1910 Sears 14hp Model K Motor Buggy

• Built marketed by Sears Roebuck & Co
• One of circa 3,500 made
• Present ownership since 2006

"If you need the happy combination of a refined city business runabout and a two-passenger automobile that will travel as far as the best touring car and at less tire (sic) expense, then you will make no mistake in selecting the Sears Model 'K' which is, without a doubt, one of our most popular cars." - Sears Roebuck & Co.

The year 1908 was a momentous one in the history of the automobile, marking the release of the Ford Model T and the first appearance of a motor car in the mail order catalogue of Sears Roebuck & Co. Founded in 1893, Sears would go on to open a nation-wide chain of department stores and rise to become America's largest retailer, a position it held for several decades. A 'high wheeler', the Sears Motor Buggy was designed by Alvaro S Krotz, builder of an electric car in 1903/1904, and produced in Sears' new factory in its home town of Chicago. The car was powered by a 1.8-litre twin-cylinder engine rated at 10hp initially (14hp for 1910 onwards) driving via a friction transmission, which was carried in a pressed-steel chassis. First listed in Sears' Fall 1908 catalogue, the Motor Buggy was available at first only as a solid-tyred runabout, though for 1910 there were no fewer than five versions on offer, some with cushion or pneumatic tyres, all of which were variations on the same theme. By 1912 around 3,500 of these great value-for-money cars had been sold; unfortunately, they were sold at a loss, hence Sears' decision to halt production. The manufacturing machinery was sold to Lincoln.

This Motor Buggy's history is not known prior to its first registration in the UK in July 1983 when it was registered to David Harper of Warrington. It was sold to its next registered keeper, William C Ford, by Performance Cars Ltd of Brentford in October 1983. It is not known when Mr Ford parted with the car, but the accompanying Dating Panel Report indicates that it has belonged to the current vendor since at least 2006. The 1983 purchase receipt is on file and the car also comes with correspondence; two MoTs from the 1980s; a photocopied instruction book; photocopied model history; and a photocopied V5 registration document.

As seen here, the Model K featured mudguards, top, running-boards, and cushion tyres, and sold for $475.