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Detroit, Michigan, circa 1910. "Brady -- Gas Company. Auto showroom." Star billing goes to the gas light fixtures above a Hudson center stage at the showroom of J.H. Brady, dealer in Hudson, Peerless and Pope-Hartford automobiles. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.
I never saw a gaslight before with the globes pointing down instead of up. Also it seems odd they'd have gaslights in the showroom when there is obviously electric light in the next room, complete with cords along the ceiling and a nifty housing for the one light nearest the showroom that looks like it was made from a tin can. Whatever they are though, they're beautiful!
[Those are gaslights. Each chandelier has a pair of pulls to regulate flow. Below is another example from Detroit City Gas Co. - Dave]
The photographer, camera and flash.
Every time I see a picture of a car from the 1910s with a back seat, I think of a story my grandmother told. During the 1920s, her family got a car that was about ten years old, and had the open sides, like some in this picture. She and her sister and brother fought over who had to sit behind their dad. He chewed tobacco and would spit out his side of the car. Of course, whoever was sitting behind him was in danger of getting tobacco juice in the face! I can't think of much that would be worse to get a face full of!
John H. Brady was president of this company, which according to the 1911 Detroit City Directory was the "Michigan distributors for Peerless, Pope, Hartford and Hudson Automobiles." The Directory also indicates that "Cobb Brothers Auto Repairs" was located in the rear of that same address, which was at the southwest corner of Jefferson Ave. and Beaubien St. Today the Renaissance Center and General Motors World Headquarters occupy this site.
Someone tell me how someone other than the Houston Rockets' Yao Ming could drive this thing.
That's a 1909 Hudson Model 20 Roadster under the gas light, the Hudson Motor Car Company's first offering. It was a sturdy and reliable car and began the company's 45 years as an independent automaker.
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