Engineering

1903 · ref. 60341 — Flint & Detroit MI: General Motors 1903-1938. Twelve vols. Oblong folio. 19 x 12.5 x approx. 2-3 in. per vol. 30 linear inches. 251; 278; 228; 84; 233; 312; 264; 140; 158; 160; 208; 212 leaves 11 of 12 vols. unnumbered. all silver gelatin Photostatic photo print positives on inconsistent quality papers either due to processing or washing process after being shot with the Rectigraph camera reproducing through a prism an image some w/ borders all featuring nine 4 x 6 in. data cards on recto of each leaf all identified w/in the original images some from photographs containing well over 20000 illustrations diagrams photographs and technical details roughness to some of the fore-edges photo textblock not cut or trimmed to size so rough cut at fore-edges occasional lifting from old wicking at fore-edges faint tidemark to lower fore-edges of a couple volumes. Uniformly bound in three-quarter maroon-coloured calf over black pebbled cloth on beveled boards Broun-Green Co. Safety Minute Book McMillan Patented post-binders with three metal posts and ring locking mechanism all leaves perforated at gutter margin for loading into the binders decorated endpapers thumb tabs at fore-edges demarcating the front of the binder gilt lettered title stamped on front covers of all some scuffing edgewear couple hinges starting or weakened occasional scuffing to back covers or to spines former owner’s labels attached to spines of a couple vols. still a VG set originally acquired by a collector when most of Harrah’s automobiles and other material were auctioned off in three separate sales in the mid-1980’s after efforts to preserve the collection failed following the acquisition of Harrah’s casino and hotel empire by Holiday Inns with their ownership stamps on flyleaves. Since Harrah mechanics had to maintain a fleet of over 1425 automobiles many of them exceedingly rare early Brass Era and foreign models these volumes provided invaluable mechanical details. This immense and unique reference set reproduces over 22000 well-illustrated index research cards on 2525 leaves prepared by General Motors for their engineering and technical staff tracking and recording the myriad of manufacturers and suppliers for automobiles trucks aircraft and marine craft from the Brass Era through the Great Depression. These prepared by the GM in-house technical periodical “Motor Vehicle Digest” provide essential visual and technical historical data for the development patent history engineering inventions of most of the major and minor national and international automobile manufacturers and parts suppliers for over three decades prior to World War II. Basically serving as the automotive industry’s equivalent of the National Union Catalogue or Acta Sanctorum these gigantic volumes trace the origins mechanical development devices and equipment on 1000’s of different manufacturers most having been lost now to the passage of time and the many shake-ups during the 20th Century. Not only do they serve as original reference from contemporary technical journals in German French Italian Norwegian Dutch and Danish all neatly translated into English but also offer a means to visually trace the development of the automobile. The four “Engine Parts” volumes include extensive sections on magnetos gasoline pumps accessory drive chains camshaft gears water pumps pistons crank shafts water pumps fuel systems fuel gauges carburetors throttle controls air filters fuel injection and even the 1937 introduction of the Down Draft Carburetor. Of notable interest is the extensive section on radiator badges or mascots and Motometer ornaments for the radiators including winged Gods & Goddesses animals and grille ornaments. The myriad of manufacturers represented is dizzying ranging from Mercedes to Packard Bugatti to Lejeuene Wolsely to Zenith with Napier Thornycroft Solex Rateau Mercedes Rickenbacker Stromberg & Locomobile thrown in. Electrical systems transmissions gears steering systems suspension shocks and more are all minutely detailed. The “Roadwheels” volume encompasses a wide range of companies and developments attempting to deal with the rough roads prior to the Good Roads Movement including spring types with internal springs against the axle tension types compression types and those specifically developed for electric vehicles and companies building electric motors for each wheel hub. The two “Internal Combustion Engines” volumes encompass not only 4-cylinder and 6-cylinder engines for automobiles but also diesel or modified engines stationery engines submarine diesel engines ocean liner and locomotive engines rotary engines for aircraft and marine applications two-cycle or two-stroke engines developed for early motorcycles and motorcycle cars and even the innovative sleeve valve motors from Willys-Knight. Engine manufacturers range from Delahaye to Bentley Buda to Humboldt-Deutz along with Mianus Alpha Northill out of Los Angeles California Coventry-Victor Tuxham Plenty & Son and Brooke. The “Final Drives or Transmissions” volume examines drive axles front brakes and other systems for Tatra Bugatti Benze & Lorelei while “Electrical Systems & Parts” details nearly 35 years of spark plug priming plug and ignition apparatus from early Brass Era and efforts of Champion Milla Strumpell Helwig Mosler and others. Interestingly the volumes focus primarily on GM competitors inventions technology & development and much of the data drawn from often obscure contemporary automakers’ journals would have proven invaluable especially as before the internet global searches and other digital reference guides there would have been nearly no comparable cross-reference to foreign technology. Lord 1858-1929 was a Princeton alumni having graduated 1879 worked in cattle ranches and gold mining in Arizona spent several years as an insurance broker in New York and Spain worked for the US Secret Service and served during the Spanish-American War in the Army Commissary Dept. in Cuba. After working in advertising and newspapers in Seattle and assistant to the Univ. of Washington he was contracted by General Motors to oversee and compile their in-house “Motor Vehicle Digest” until his death. The GM MVD should not be confused with the many different “Motor Vehicle Digest” laws and subject volumes issued by various states in the first half of the 20th Century and the only extant set of the original in-house printed journal NOT these unique volumes is recorded at the General Motors Institute Collection in Flint MI. The Rectigraph Co. was bought out by Haloid in 1937 and later became Haloid-Xerox in 1958 and their process was also used by Photoclerk and Dexigraph of Remington Rand. These still offer essential technical reference as frequently many of the magazines in the collection have never been digitized for use or are largely unavailable other than through in-person visit to special collections libraries or museum references. No copies located in Worldcat the GM Institute or Henry Ford; See: George P. Hanley The Collection of Industrial History The Society of Automotive Historians Newsletter Issue No. 63 June 1979 pp. 3-5; Frank Howard Lord Obituary The Princeton Alumni Weekly Vol. XXX No. 1 1929 pp. 40-43. General Motors, hardcover