LOT 333
1914 Detroit Electric Model 47 Brougham Chassis no. 48937 Body no. 668
Sold for US$36,960 inc. premium
Lot 333
1914 Detroit Electric Model 47 Brougham
Collectors' Motorcars and Automobilia Auction|11 October 2020, 13:00 EDT|Philadelphia, Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum
1914 Detroit Electric Model 47 Brougham
Chassis no. 48937
Body no. 668
Chassis no. 48937
Body no. 668
48-volt DC electric motor
3bhp
4-Wheel semi-elliptical leaf springs
Rear Mechanical Drum Drakes
*Innovative and exciting early electric car
*Ideal preservation or restoration candidate
*Formal Model 47 Brougham coachwork
*Offered from the Petersen Automotive Museum Vault Collection
Previewing in Los Angeles, California by appointment. Please contact [email protected] for scheduling.
THE DETROIT ELECTRIC
The growing appeal of electric power for automobiles today reprises its popularity in the automobile's early days, when electric cars and trucks challenged steam and gasoline for supremacy. Electricity offered many advantages, particularly instant availability without warm-up along with silent, clean running, simple operation and reliability. Even with the battery technology of the day its range was more than adequate around town. Tests at the time of major manufacturers' electrics routinely produced effective ranges of 100 miles at the modest speeds they were capable of achieving.
Detroit Electrics were made by the Anderson Carriage Company. Originally from Port Huron, Michigan (coincidentally the hometown of Thomas Edison) Anderson – as its name implies – was founded in 1884 as a maker of carriages and wagons. Its founder, William C. Anderson, moved his company to Detroit in 1895 and in 1907 began making electric vehicles under the name Detroit Electric. While Detroit Electric was never an industry technical leader, its products were soundly engineered and constructed, especially after the 1909 acquisition of Elwell-Parker, maker of the Detroit Electric's electric motor and its controller. Elwell-Parker's products were widely regarded as the best available.
The electric automobile's greatest strength was its operating simplicity and silence, attributes that commended electrics to women of the time who were put off by the smelly, noisy, cranky gasoline engined automobile. None other than Henry Ford acquired two successive electrics for his wife, Clara – both of them Detroit Electrics.
THE MOTORCAR OFFERED
This Detroit Electric Model 47 Brougham was preserved in its previous ownership uncompleted. Its Brougham body is one of the best-known styles, a tall, formal structure that is emblematic of early electrics. As it is unrestored it retains many of its features including the curved glass front quarter windows, embossed decorative interior trim, interior appointments and vis-à-vis seating with left side mounted tiller steering. Substantially complete, it should prove to be a relatively straightforward restoration project, with plenty of original details to guide the restorer in getting it exactly right and when completed, should still make an excellent vehicle for attracting favorable attention around town. The Detroit Electric is offered from the Petersen Automotive Vault Collection.
Saleroom notices
Please note, this vehicle is offered on bill of sale.
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