1912 S.G.V. Two Plus Two Roadster

3,120cc, Inline 4-Cylinder Engine
Single Carburetor
Approximately 25bhp
4-Speed Manual Transmission
Semi-Elliptic Leaf Springs Front and Rear
2-Wheel Drum Brakes

*Fascinating Pennsylvania marque
*Marque interwoven with Lancia and their Beta model
*Known history from new
*Formerly in the Cameron Bradley, Wolf Pen Car Collection

S.G.V. AUTOMOBILES

The history of SGV automobiles remains a continuing source of research by historians, the most pertinent part being the correlation between SGV and Lancias of the same era. As for many manufacturers the name referred to the key individuals of the company, in this case, Herbert M. Sternbergh, Robert E. Graham and Fred Van Tine. Sternbergh can be cited as the original instigator of the company, in 1907 he bought the struggling Acme company of Reading, Pennsylvania and set about rebuilding it. From 1910 an entirely new car emerged from those same premises, as The Automobile and Horseless Age would note - 'The S.G.V. is built along foreign lines and the designers got many useful hints from the Italian Lancia...' Another contemporary publication The Hub notes 'As is fairly well known, this car is practically a reproduction of the Italian Lancia and is claimed to be only successful duplication of a foreign car that has been achieved in this country'.

These two contemporary quotes affirm the beliefs of historians today, yet the joining of the dots between the respected Italian concern and SGV remains a matter of some debate. However, one simply need look at the physical attributes, the SGV as offered for sale today mirrors the Lancia Beta of its same time with identical engine capacity, chassis format, wheelbase, front axle, and even radiator shape and honeycomb grille and radiator cap. In all of these respects, it was certainly a quality car and the link to Lancia is most likely to have come through the connection between the Hollander and Tangeman 'Hol-Tan' the New York Auto distributing company and one of their partners T.E. Adams, whose own business TE Adams Company also imported Lancias. Although a documented license agreement is not recorded, it seems likely that these were an early exercise in 'brand engineering' for Lancia.

THE MOTORCAR OFFERED

Of the very few of these cars to survive, this is surely one most authentic and unspoiled examples and benefits from a having an entire knowledge of its ownership from new, all 110 years of it!

As new, according to transcriptions of the Massachusetts vehicle registration lists, which not a surprisingly high number of SGV's as landing in that State, this one, chassis 460 was registered with the plate number 21394 to F.F. Lindsay of Main Street, Southboro. Within 2 years it passed to another local, Raymond H. Oveson of the same town, and in 1917 it changed hands again moving on to Mr. Oveson's brother-in-law, George K. Sabine Jr. Mr. Sabine would sadly pass as a result of the influenza epidemic of 1919 at which point the car returned to the Oveson family.

There it would remain until the early 1930s, when a lady friend of the noted pioneering collector Cameron Bradley purchased the SGV for a more $15, to later become part of his Wolfpen Farm Vintage Car Collection also at Southboro. Mr. Bradley was a huge influence on collecting in the NorthEast, being a founder member of the Veteran Motor Car Club of America. For the next 50 years, the SGV resided with Bradley's family, where it was often exhibited at VMCCA events, before passing into the collection of another noted NorthEast collector, Glenn Gould Jr. in 1984, it has remained in his family ever since.

On file is a wealth of material relating to this interesting marque and the suspected correlation between Lancia and SGV, but more importantly there are a series of photos of the car in the mid-1920s confirming it to have always been in the form in which we see it today. Additionally, one piece of correspondence is a set of notes from Margaret Oveson recalling the car, where she states that they nicknamed her 'Gaby Deslys' in the family after the famed dancer owing to its racy appearance.

In two generations of the current family ownership, the SGV has continued to be carefully preserved and for the most part remains much as Mrs. Overson describes the car in its early days, its bluey grey paint is now matted from age, but the upholstery appears to still be the original in black leather with checked seat squabs and is in remarkably good order. Elsewhere, the car remains substantially complete including details such as its accessory horn and windshield, noted to have been manufactured by the Eagle Co. according to a plaque on it.

All told, this is a wonderful car with an appealing patina and a simple history offered for sale for the first time publicly in its entire life.