Beschreibung:

352.8ci 4-Cylinder Engine 35/40bhp 3-Speed Sliding-Gear Manual Transmission with Double Chain Drive Front and Rear Semi-Elliptic Leaf Springs Rear-Wheel Drum Brakes *Offered from the Don C. Boulton Collection *A well-known, largely original example with 1950s cosmetic restoration *Exceptionally beautiful, handsomely designed coachwork *Offered with a significant history and maintenance file *An outstanding early Brass Era car with power, quality, style and character "DON'T TAKE 'THE OTHER FELLOW'S' DUST" Produced in Ohio from 1903 to 1909, the Pope-Toledo was in its time the peak of Colonel Albert Pope's Brass Era automotive empire, which produced fine cars in most all the major cities of the United States. It was noted for grand, almost baroque styling, with the largest models boasting ornate "King of Belgium" bodywork with tulip-like complex curves and dramatic swaging, atypical for this period, combined with sturdy, durable engineering and no small measure of power. The 1906 Model XII was, in fact, among the most powerful automobiles then on the American road, challenging the famous offerings of Packard, Peerless, and even Thomas, with a 35hp four-cylinder engine and a three-speed sliding gear transmission, with a direct-drive "speed gear" and double chain drive. It combined brawn and elegance as did few others of its time, and became one of the most respected and, today, sought-after early American automobiles. THE MOTORCAR OFFERED In 1951, Bob and Herb Horn, recent emigres from Iowa, opened Horn Bros. Cars of Yesteryear in Sarasota, Florida. In an era when roadside car museums were the norm, the Horns filled their facility with some truly exceptional early automobiles. The museum was sold in the mid-1960s to Walter Bellm, who continued to operate it until the mid-1990s. In its heyday, Cars of Yesteryear was a fabulous, weird and wonderful place, with the great cars of the Brass and Classic Eras complemented by Bantams, a Lincoln designed for Jacqueline Kennedy, and microcars hung off the walls and ceiling. The Horns brought this Model XII with them from Iowa, based on the period Hawkeye State registration no. 4639 still attached, as well as the Iowa license plates with which it was photographed in the museum in-period, including an appearance on the cover of the December 1954 issue of Car Life. After nearly forty years in the museum, the car was sold by Mr. Bellm to Fred Weber of St. Louis, from whom it was acquired by Don C. Boulton in 1991. The car's present restoration hails from the Horn ownership and it maintains a good look for a car of its age and would benefit mainly from detailing. The red and black color scheme is well-suited to the ornate curves of the original body and bell-shaped radiator, and is picked up by elaborate hand-laid striping. Clearly the work was largely cosmetic and the car beneath remains well-preserved, as it retains all of its gorgeous original trim and such often-lost original features as storage drawers under the driver's seats and additional compartments within the running boards. Leather aprons are mounted between the fenders and the body. The Selden plate is still attached, and the car carries its matching set of brass Solar model 626 cowl lamps, model 684 headlamps, model 404 tail lamp, and acetylene generator with pride. The dashboard boasts a J. Unghams 8-day clock, made in Germany, and a Jones 100 mph speedometer. Even the engine of this car is a work of mechanical art, with external overhead valve gear that is a joy to watch in operation. Certainly Mr. Boulton thought so, as after acquiring the Pope-Toledo he invested considerable time and money in returning it to operational condition. A significant file of restoration and repair receipts attests to this fact, and accompanies the Model XII along with two Pope-Toledo instruction manuals, many other documents and articles, and artifacts of its Horn Brothers and subsequently Bellm's ownership. At the end of all this sound and fury, ho