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David’s Pierce Detective Service at your beck and call!
Interesting that it was a regular license plate, not a vintage or antique plate. Almost makes one wonder if it was temporarily put on the car to transport, and is actually registered to a newer car.
Hope your search is fruitful, or Pierceful…..
Greg, if you decide to go the blindfold and dart decision method, I know of people who’d want you to keep your blindfold on as they go see where the dart landed, or should have landed!
I’ve sat down a few times with my wife, and said OK, which ones should we sell. Well, we can’t sell that one, and we won’t sell that one, and this one has great memories, and we always wanted that one….in the end, there’s still no car on the “sell” list.
Although, come to think of it, I do have a 1911 Hupmobile that is going to be sold, as I have a 1910 so don’t need a duplicate. Hmmmm, or do I?
Anyone have a contact at the California DMV or the State Police?
License number on car at the auction was California 2LDJ342.
From the website photos looks like a very nice car.
I think any passion is a curse at some point in life.
I love the cars, and value the friends that I have all over the United States and elsewhere BECAUSE of the shared love of cars.
Funny you should bring it up, as a friend of mine who is similarly cursed was just discussing this with me this morning. As much as one enjoys having, working on, and driving the old cars, at some point in life they start to become a burden. I’ve owned over 200 cars in my life, a dozen or so of those Pierce Arrows. I’m down to about 10 cars now, and darned if I can keep up with them, even being retired. There always seems to be 2 or 3 of them with fatal flaws. Right now I’m dealing with a cracked block (due to ’38 Packard pour metallurgy), a stripped camshaft gear (on a car that has camshaft bearing cast in place), and a bad water pump (an easy fix, except on a Cord 812).
All that weighs heavy on me, in addition to other projects ongoing.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the cars, and pride of ownership runs deep, but at some point worry about maintenance can overtake the pride.
I sometimes think I’ll sell everything but my beloved Pierce phaeton. However, my whole life I’ve had a lot of cars, and having just one seems wrong somehow…..
AC, you mentioned the ’38 convertible, I had a chance (as many people did) to buy that car for $25K in its unrestored form…and for some silly reason passed. To your point, a lot was spent on it’s restoration to current show quality. It premiered in restored form at the 2001 Buffalo meet, beautiful car, if I remember correctly it had some overheating problem that I’m sure got fixed. Ah, the ones that got away…
Wow, thanks Ed! Uh, just checked my bank account, I’m a little short….
Let me put it this way, if the forty five million represented the distance from my house in Virginia to the West coast, my bank account gets me almost out of my town…
That’s a great car. Different body of course, but the ’33 LeBaron discussed is almost a bargain by comparison. Peter, you bring up an interesting point, about the most expensive motor car you’ve either driven or ridden in…
My answer to such a question would be easy, I was able to have a ride in the Bugatti Royale Berline de Voyage when Tom Monaghan owned it.
Last I heard the Royale’s were up into eight figures, if one could be bought.
Brian, no details needed, just make sure that if the new owner isn’t in the PAS have them join! Glad you’re on your way to finding a good home for it….
Brian, now I’m curious, since I got involved in this! When you said it’s “holding up sale”, does that mean you have a live buyer on the line, or that you need the tag in place to be able to transfer paperwork when someone buys it? just curious…
That original Pierce little round battery is probably dead!
Brian, I have an extra one if you need it, contact me at [email protected]
Great parade float, and the picture of the dealership sure makes you wonder where the emblem in the top front of the building went, it appears to have been removed very carefully and replaced with newer brick….
Shucks, Peter, I’m so sorry you were “taken” on that watch…I’d give you $30 just so you don’t feel bad!
Shucks, I actually would like to have one, if anyone has a spare! I’m a sucker for anything that says Pierce.
The “fake” article is in the works, I have two other articles upcoming in the Arrow, they’re fun to write and research!
I don’t think it’s brass, but it’s some kind of plating.
Your question prompted me to take a closer look. The reproduction is slightly thicker, and in fact, when weighed on a postal scale, the original is 0.5 ounces and the reproduction is 0.6 ounces.
To Ed’s point, I’m in the process of writing an article for the ARROW about fakes and reproductions.
Things that have been reproduced include 1901-1911 Commemorative Medal, Picnic pinback, pocket watches (as Ed states) and fobs, stock certificates, and of course hood ornaments. There is also a lot of literature that’s been reprinted, including “The Story of Pierce Arrow” large format book, 1910 24 page glossy sales brochure, 1915 and 1919 sales brochures, and others.
I recently acquired some interesting things from the estate of one of the founders of the PAS, and based on some things I’m finding there may be more items to add to the list, still researching.
You can also tell from the front, the repro has a slightly larger hexagon, and the enameling is different, but you really need to have them side by side to determine this. Again, the repro is in the middle of this picture.
As Greg states, the back tells the story. The reproductions will have a flat back with no markings, although there may be a “shadow” of a makers mark from when they copied the size. Originals will either have a makers mark, or will have a dealer’s name. The dealer’s name is much harder to find, and that’s why the one you mention went high, it’s a Foss-Hughes dealer give-away. I’m a serious buyer of Pierce memorabilia, and I bought it by the way.
Shown is an original on the left (with silk band, they came with this or strap), a repro in the middle, and a dealer (C.H. Reeves, Baltimore) on the right.
No Pierce part is safe around Ed, that’s for sure! He was keeping an eye on my 1903 engine at one point, he really liked it, and I’d call him and his comment would be “Uh, what engine??”…..
Doesn’t say, but must have been a V-12, as the club sedan is a 12…and a nice car, it appears…..
Time on earth and money. Old story, fellow laying on his deathbed, daughter holding his hand, and he’s crying. Father, are you that sad to be leaving this earth, she asks. No, he says tearfully, but my last dollar is in my pants pocket, and now I’ll never be able to spend it….
Bill, I’ve been fooling with old cars for over 50 years, and a member of the PAS since the 1970’s.
In my experience with a lot of different clubs, I feel you will not find any better, nicer, and more knowledgeable group of people, all willing to help you in any way they can. You’ve named a few, but there are a lot more!
Great to see you in the club, ummm, that is, Society!
