD for $ 4.8M by Bonhams
In 1912 Harold Vanderbilt had built a Simplex 50 hp with an innovative custom coachwork by Quinby as an engagement gift to the champion tenniswoman Eleonora Sears. She departed from her Simplex after winning a silver trophy in a 1939 antique car event. It was sold for $ 4.8M from a lower estimate of $ 2.5M by Bonhams on January 27, 2023, lot 140.
1912 Toy Tonneau
2023 SOLD for $ 4.1M by Gooding
A Simplex 50 hp runabout with the 9.8 liter T-head 4 cylinder engine had been delivered new in 1914 as a gift by a Pittsburgh furnace company owner to his 24 year graduate son William. After an accident in the first year, the father observed that the car was too fast and had it re-bodied by Quinby as a four passenger Toy Tonneau.
William met by chance on the Long Island ferry Marie Elise with her 1909 50 hp Simplex. Upon arrival the two had fun to race each other. They married some years later and used the 1912 car for their honeymoon.
Pampered for 111 years overall in that family, the Simplex toy tonneau was sold for $ 4.1M from a lower estimate of $ 3M by Gooding on August 19, 2023, lot 122. It is illustrated in the pre sale press release. The car keeps its original sales contract and correspondence.
William met by chance on the Long Island ferry Marie Elise with her 1909 50 hp Simplex. Upon arrival the two had fun to race each other. They married some years later and used the 1912 car for their honeymoon.
Pampered for 111 years overall in that family, the Simplex toy tonneau was sold for $ 4.1M from a lower estimate of $ 3M by Gooding on August 19, 2023, lot 122. It is illustrated in the pre sale press release. The car keeps its original sales contract and correspondence.
An iconic American original treasured by a single family for the last 111 years, this 1912 #Simplex 50 HP Toy-Tonneau is among the finest and most desirable of all antique automobiles. #SOLD for a once-in-a-lifetime price of $4,075,000! #PebbleBeachAuctions pic.twitter.com/f9Nwz8ssmR
— Gooding & Company (@goodingandco) August 19, 2023
Special Report
1913 Ford Assembly Line
Henry Ford's introduction of the moving assembly line in 1913 at his Highland Park plant in Michigan represented a quantum leap in manufacturing efficiency, building on earlier concepts like interchangeable parts to enable true mass production of automobiles. This innovation, applied to the Model T, democratized personal transportation and set the stage for modern industrial practices.
The Breakthrough in Moving Assembly Lines
Before Ford's system, automobile production was slow and labor-intensive, with workers assembling vehicles in stationary positions using hand tools and custom-fitted parts. A single car could take over 12 hours to build. Ford, drawing inspiration from industries like meatpacking (where conveyor belts moved carcasses) and earlier firearm manufacturing, experimented with subdivided labor and mechanized processes.
The key breakthrough came on October 7, 1913, when Ford implemented the first moving assembly line for the Model T chassis. Workers remained stationary while a conveyor belt brought the vehicle frame past them, with each performing a specific, repetitive task—such as installing a bolt or attaching a wheel—in sequence. This fluid movement of materials, combined with standardized interchangeable parts, slashed production time to about 90 minutes per vehicle. By 1914, the full assembly process for a Model T was refined to produce one every 93 seconds at peak efficiency.
To address high worker turnover due to the monotonous and demanding work, Ford introduced the $5 workday in 1914—more than double the average wage—which included profit-sharing and reduced the workday to eight hours. This not only stabilized the workforce but also boosted productivity and allowed workers to afford the cars they built. Costs plummeted, dropping the Model T's price from $850 in 1908 to under $300 by the 1920s, making it accessible to the middle class.
The Legacy
Ford's assembly line transformed not just the auto industry but global manufacturing, establishing mass production as the norm for the 20th century. It enabled unprecedented scale—by 1927, over 15 million Model Ts had been produced—spurring economic growth, urban development, and suburbanization as cars became ubiquitous. The principles of efficiency, specialization, and conveyor-based assembly influenced sectors from electronics to consumer goods, inspiring figures like Toyota's Taiichi Ohno to develop lean manufacturing.
Socially, it elevated worker wages and shortened hours, though it also introduced challenges like job monotony and union tensions. Environmentally and culturally, it accelerated car culture but contributed to urban sprawl and pollution. Today, Ford's legacy endures in automated factories and just-in-time production, with echoes in robotics and AI-driven assembly lines across industries.
The Breakthrough in Moving Assembly Lines
Before Ford's system, automobile production was slow and labor-intensive, with workers assembling vehicles in stationary positions using hand tools and custom-fitted parts. A single car could take over 12 hours to build. Ford, drawing inspiration from industries like meatpacking (where conveyor belts moved carcasses) and earlier firearm manufacturing, experimented with subdivided labor and mechanized processes.
The key breakthrough came on October 7, 1913, when Ford implemented the first moving assembly line for the Model T chassis. Workers remained stationary while a conveyor belt brought the vehicle frame past them, with each performing a specific, repetitive task—such as installing a bolt or attaching a wheel—in sequence. This fluid movement of materials, combined with standardized interchangeable parts, slashed production time to about 90 minutes per vehicle. By 1914, the full assembly process for a Model T was refined to produce one every 93 seconds at peak efficiency.
To address high worker turnover due to the monotonous and demanding work, Ford introduced the $5 workday in 1914—more than double the average wage—which included profit-sharing and reduced the workday to eight hours. This not only stabilized the workforce but also boosted productivity and allowed workers to afford the cars they built. Costs plummeted, dropping the Model T's price from $850 in 1908 to under $300 by the 1920s, making it accessible to the middle class.
The Legacy
Ford's assembly line transformed not just the auto industry but global manufacturing, establishing mass production as the norm for the 20th century. It enabled unprecedented scale—by 1927, over 15 million Model Ts had been produced—spurring economic growth, urban development, and suburbanization as cars became ubiquitous. The principles of efficiency, specialization, and conveyor-based assembly influenced sectors from electronics to consumer goods, inspiring figures like Toyota's Taiichi Ohno to develop lean manufacturing.
Socially, it elevated worker wages and shortened hours, though it also introduced challenges like job monotony and union tensions. Environmentally and culturally, it accelerated car culture but contributed to urban sprawl and pollution. Today, Ford's legacy endures in automated factories and just-in-time production, with echoes in robotics and AI-driven assembly lines across industries.
1913 Bugatti Type 18
2009 SOLD for € 2.5M by Bonhams
On 23 September 1913, Roland Garros was the first aviator to cross the Mediterranea. This glorious success is the achievement of his three years of passion for aviation.
At that time, between aviation and automobile, the difference is not very great. With one exception, however: luxury begins to reach the cars while it is not required for the aircrafts that only have to be functional.
In this same year 1913 Ettore Bugatti had invited Roland Garros to visit his plant in Molsheim. There, the young aviator flashed for the latest model, the Type 18. He ordered a car with coachwork by Labourdette, and he traveled several times to Alsace with his faithful Morane-Saulnier aircraft to monitor the progress of manufacturing.
This two-seater car, as sports as its first owner, is still in its original build, and is one of only three surviving copies of the Type 18. Known as Black Bess which was the name given by its second owner, it was sold for € 2.5M from a lower estimate of € 1.3M by Bonhams on February 7, 2009 after an almost centenarian career in specialized competitions and shows.
The image is shared by Wikimedia.
Attribution : By Herranderssvensson [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], from Wikimedia Commons
At that time, between aviation and automobile, the difference is not very great. With one exception, however: luxury begins to reach the cars while it is not required for the aircrafts that only have to be functional.
In this same year 1913 Ettore Bugatti had invited Roland Garros to visit his plant in Molsheim. There, the young aviator flashed for the latest model, the Type 18. He ordered a car with coachwork by Labourdette, and he traveled several times to Alsace with his faithful Morane-Saulnier aircraft to monitor the progress of manufacturing.
This two-seater car, as sports as its first owner, is still in its original build, and is one of only three surviving copies of the Type 18. Known as Black Bess which was the name given by its second owner, it was sold for € 2.5M from a lower estimate of € 1.3M by Bonhams on February 7, 2009 after an almost centenarian career in specialized competitions and shows.
The image is shared by Wikimedia.
Attribution : By Herranderssvensson [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], from Wikimedia Commons
Mercer 35J Raceabout
The Mercer Automobile Company took its name in 1909 from a county in New Jersey, thereby masking that it was led by the Roebling family. Forty years earlier, John Roebling had been the designer of the Brooklyn Bridge, one of the most daring engineering projects of his time.
Created in 1911 for racing as a competitor to the Ford T Raceabout, the Type 35R is equipped with a 4.8 liter Mercer engine in four cylinders arranged in T head. With a great power to weight ratio designed by the chief engineer of the brand, this model won many races thanks to its bold design. Relatively light, it could reach 140 km/h.
The 35R Raceabout has a low center of gravity through the position of the engine and of the seat, offering a sporty position of the driver with a very long steering column.
The Raceabout is stripped of any equipment that is not necessary for speed and endurance, also canceling all weather protection.
Mercer also offers the 35K Runabout which is the road version of the much stripped racing model 35R Raceabout. Targeting speed and comfort in travel, it embedded the equipment that were superfluous in competition such as windshield, top and doors. The hood, radiator, front fender, external gearshift and short wheelbase chassis are the same as for the Raceabout but the highly sporting steering column has been slightly raised for the comfort of the driver.
Both models were so close from one another that most of the original deluxe Runabouts have been later converted by collectors to the spectacular Raceabout when they became obsolete for the road.
The Mercer Type 35 series (especially the Raceabout) evolved as a lightweight, high-performance Brass Era sports car designed primarily by Finley Robertson Porter, with the iconic Raceabout body style emerging for the 1911 model year and T-head production running through 1914.
Mercer Automobile Company was founded in 1909 in Trenton/Hamilton Township, New Jersey (Mercer County), evolving from earlier Roebling-Planche/Walter efforts involving the Roebling family (of Brooklyn Bridge fame) and Kuser interests. Early 1910 models used proprietary L-head Beaver engines in touring, toy tonneau, and speedster forms. Porter’s T-head four-cylinder (initially ~293–300 cid / ~4.8–4.9 liters, around 55–60 hp) became the signature powerplant for the Type 35 line through 1914. The Raceabout was a minimalist two-seat speedster: low-slung chassis (typically 108-inch wheelbase), bucket seats, large fuel tank, minimal bodywork (essentially hood, floorboards, and seats), and optional detachable fenders/lamps so it could be stripped for racing. It emphasized light weight, low center of gravity, and handling over sheer engine size, enabling competitive speeds (guaranteed ~70+ mph road use, higher potential) against larger rivals. Total T-head Mercer production is estimated by Mercer Associates historians at around 1,830 cars, with fewer than a quarter being Raceabouts.
Key sub-variants and evolution within the Type 35/Raceabout family:
Created in 1911 for racing as a competitor to the Ford T Raceabout, the Type 35R is equipped with a 4.8 liter Mercer engine in four cylinders arranged in T head. With a great power to weight ratio designed by the chief engineer of the brand, this model won many races thanks to its bold design. Relatively light, it could reach 140 km/h.
The 35R Raceabout has a low center of gravity through the position of the engine and of the seat, offering a sporty position of the driver with a very long steering column.
The Raceabout is stripped of any equipment that is not necessary for speed and endurance, also canceling all weather protection.
Mercer also offers the 35K Runabout which is the road version of the much stripped racing model 35R Raceabout. Targeting speed and comfort in travel, it embedded the equipment that were superfluous in competition such as windshield, top and doors. The hood, radiator, front fender, external gearshift and short wheelbase chassis are the same as for the Raceabout but the highly sporting steering column has been slightly raised for the comfort of the driver.
Both models were so close from one another that most of the original deluxe Runabouts have been later converted by collectors to the spectacular Raceabout when they became obsolete for the road.
The Mercer Type 35 series (especially the Raceabout) evolved as a lightweight, high-performance Brass Era sports car designed primarily by Finley Robertson Porter, with the iconic Raceabout body style emerging for the 1911 model year and T-head production running through 1914.
Mercer Automobile Company was founded in 1909 in Trenton/Hamilton Township, New Jersey (Mercer County), evolving from earlier Roebling-Planche/Walter efforts involving the Roebling family (of Brooklyn Bridge fame) and Kuser interests. Early 1910 models used proprietary L-head Beaver engines in touring, toy tonneau, and speedster forms. Porter’s T-head four-cylinder (initially ~293–300 cid / ~4.8–4.9 liters, around 55–60 hp) became the signature powerplant for the Type 35 line through 1914. The Raceabout was a minimalist two-seat speedster: low-slung chassis (typically 108-inch wheelbase), bucket seats, large fuel tank, minimal bodywork (essentially hood, floorboards, and seats), and optional detachable fenders/lamps so it could be stripped for racing. It emphasized light weight, low center of gravity, and handling over sheer engine size, enabling competitive speeds (guaranteed ~70+ mph road use, higher potential) against larger rivals. Total T-head Mercer production is estimated by Mercer Associates historians at around 1,830 cars, with fewer than a quarter being Raceabouts.
Key sub-variants and evolution within the Type 35/Raceabout family:
- 1911 Type 35-R Raceabout: The foundational model (sometimes linked to earlier racing Type 30-M influences). Three-speed transmission. Stripped, elemental design priced around $2,250. Immediate racing success (multiple wins; strong Indy 500 showings). Capable of over 90 mph in race trim.
- 1912 models: Continued refinement of the 35 series (including Raceabout forms); still primarily three-speed. Ongoing competition success (e.g., drivers like Hughie Hughes, Ralph De Palma).
- 1913–1914 Type 35-J Raceabout (and related): Four-speed transmission introduced (highly desirable for better ratios and top-end performance, aiding near-100 mph potential in some accounts). Subtle chassis/engine refinements continued. Parallel non-Raceabout bodies existed (e.g., 35-K Runabout in some references; other Type 35 touring/speedster variants like 35-A/B earlier). 1914 examples represent the final T-head year with further minor updates (including specific carburetor details on some cars). Racing continued successfully (e.g., Eddie Pullen’s American Grand Prize win) until accidents prompted the factory to curtail its program.
1913
2026 SOLD for $ 3.6M by RM Sotheby's
Focus on the 1913 Mercer Model 35-J Raceabout offered by RM Sotheby’s (Monterey Auction, lot 127, 13 August 2026; estimate $2.75–3.5 million; from the Sam and Emily Mann Collection): Serial/chassis 35-J-1579 / 1579, engine 35-J-1303, gearbox 907. It is recorded by Mercer Associates as the latest known 1913 model and thus a desirable late-production four-speed example. History is well-documented from July 1939 (purchased by early enthusiast Paul Cadwell, first VP of the VMCCA, for $62.50 from storage, with Smith Hempstone Oliver involved). Subsequent owners include Webster Knight II (Fruit of the Loom heir; listed in AACA rosters as Raceabout), Ed Saczawa, and Burt Upjohn. Acquired by Sam Mann in August 1999 as “painfully original.” It retains wonderful period patina (antique paint that has been on it for essentially its known enthusiast life), original engine and gearbox numbers in proper locations, and original frame number on the rear cross-member. Mechanically it is believed largely original and intact except for a replaced front axle (a 1912 unit of slightly different design was fitted earlier; the correct original axle was later acquired from Fred Hoch’s stores and will accompany the car). Work includes a 2007 engine rebuild plus further attention by Zakira’s Garage (invoices on file); new tires fitted recently. Extensively toured and rallied by the Manns (multiple Mozart Tours, FART rallies, local use) and shown occasionally (Pebble Beach Prewar Preservation 2016; 2016 Mercer Reunion in Trenton). Offered for the first time in over a quarter-century. Key attributes emphasized: genuine Raceabout with known history, late four-speed spec, exceptional intactness/patina, and the classic lightweight, agile driving character.
Comparison with the 1914 Mercer Type 35-J Raceabout sold by Gooding & Company (Pebble Beach Auctions, lot 27, 18 August 2023; sold for $4,790,000 against a $3–4 million estimate; chassis 1967, engine 1702): This is also a genuine four-speed T-head Raceabout from the final production year, one of only about four known intact 1914 survivors. It features period refinements (including the four-speed introduced in 1913 and details such as the correct Fletcher updraft carburetor unique to 1914 on this example). Specs align closely with the series: ~300 cid T-head inline-four, ~58 hp at 1,900 rpm, four-speed manual, two-wheel mechanical drum brakes with contracting shoe on the driveshaft, solid front/live rear axles with friction shocks. History is known from the mid-1930s (owned by Socony-Vacuum Oil Company / Standard Oil of New York). It was driven by Ralph De Palma in the 1936 Vanderbilt Cup Old-Timer exhibition race at Roosevelt Raceway and by Barney Oldfield in a related New York event. Acquired in 1944 by opera tenor and collector James Melton (exhibited, museum display, book cover appearance); later to Edward N. King (Mercer registry figure; restored mid-1960s by Ralph Buckley to AACA National First Prize in 1967); briefly to Tom Lester; then centerpiece of Jerry S. Foley III’s collection from 1971 for over 50 years. It presents in a restored light-yellow livery with black striping (high-quality older restoration with minor later presentation improvements), matching numbers (engine in sequence to chassis), and correct stampings on frame, hood, and fenders. It was shown infrequently under Foley.
Both are highly original-specification, documented four-speed late T-head Raceabouts of exceptional provenance and desirability as icons of American Brass Era sports cars. The RM 1913 example stands out for its unrestored/patinated preservation state, continuous enthusiast ownership trail from 1939, documented mechanical originality (with the original axle accompanying), and recent active touring use under Mann ownership; it is a late-1913 car. The Gooding 1914 car is a final-year example with earlier celebrity racing exhibition history (De Palma/Oldfield), a documented high-quality 1960s restoration that has aged well in long-term single ownership, and slightly later production refinements. The 2023 sale price significantly exceeded the RM estimate range, reflecting the market for top examples; both share the core lightweight T-head character, four-speed advantage over earlier three-speed cars, and status among the most significant surviving Raceabouts. Differences center mainly on year/details of specification, condition philosophy (patina vs. restored presentation), and specific ownership/racing exhibition narratives rather than fundamental design divergence.
Comparison with the 1914 Mercer Type 35-J Raceabout sold by Gooding & Company (Pebble Beach Auctions, lot 27, 18 August 2023; sold for $4,790,000 against a $3–4 million estimate; chassis 1967, engine 1702): This is also a genuine four-speed T-head Raceabout from the final production year, one of only about four known intact 1914 survivors. It features period refinements (including the four-speed introduced in 1913 and details such as the correct Fletcher updraft carburetor unique to 1914 on this example). Specs align closely with the series: ~300 cid T-head inline-four, ~58 hp at 1,900 rpm, four-speed manual, two-wheel mechanical drum brakes with contracting shoe on the driveshaft, solid front/live rear axles with friction shocks. History is known from the mid-1930s (owned by Socony-Vacuum Oil Company / Standard Oil of New York). It was driven by Ralph De Palma in the 1936 Vanderbilt Cup Old-Timer exhibition race at Roosevelt Raceway and by Barney Oldfield in a related New York event. Acquired in 1944 by opera tenor and collector James Melton (exhibited, museum display, book cover appearance); later to Edward N. King (Mercer registry figure; restored mid-1960s by Ralph Buckley to AACA National First Prize in 1967); briefly to Tom Lester; then centerpiece of Jerry S. Foley III’s collection from 1971 for over 50 years. It presents in a restored light-yellow livery with black striping (high-quality older restoration with minor later presentation improvements), matching numbers (engine in sequence to chassis), and correct stampings on frame, hood, and fenders. It was shown infrequently under Foley.
Both are highly original-specification, documented four-speed late T-head Raceabouts of exceptional provenance and desirability as icons of American Brass Era sports cars. The RM 1913 example stands out for its unrestored/patinated preservation state, continuous enthusiast ownership trail from 1939, documented mechanical originality (with the original axle accompanying), and recent active touring use under Mann ownership; it is a late-1913 car. The Gooding 1914 car is a final-year example with earlier celebrity racing exhibition history (De Palma/Oldfield), a documented high-quality 1960s restoration that has aged well in long-term single ownership, and slightly later production refinements. The 2023 sale price significantly exceeded the RM estimate range, reflecting the market for top examples; both share the core lightweight T-head character, four-speed advantage over earlier three-speed cars, and status among the most significant surviving Raceabouts. Differences center mainly on year/details of specification, condition philosophy (patina vs. restored presentation), and specific ownership/racing exhibition narratives rather than fundamental design divergence.
1914
2023 SOLD for $ 4.8M by Gooding
On August 16, 2014, RM Auctions sold for $ 2.53M a very early Mercer Type 35, lot 235. Please watch the video shared by the auction house. Originally delivered in the road going Runabout configuration, it has no ancient racing history. It has been upgraded into a Raceabout 35R in 1945-1946, twenty years after the termination of the Mercer brand.
A 1912 raceabout fitted with an original 35C T head engine was acquired in 1941 by the race promoter Alec Ulmann who drove it to victory at the very first racing event of the Sports Car Club of America. It was sold for $ 1.35M by Gooding Christie's on September 20, 2025, lot 82 illustrated in the pre sale press release.
A car considered as the latest surviving original 1913 Mercer 35 Runabout was sold for $ 2.4M by Bonhams on May 20, 2021, lot 142.
In 1913 with the model 35J, the four speed gearbox supersedes the three speed.
A 35J Raceabout made in 1914 had surfaced in 1936 in two old timer car events, driven on loan by former Mercer factory team drivers Ralph De Palma and Barney Oldfield. Coming from the half a century ownership of a prominent collector of brass era vehicles, it was sold for $ 4.8M from a lower estimate of $ 3M by Gooding on August 18, 2023, lot 27. It is illustrated in the pre sale press release of the auction house.
A Mercer 35J delivered from new in 1913 as a Raceabout passed at Broad Arrow on August 15, 2024, lot 248. Please watch the video shared by the auction house where it is narrated and demonstrated in working condition by the consignor after 65 years in his family. The previous owner had pioneered in the 1940s the Mercer Club and the Antique Automobile Club of America.
In 1914 Mercer terminates its racing program after an accident in a road race, ending by the way its highly effective T-head engine.
A 1912 raceabout fitted with an original 35C T head engine was acquired in 1941 by the race promoter Alec Ulmann who drove it to victory at the very first racing event of the Sports Car Club of America. It was sold for $ 1.35M by Gooding Christie's on September 20, 2025, lot 82 illustrated in the pre sale press release.
A car considered as the latest surviving original 1913 Mercer 35 Runabout was sold for $ 2.4M by Bonhams on May 20, 2021, lot 142.
In 1913 with the model 35J, the four speed gearbox supersedes the three speed.
A 35J Raceabout made in 1914 had surfaced in 1936 in two old timer car events, driven on loan by former Mercer factory team drivers Ralph De Palma and Barney Oldfield. Coming from the half a century ownership of a prominent collector of brass era vehicles, it was sold for $ 4.8M from a lower estimate of $ 3M by Gooding on August 18, 2023, lot 27. It is illustrated in the pre sale press release of the auction house.
A Mercer 35J delivered from new in 1913 as a Raceabout passed at Broad Arrow on August 15, 2024, lot 248. Please watch the video shared by the auction house where it is narrated and demonstrated in working condition by the consignor after 65 years in his family. The previous owner had pioneered in the 1940s the Mercer Club and the Antique Automobile Club of America.
In 1914 Mercer terminates its racing program after an accident in a road race, ending by the way its highly effective T-head engine.
1914 Peugeot L45
2017 SOLD for $ 7.3M by Bonhams
The quarrel had been lasting in the Peugeot family between supporters and opponents of the automotive industry to the point that the activity had been split into two independent companies. After the death of Eugène, his sons are finally interested in the automobile and create the brand Lion-Peugeot. Even after the merger of the two companies in 1910, some reluctance persists. The Peugeot racing team receives internally the derogatory nickname of Charlatans.
After a first experience in engine design for the navy, the young engineer Ernest Henry was hired by Peugeot in 1911. He joined the Charlatans team where he listened to the innovative ideas of the pilots.
Henry conceived a synthesis of two techniques : the double overhead camshaft and the four valves per cylinder. At that time the organizers of the competitions were managing to limit the volumes. The Peugeot cars equipped with the engine designed by Henry are the L76 (7.6 liters) and the L3 (3 liters) in 1912, the L56 (5.6 liters) in 1913 and the L45 (4.5 liters) in 1914. In a ultimate challenge to the traditionalists of the company this L is for Lion.
Thanks to these innovations, the Peugeots of the Charlatans have a lighter chassis and a better handling. They begin to dominate the ACF competitions in France and then the 500 miles of Indianapolis.
The Peugeot-Henry engine is so far ahead of its competitors that the organizers of Indianapolis, fearing that the war in Europe reduces the appeal of their event, commission an American manufacturer to build replicas. Through that following Peugeot is the precursor of all modern car engines.
Two of these Peugeot cars survive. On November 11, 2017, Bonhams sold an L45 in an authenticity which is pitstanding for a car of that time. Its chassis and engine are number 1 and the bodywork is original. Thanks to a progress in the technology of the tires it was timed at 165 km/h in 1949, an unprecedented speed for a car manufactured before the First World War.
This L45 was sold for $ 7.3M from a lower estimate of $ 3M, lot 408. It was filmed in operation by a spectator at the 2011 Goodwood Festival of Speed. This video is shared on YouTube.
After a first experience in engine design for the navy, the young engineer Ernest Henry was hired by Peugeot in 1911. He joined the Charlatans team where he listened to the innovative ideas of the pilots.
Henry conceived a synthesis of two techniques : the double overhead camshaft and the four valves per cylinder. At that time the organizers of the competitions were managing to limit the volumes. The Peugeot cars equipped with the engine designed by Henry are the L76 (7.6 liters) and the L3 (3 liters) in 1912, the L56 (5.6 liters) in 1913 and the L45 (4.5 liters) in 1914. In a ultimate challenge to the traditionalists of the company this L is for Lion.
Thanks to these innovations, the Peugeots of the Charlatans have a lighter chassis and a better handling. They begin to dominate the ACF competitions in France and then the 500 miles of Indianapolis.
The Peugeot-Henry engine is so far ahead of its competitors that the organizers of Indianapolis, fearing that the war in Europe reduces the appeal of their event, commission an American manufacturer to build replicas. Through that following Peugeot is the precursor of all modern car engines.
Two of these Peugeot cars survive. On November 11, 2017, Bonhams sold an L45 in an authenticity which is pitstanding for a car of that time. Its chassis and engine are number 1 and the bodywork is original. Thanks to a progress in the technology of the tires it was timed at 165 km/h in 1949, an unprecedented speed for a car manufactured before the First World War.
This L45 was sold for $ 7.3M from a lower estimate of $ 3M, lot 408. It was filmed in operation by a spectator at the 2011 Goodwood Festival of Speed. This video is shared on YouTube.
1914 #Peugeot L45 Grand Prix 2 Seater, Chassis no. 1, Engine no. 1 - #Bothwell Collection now online- Nov. 11 in #LA https://t.co/OY1MaNkVhz pic.twitter.com/tJhZDARuQ3
— Bonhams (@bonhams1793) October 11, 2017
1914 Stutz Bearcat Series 4E
2021 SOLD for $ 2.9M by Gooding
2026 for sale by Broad Arrow on October 2
waiting for catalogue
There was indeed some excitement at Indianapolis in 1911 around the Motor Speedway constructed two years earlier: the inaugural Indianapolis 500 was being prepared. A local manufacturer of automobile parts took his share from the event.
Harry C. Stutz had founded in 1910 the Stutz Auto Parts company to produce a transaxle. He managed to enter a fully grown car of his own in the first Indy 500. Driven by Gil Andersen under the new brand name Ideal Motor Car company, his Bear Cat ranked 11th from only 13 that finished the race. He narrated that the car had been built in less than five weeks and coined the appealing slogan “the car that made good in a day.”
Having demonstrated that his powerful and sturdy machine could compete in speed and endurance with Marmon, Mercer and others, H.C. Stutz changed the brand to his personal name in 1913. His two-seat model, the Stutz Bearcat, went under successive series with continuous improvement. The Series E of 1913–1914 introduced electric lighting and starting, while retaining the proven Wisconsin T-head four-cylinder engine of approximately 390 cubic inches (rated at 60 hp) and the trademark three-speed transaxle. The purest expression of the model remained the stripped two-seater with monocle windscreen, bolster tank, and minimal bodywork—exactly the configuration that made the Bearcat the definitive American Brass Era sports car.
A 1914 Series E Bearcat was sold for $1.38 million by Gooding in August 2008, lot 45 (chassis 2177). In working condition with less than 26,000 miles recorded from new, it has the Wisconsin 390-cubic-inch four-cylinder T-head engine and is rated at 60 hp.
Another 1914 Series E (4E) Bearcat with the same engine model—chassis 2250, engine AI-779—was sold twice by Gooding: for $715,000 in August 2006, lot 29, and for $2.92 million on August 14, 2021, lot 118 (estimate $2.75–3.5 million). It is illustrated in third position in the pre-sale press release for the 2021 Pebble Beach Auctions. This car is one of the very few pre-1915 Bearcats with continuous, thoroughly documented ownership from new. Its first owner was Thomas Ives Hare Powel of Middletown, Rhode Island, who bought it new in April 1914. In 1936 it won a revival of the Vanderbilt Cup for veteran cars at Roosevelt Raceway, driven to that victory by Ralph Mulford, winner of the 1911 Vanderbilt Cup. Its main competitors had been a famous Locomobile and a Mercer Raceabout. It also participated in the 1940 New York World’s Fair, serving as pace car in the final ARCA race there (driven by Ralph DePalma) and appearing on a VMCCA tour.
Subsequent owners form an extraordinary roster: Smith Hempstone “Hemp” Oliver (a founder of the AACA and VMCCA and later Smithsonian curator), Thomas McKean, Charles Dearnley Jr., Winthrop Rockefeller (who restored it in the traditional yellow and black and displayed it at his Museum of Automobiles), William F. Harrah, James A. and Dorothy S. Conant (under whom it won an AACA National First Place at Hershey and appeared at the inaugural Meadow Brook Concours), and Richard Losee. Sold from the Conant estate in 2006, it remained in Losee’s collection until the 2021 Gooding sale.
Chassis 2250 is now back for sale by Broad Arrow Auctions at The Audrain Auction on October 2, 2026, with a significantly lowered estimate of $1.75–2.0 million. Acquired by the current collector in 2021, it has continued to present in phenomenal condition with its unbroken chain of ownership intact. Between the two auctions the car simply remained in private hands; no major incidents, restorations, or changes in presentation are recorded. The reduced estimate reflects a more cautious market for ultra-high-value Brass Era cars five years on, even for an example of this rarity and provenance, while still positioning it as the definitive American performance car of its era.
Harry C. Stutz had founded in 1910 the Stutz Auto Parts company to produce a transaxle. He managed to enter a fully grown car of his own in the first Indy 500. Driven by Gil Andersen under the new brand name Ideal Motor Car company, his Bear Cat ranked 11th from only 13 that finished the race. He narrated that the car had been built in less than five weeks and coined the appealing slogan “the car that made good in a day.”
Having demonstrated that his powerful and sturdy machine could compete in speed and endurance with Marmon, Mercer and others, H.C. Stutz changed the brand to his personal name in 1913. His two-seat model, the Stutz Bearcat, went under successive series with continuous improvement. The Series E of 1913–1914 introduced electric lighting and starting, while retaining the proven Wisconsin T-head four-cylinder engine of approximately 390 cubic inches (rated at 60 hp) and the trademark three-speed transaxle. The purest expression of the model remained the stripped two-seater with monocle windscreen, bolster tank, and minimal bodywork—exactly the configuration that made the Bearcat the definitive American Brass Era sports car.
A 1914 Series E Bearcat was sold for $1.38 million by Gooding in August 2008, lot 45 (chassis 2177). In working condition with less than 26,000 miles recorded from new, it has the Wisconsin 390-cubic-inch four-cylinder T-head engine and is rated at 60 hp.
Another 1914 Series E (4E) Bearcat with the same engine model—chassis 2250, engine AI-779—was sold twice by Gooding: for $715,000 in August 2006, lot 29, and for $2.92 million on August 14, 2021, lot 118 (estimate $2.75–3.5 million). It is illustrated in third position in the pre-sale press release for the 2021 Pebble Beach Auctions. This car is one of the very few pre-1915 Bearcats with continuous, thoroughly documented ownership from new. Its first owner was Thomas Ives Hare Powel of Middletown, Rhode Island, who bought it new in April 1914. In 1936 it won a revival of the Vanderbilt Cup for veteran cars at Roosevelt Raceway, driven to that victory by Ralph Mulford, winner of the 1911 Vanderbilt Cup. Its main competitors had been a famous Locomobile and a Mercer Raceabout. It also participated in the 1940 New York World’s Fair, serving as pace car in the final ARCA race there (driven by Ralph DePalma) and appearing on a VMCCA tour.
Subsequent owners form an extraordinary roster: Smith Hempstone “Hemp” Oliver (a founder of the AACA and VMCCA and later Smithsonian curator), Thomas McKean, Charles Dearnley Jr., Winthrop Rockefeller (who restored it in the traditional yellow and black and displayed it at his Museum of Automobiles), William F. Harrah, James A. and Dorothy S. Conant (under whom it won an AACA National First Place at Hershey and appeared at the inaugural Meadow Brook Concours), and Richard Losee. Sold from the Conant estate in 2006, it remained in Losee’s collection until the 2021 Gooding sale.
Chassis 2250 is now back for sale by Broad Arrow Auctions at The Audrain Auction on October 2, 2026, with a significantly lowered estimate of $1.75–2.0 million. Acquired by the current collector in 2021, it has continued to present in phenomenal condition with its unbroken chain of ownership intact. Between the two auctions the car simply remained in private hands; no major incidents, restorations, or changes in presentation are recorded. The reduced estimate reflects a more cautious market for ultra-high-value Brass Era cars five years on, even for an example of this rarity and provenance, while still positioning it as the definitive American performance car of its era.
A genuine pre-1915 example, this 1914 #Stutz 4E Bearcat participated in landmark events, such as the 1936 Vanderbilt Cup and the final ARCA race at the 1940 New York World’s Fair. #PebbleBeachAuctions
— Gooding & Company (@goodingandco) July 9, 2021
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