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Washington, 1924. "Helen G. Sweeney, Adolph Busch, Joseph Gallegher, Henry Glyn." Helen, who as Miss Washington represented the District of Columbia in the 1924 Miss America pageant, was also Miss Treasury Department that year. She's shown here in front of the Treasury building in a nautical-themed car bearing the insignias of Anheuser-Busch and Budweiser, promoting the company's beverages during the Prohibition years. National Photo glass negative. View full size.
Love those cannons. I could sure use one on my car.
From Hemmings, more on the Anheuser Busch Bevo Boatmobile.
It appears that sharp-eyed Shorpy-ians (Shorpy-ites?) have solved another mystery. I could not discern the "D" on the hubcap, so thanks from me. It may be that Dorris is still in business..
Various internet resources (1, 2, 3) refer to this vehicle as a "Bevo Boat" or "Land Cruiser," used to promote Anheuser's Bevo beverage. The model shown here, the first in the series, was manufactured during WWI, supposedly on a Pierce Arrow chassis. Originally used as a recruiting tool during the war, it was later repurposed for advertising.
Amazingly, some of the internet references for this vehicle suggest that it was truly amphibious. Seems a stretch to me.
One more image from the internets: photo #106 at Mystery Cars.
The cannons on the rear fenders (there is one on the other side as well) were working models of the Winchester 10 gauge breech loading cannons. Intended to discourage pursuing pirate boat cars?
I think the hubcap says Dorris, a vehicle manufactured in St. Louis up to about 1924.
The shape reminds me a bit of the emblem that Morris Garage attached to the MG, which was octagonal. So this may be an early Morris.
An older brother to these 1930 Cadillacs perhaps?
http://www.car-nection.com/yann/Dbas_txt/DRM30-32.HTM (scroll down)
It makes me laugh to think if this car were around today it would only take a few beers before someone drove it into a lake. The front bumper anchors could prove a fatal flaw in the design though.
Beneath all the gear from West Marine is the same sort of car used by Mrs Robert M. La Follette when she was stumping for her husband in 1924. So, what make of car is this? Somewhere, a Shorpy fan must know!
According to the Budweiser website, 1924 is the year that young Augie Busch, Jr. began working for the family firm. Looks like they gave him all the worst assignments!
I can see that during Prohibition the Bud people were selling soft drinks. From a marketing standpoint, had they continued, they could have been a formidable competitor to the other bottlers. They sure know how to sell beer, but by law, they are limited to who can buy it. If they produced a full line of soft drinks, Anheuser-Busch has the customers (the supermarkets, etc) and it's got to be much easier to produce.
[The company's main product during Prohibition was low-alcohol beer. Below, a Bud ad from 1924. - Dave]
That cannon is one way to deal with slow lane hogs. Even more so if you're all drunked up on the family brew!
It appears that the Captain was set adrift without a paddle.
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