LOT 138
1914 Detroit Electric Model 47 Brougham Chassis no. 9341 Engine no. 16315
Sold for US$140,000 inc. premiumLot to be sold without reserve
Lot 138
1914 Detroit Electric Model 47 Brougham
1914 Detroit Electric Model 47 Brougham
Chassis no. 9341
Engine no. 16315
Chassis no. 9341
Engine no. 16315
48-volt DC electric motor
Est 3bhp
4-Wheel semi-elliptical leaf springs
Rear Mechanical Drum Drakes
*Offered from the Paul Bush Collection
*Innovative and exciting early electric car
*Formal and iconic Brougham coachwork
*Wonderful cloth interior
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
Having founded Lubbock Electric Co in 1944 - a family-owned business still thriving now 78 years later - Mr. Paul Bush naturally needed an electric car in his impressive collection. Mr. Bush purchased this Detroit Electric Brougham in 1981 from noted collector car afficionado Charles Lemaitre in the 1980s while on a trip to Hershey. Mr. Bush treated the car to a restoration, and later toured it without problem up to 60 miles! Nicknamed Clara, the Detroit Electric runs on 16 six-volt batteries, is finished in light grey with dark grey fenders and red pin stripe over its lovely grey cloth interior. Its Brougham body is one of the best-known styles, a tall, formal structure that is emblematic of early electric cars.
Est 3bhp
4-Wheel semi-elliptical leaf springs
Rear Mechanical Drum Drakes
*Offered from the Paul Bush Collection
*Innovative and exciting early electric car
*Formal and iconic Brougham coachwork
*Wonderful cloth interior
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
Having founded Lubbock Electric Co in 1944 - a family-owned business still thriving now 78 years later - Mr. Paul Bush naturally needed an electric car in his impressive collection. Mr. Bush purchased this Detroit Electric Brougham in 1981 from noted collector car afficionado Charles Lemaitre in the 1980s while on a trip to Hershey. Mr. Bush treated the car to a restoration, and later toured it without problem up to 60 miles! Nicknamed Clara, the Detroit Electric runs on 16 six-volt batteries, is finished in light grey with dark grey fenders and red pin stripe over its lovely grey cloth interior. Its Brougham body is one of the best-known styles, a tall, formal structure that is emblematic of early electric cars.
Footnotes
According to research done by electric car historian Galen Handy, this Detroit Electric is indeed a 1917 model-year 64 A Model 5-Passenger Brougham example, which cost an astonishing $2,350 when new. Furthermore, Mr. Handy's records indicate that just about 160 Detroit Electric's are known to survive, of which just two are of the same configuration as the car offered here.
Saleroom notices
According to research done by electric car historian Galen Handy, this Detroit Electric is indeed a 1917 model-year 64 A Model 5-Passenger Brougham example, which cost an astonishing $2,350 when new. Furthermore, Mr. Handy's records indicate that just about 160 Detroit Electric's are known to survive, of which just two are of the same configuration as the car offered here.
Additional information
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