1911 Sears Model P Four-Passenger Wagon

The Tupelo Automobile Museum Auction|27 April 2019, 10:00 CDT|The Tupelo Automobile Museum

1911 Sears Model P Four-Passenger Wagon
Chassis no. 2570

107ci Air-Cooled Horizontally Opposed 2-Cylinder Engine
14bhp
Friction Transmission with Twin Chain Drive
4-Wheel Full-Elliptical Leaf Springs with Solid Axles
2-Wheel Mechanical Brakes

*Part of Bill Harrah's Collection for near two decades
*Acquired by Frank Spain at the dispersal of Harrah's Collection
*A versatile and venerable high-wheeler
*Then and now, you'll be buying it from a catalog

THE MOTORCAR OFFERED

One of about 800 Sears Motor Buggies produced in the penultimate year of production, this two-seat, four-passenger Model P Wagon is well equipped with the optional leather seats, twin brass coach lamps, and bulb horn.

This particular example was part of William Harrah's extensive collection in Reno—the sole Sears he owned. According the records on the car, Harrah acquired the machine on May 17, 1967 and held the car in the collection until the dispersal of the collection after Bill Harrah's passing. Frank Spain acquired the car at the 1985 Harrah Auction of September 28th of that year. Today, the car retains its paperwork from Harrah's, including the original placard featured on the car when it was at Harrah's Museum, and the purchase paperwork from the '85 auction.

The Sears was popular in rural areas and seen as a dependable and rugged alternative to a horse drawn buggy but with the same capable (if jarring ride quality) performance afforded by the tall, narrow carriage wheels belted with metal bands. Today these Motor Buggies are great for early Horseless Carriage tours with other high wheelers of the day. While quickly outpaced in period by more conventional motorcars that strayed from the look and design of carriages, high wheelers such as this are rare glimpses into the time when the world was still transitioning from the world of horse-powered to horsepower.

Additional information

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