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The 1934 1248 in the desert.

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Inside looking out.

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A Pierce-Arrow pulling the grade.

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Cars coming around the bend.

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Hi Dave,

Give me a call and I’m sure we can work something out. I will be coming from CA that week.

Ben Oakes

Co-Chair

2016 Pierce-Arrow Society

59th Annual Meet

Kerrville, TX

June 13-17, 2016

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This car had a more recent restoration and is from the Southern California area.

Very good detail, as you can see.

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Hi Edward,

Attached are two photos of the vanity clock your looking for.

This car had an older restoration and lived in the Dallas, TX area.

Thanks,

Ben

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1932 – Service work being performed.

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1932 – Service work being performed.

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Posted is a continuation of Pierce-Arrow dealership “stuff” found on-line from the University of Southern California’s Digital Library.

According to the information posted, Pennzoil sponsored a photo shoot to display their products. As you can see from the following three photo’s, work is being done to car(s) inside the maintenance department.

These works are dated 1932 although location of the dealership/maintenance department is not mentioned.

As before, this is another installment of the Dick Whittington Studio Collection.

Ben

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/search/collection/p15799coll82!p15799coll117!p15799coll59!p15799coll87!p15799coll65!p15799coll170!p15799coll83!p15799coll77!p15799coll52!p15799coll7!p15799coll54!p15799coll88!p15799coll44!p15799coll64!p15799coll33!p15799c

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Hi Doug,

This is always an interesting discussion which started a discussion on this topic in January 2014.

If you search for “California Pierce-Arrow Dealership – 1920’s” you might find some more information/clues. Personally I am always finding new information related to this topic, mainly due to population growth and distributors for dealers. Below is a link to the discussion on this forum.

If I get a chance, I will upload some new pictures I found inside a Los Angles Pierce-Arrow dealerships service area.

Ben

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…and a few more related to the above post.

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Hi Brooks,

That’s a great question. The “Dick” Whittington company was large and there is a possibility more than one copy of the same side/subject was produced. In looking what the online collection has posted, I found that they have the two slides pictured with the, what looks like, a new sleeve for the glass negative. I am curious who, or the relevance of, the name Ed Nathan. And why a steam shovel?

– Ben

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/compoundobject/collection/p15799coll170/id/68147/rec/13

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While looking at the pictures from the Whittington collection I came across this description:

“Pierce Arrow car from Jack-Germond, 5600 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA, 1929”

Naturally this sparked my curiosity…

Jack – Germond

Jack Germond is found as “automobile sales executive” in the publication “Motor West”. In Volume 35, Page 76 of the 1921 printing it announces his acquisition of the Wills-Sainte Claire car. He is described as “…well known automobile sales executive of many years’ standing…”. I was not able to find any mention of involvement with Pierce-Arrow.

Paul Engstrum.

The gentleman standing in front the Pierce-Arrow pictured, with the pipe in his hand, is Paul Engstrum.

He was the grandson of Franz O. Engstrum, a construction company executive.

“The F. O. Engstrum Company, incorporated in 1904, had up to two hundred employees, all “skilled and independent workmen.”Although it first specialized in large carpentry projects, the Engstrum company soon became well-known as one of the most prominent general building-contracting firms west of Chicago, specializing in reinforced-concrete construction of large institutional and commercial buildings. (The firm was said to have built the first cast-in-place concrete structure.) These included the Court Houses in Riverside and Ventura, the Security National and Citizens National Banks on Spring Street in Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Polytechnic High School, the County and California Hospitals, Fire Station No. 23, the seven-story Elks Hall, the Ocean Park Bathhouse, the Agnews State Hospital, and Tower Hall at what is now San Jose State University.”

Paul Engstrum was the “playboy” of his day. Paul managed to have four marriages within 10 years before his fourth wife divorced him on grounds of cruelty and non-support in 1929, the year of this picture. “He wore many business hats, working at one time as a civil engineer for his father’s firm (dissolved after F. O.’s demise), later operating the Duro automobile refinishing company. Still later he was described as a “newspaper and advertising man,” which led to a stint as the “official host” of Los Angeles County”.

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/compoundobject/collection/p15799coll170/id/32775/show/32772/rec/10

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While looking through more of the photos of the Whittington collection, I noticed that they are categorized with an individual’s name. After doing some quick research I was able to find information on the owner of this Pierce-Arrow.

HOWARD WOSTER DAVIS

1885 – 1959

In 1924 he became a member of the board of governors of the Los Angeles Realty Board then won the 7th District City Council seat in May 1927. He retained his seat on the city council till 1935 when he took “voluntary retirement”.

In April of 1933 (the same year as the accident of this Pierce-Arrow) Davis wrote an article to the Los Angeles Times “detailing the joys and sorrows of being a City Council member.”

“. . . I enjoy it. I think politics is the most intriguing game in the world. I enjoy the maneuvering necessary to put through an ordinance I believe will help my district and the city, and sometimes the difficulties and red tape only increase the zest. . . . Today it seems to be the custom for public officeholders to deny they’re politicians. I’m a politician.”

He died December 13, 1959, in Coronado, California, at the age of 76.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_W._Davis#

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Finally a picture from the 1929 Los Angeles Auto Show. If I remember correctly, (and correct me if I’m wrong) it was held in a tent that caught fire. Every car, make, and model was destroyed in the fire.

“Pierce-Arrow cars at auto show, Southern California, 1929.”

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/compoundobject/collection/p15799coll170/id/33423/rec/16

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Pictured is an wreaked 1928 Series 36. Description of the car reads as follows:

“Pierce Arrow, File A11326, owner Sander Dickey, Southern California, 1933. “

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/compoundobject/collection/p15799coll170/id/63471/rec/14

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Thanks all,

I drive by the location of the auction daily. It was a pleasure to meet with old friends and see some spectacular cars.

Scott – No thoughts of trading the Franklin…..yet (I kid, I kid). Still looking for the 20’s Dual-Value car.

– Ben

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Buyer Info…

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The Rear View…

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