Currier, Cameron, and Company
1895-1923

Charles Duryea in his 1895 Duryea Automobile

1896 Electrobat Morris and Salom Electric Carriage and Wagon Co. Philadelphia, PA 1894-1896

1898 Duryea Delivery Wagon

1898 Duryea Physician's Wagon

1899 Columbia Vehicles,  Runabout in center is flanked by two Delivery Three Wheelers.  Lawrence Duffie is the gentleman on the left. The other gentlemen are unidentified. The Runabout body was  made by Currier, Cameron & Co
Courtesy of the Columbia Automobile web site

Stanley Brothers riding on their Stanley automobile
Circa 1898

In 1898,  The Stanley Motor Carriage Co.of Newton, MA, commissioned Currier, Cameron, and Co. to construct ten bodies for its new steam-operated automobile. As was their practice at the time, Currier & Cameron constructed the coachwork and subcontracted the painting and trimming to the Shields Carriage Co. In 1899, Stanley sold the steamer to Locomobile. Two hundered more were ordered by the Locombile company..

1899 Locomobile Runabout
Locomobile Co. of America, Bridgeport, CT
1900-1928

1899 Locomobile Runabout
Locomobile Co. of America, Bridgeport, CT
1900-1928

1898 Grout Gasoline Stanhope Extremely rare photograph	1899 Grout Gasoline Runabout Grout Bros. Automobile Co. Orange, MA 1898-1912
1900 Grout Runabout Driven by one of the Grout Brothers Grout Bros. Automobile Co. Orange, MA 1896-1912	1901 Grout Stanhope Grout Bros. Automobile Co. Orange, MA 1896-1912
1901 Grout Light Delivery Van	1901 Grout Runabout Grout Bros., Orange, MA 1896-1912
1901 Grout Queen Stanhope E Grout Bros., Orange, MA 1896-1912	1904 Grout Touring Grout Bros Automobile Co., Orange, MA 1896-191

1899 Victor
Overman Wheel Co., Chicopee, Ma.
1900-1901

1899 Eclipse Runabout Eclipse Automobile Company, South Easton, MA 1899-1903

1899 Eclipse Runabout Eclipse Automobile Co., South Easton, MA 1899-1903

In 1899, Everet Cameron, owner  of the Eclipse Automobile Co. of South Easton, MA, contracted with the Boston Postal Service  to build its first automobiles. Cameron, Currier, and Co. was given the contract to build the bodies. Copied in full from Beverly Rae Kimes Standard Catalog of American Cars published in 1979 At the turn of the century, Amesbury was among the leading carriage manufacturing centers in the United States. Organized in 1899, with a capital stock of $150,000, was the Amesbury Automobile Company. Involved in the venture were a number of local carriage builders, including J.T Clarkson, C.F. Worthen, and Edward R. Briggs. The chief engineer was C.J. Bagley, a well known electrician in town, who had designed an electric motor which was claimed to be the lightest and most efficient appliance yet built. Prospects bode well for this venture. "There are no better carriages in the world than those built in Amesbury" The Motor Review stated, "and its high reputation will give to the new company a prestige that a town of leser reputation cannot acquire for years." It appears that the Amesbury Automobile Company proceeded no further than building a prototype or two, before the carriage makers involved returned to their horse drawn efforts and Bagley returned to his electrical work. (End  of article). But Amesbury had its first made automobile that is on record. In 1901, Arthur England, a machinst, built an automobile and he displayed it in his father's machine shop. In 1900 Briggs Carriage Company joined with Currier, Cameron, and company making automobile bodies. In August 1905, a company was formed in Amesbury, Mass., to manufacture a 15 horse power car from the designs of Chas. H. M Monroe 1901 American Daimler Delivery Van Daimler Mfg. Company, Long Island City, NY 1900-1907 Body Made By Currier Cameron, & Co. There is no other record that this car existed Copied from James Homans 1902 book "Self Propelled Vehicles" In 1888, William Steinway, maker of the Steinway Pianos, secured the rights to manufacture engines and automobiles under the Daimler Motor Co. in Hartford, CT. He died in 1896 and  the company was reorganized as the Daimler Manufacturing Co. in Long Island City, NY making engines, but a very  few commericial vehicles were made. In 1905 the company started making exact copies of the Mercedes, but stopped in 1907. The company is still in business In 1901, Stanley Motor Carriage Co. contracted Currier , Cameron, and Co. to make bodies for their new edition of the Stanley Automobile.  With all of these body orders, Currier-Cameron could not do all the work themselves, so three other carriage companies, Shields, Leitch, and Briggs were contracted to help make the bodies.  These four companies were involved in supplying these bodies. Leitch and Briggs were also independent makers. Stanley bodies were made from 1901 to 1922. 1901 Stanley Runabout Stanley Mfg Co. Lawrence, MA 1899-1901 Stanley Motor Carriage Co. Newton, MA 1901-1924 1922 Stanley 735 Touring, possibly the last automobile body made by Currier-Cameron & Co. Over the next several years, contracts were made with many manufacturers, including Briscoe, Maxwell, Mobile Steamer, Orient Buckboard, Pope Robinson, and chassis for Stevens-Duryea. It is recorded that they were also body makers for most automobile companies in the region with no names given. With the help of the computer, I have been able to find most of these companies with photographs of their automobiles. It was done by comparing bodies with the Stanley and Locomobile bodies of the same years. 1899-1900--Steam car built by Howard Coffin while in college using the Locomobile body, but with a larger engine     1900 Locomobile with Prince Kuhio and his wife of Hawaii   1900 Mobile  Runabout Mobile Company of America, Tarrytown, NY 1899-1903 1901 Safety Steamer Safety Steam Automobile Co, Ipswitch, MA 1901-1902   1902 Stevens-Duryea Stanhope Stevens Duryea Automobile Co. Chicopee, MA 1902-1928 1899 American Stanhope Automobile Co. of America Stanhope, New York, NY

1901 Steamobile
Keene Automobile Co., Keene NH.
1900-1902

1900 Mobile Steamer Runabout
Mobile Company of America, Tarrytown, NY
1899-1903

1902 Puritan Runabout
Locke Regulator Co. Salem, MA
1902-1903

1901 Hoyt Runabout
Hoyt Electrical Instruments Co., Pennacook, NH
1901-1910

1901 Whitney Runabout
Whitney Machine Co. Brunswick, ME
1899-1905

1904 Pope Robinson Tonneau
Pope Robinson Automobile Co. Hyde Park, MA
1902-1904

1902 Binney-Burnham Nine passenger Surrey
The Binney & Burnham Co., Boston, MA
1901-1902

1901 Rochester Runabout
Rochester Cycle Mfg. Co. Rochester, NY
1901-1902

1902 Waltam Steam Buggy Runabout
Waltham Mfg. Co. Waltham, MA
1898-1908

1903 Orient Buckboard
Waltham Mfg. Co. Waltham, MA
1898-1908

Front View
Courtsey of the Wells Automobile Museum

Rear View

Buckboard Engine, Number 4+P 821

1909 Metz Runabout
The Metz Co. Waltham, MA
1909-1926
The first Metz

1904 Waltham Orient Deluxe Touring
Waltham Mfg. Co. Waltham, MA
1898-1908

1901 Skene
J. W. Skene Cycle & Automobile Co. Lewiston, ME
1900-1901

1903 Bridgeport Steamer
Bridgeport Boiler Works, Bridgeport, Ct.
1901-1903
Only one known

1908 Maxwell
Maxwell Motor Corp. Detroit, MI
1904-1924

1915 Briscoe Runabout
Briscoe Motor Corp. Jackson, MI
1914-1921

1903 Locomobile Six Passenger Touring
Locomobile Co. of America, Bridgeport, CT
1899-1928

1923 Locomobile 48 Series VIII
Last body built by Briggs
Durant Motors bought the Locomobile Co. in 1923

Boston and Amesbury
Boston and Amesbury Mfg. Co.
1902

1902 Boston and Amesbury Stanhope
This automobile was named the Boston and Amesbury because a Boston Automobile Co. was organized in 1899 in Boston and an Amesbury Automobile Co was organized in Amesbury in 1900 and made one automobile.

In 1902, John Miller, machinest, co-owner of the Miller Brothers Company and a  Boston engineer, H.A Spiller to form the Boston and Amesbury Mfg. Company along with two investers, Robert Patten and  C.V. Childs. Spiller made the engine and Miller made the body with the Shields Carriage Co. doing the decorating and trimming. It was a two passenger Stanhope with two passenger provided with an extra seat stored under the main one. When needed, it could be removed and attached to the front of the vehicle. The company propose building gasoline carriages in three styles, a two cylinder 4x4 inches, 8 horse power; a two cylinder 5x5 inches. 12 horse power, and a four cylinder 4x4, 16 horse power. The smaller size is herewith illustrated. Everything will be manufactured in the company's own shops except the Baldwin chains and the International Endurance tires.

Biddle and Smart Carriage Company
1902-1931

1906

Biddle and Smart commenced automobile body production  in 1902 and by late 1903 they had a contract to produce limousine bodies for Peerless. By 1907, proper metal sheeting over a hardwood frame was developed as the standard construction technique. The company embarked on limited series production for a growing list of satisfied customers: touring cars for Mercer and Alco, Abbott coupes, National roadsters, Packard and Winton sedans and assorted models for Lincoln, White, Chalmers, Marmon, Peerless, Haynes, Speedwell and Club. They became specialists in using aluminum, although steel-paneled bodies were also produced.

When the Hudson Automobile Company was formed in 1909 with initial help from E.R. Thomas of the Thomas Automobile Co., they chose Biddle and Smart to build bodies for them. Both touring and coupes were built. The relationship lasted until 1930. Biddle and Smart were the largest in Amesbury with Walker being the second largest.

1903 Peerless Limousine Peerless Motor Car Co. Cleveland, OH 1900-1931

1908 Packard Model 30 Packard Automobile Co. Detroit, MI 1899-1955

The First World War had consumed almost all of the metal used in the industry and the struggle to survive for the companies that assembled automobiles was too great for they could not get parts for their cars. Then, came the recession of 1921. A great number of companies that had been able to keep struggling along, simply gave up and closed down. Biddle and Smart lost their small companies, but Hudson Motors kept them busy.

The end probably started in 1926 when Hudson built its own body plant and by December 1929, when Hudson declined to renew its usual annual contract, the end was apparent. Additionally transportation charges to and from Amesbury made Biddle & Smart too expensive for Hudson to use as the prices on all new automobiles were falling appreciably. With the Depression worsening, Hudson turned more body business over to nearer suppliers, such as Briggs and Murray, and Biddle & Smart found itself not only without a major Detroit customer, but with no customers at all.

After completing the contract with Hudson for 1930 model bodies in the summer of that year, Biddle and Smart was advised that, beginning in 1931, it would no longer be the outside source for Hudson bodies. The custom-body firm tried for a brief period to market aluminum boats, but within months the company was out of business.

They were known as one of the best custom series bodymakers in the country.

1909 Hudson Runabout Hudson Motor Car Co. Detroit, MI 1909-1954 First year that Biddle and Smart made bodies for Hudson Motor Company

1923 American Made Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Rolls-Royce of America Inc. Springfield, MA 1921-1931

1929 Lincoln, Dietrich Design Lincoln Motor Car Co. Detroit, MI 1917 - Date

1928 Hudson Phaeton Hudson Motor Car Co. Detroit, MI 1909-1954

1912 Abbot Detroit
Abbott-Detroit Motor Car Co. Detroit, Michigan
1909-1915

1916 Mercer
Mercer Automobile Co. Trenton, NJ
1910-1931

1906 Thomas Flyer Touring
E. R. Thomas Motor Co. Buffalo, NY
1902-1919

1906 National Model E-7
National Motor Vehicle Co. Indianapolis, IN
1900-1924

1908 White Model L
White Sewing Machine Co. Cleveland, OH
1900-1918

1910 Chalmers Detroit Model 30
Chalmers-Detroit Chalmers Motor Car Co. Detroit, MI
1908-1924

1913 Speedwell Tonneau
Speedwell Motor Car Co. Dayton, OH
1907-1914

1910 Pope Hartford
Pope Mfg. Co. Hartford, CT
1903-1914

1915 Cole Touring
Cole Motor Car Co. Indianapolis, IN
1909-1925

1914 Haynes Touring
Haynes Automobile Co. Kokomo, IN
1905-1925

1913 ALCO Model 6 Berliot Limousine
American Locomotive Automobile Co. Providence, Rhode Island
1905-1908

1913 Marmon Model 32
Nordyke and Marmon Co. Indianapolis, IN
1902-1933

1930 Hudson Model T Coupe, the last automobile  body that Biddle and Smart made

1927 Essex Boattail Speedabout-front view
Hudson Motor Car Co. Detroit, MI
1918-1932

1927 Essex  Boattail Speedabouts-rear view
Hudson Motor Car Co. Detroit, MI
1918-1932

1929 Essex Speedabout
Hudson Motor Car Co. Detroit, MI
1918-1932

The Speedabout was not offered in 1928, and although it reappeared in 1929, only five are known to have been built. The coachbuilding firm of Biddle and Smart of Amesbury, Mass supplied the custombuilt, stylish and attractive bodies. The boattail body was now fitted with a narrow rumble seat and although Hudson claimed it added seating for two (perhaps children) in reality it could only accommodate one adult; hence the three- passenger designation. Once again special gear ratios were fitted, but along with an overdrive the Speedabout was now capable of speeds of about 80mph. The engine remained stock with a 55hp rating at 3600rpm. The $965 Essexs curb weight was about 2,500 pounds. Reportedly, the Speedabouts were only built as show cars by Hudson, primarily to gauge interest in their production feasibility. (Remarkablecars)

1929 Hudson Canopy Express
Hudson Motor Car Co. Detroit, MI
1909-1954

One very rare bird is an un-restored 1929 Hudson canopy express in the collection of Phil Williams of Remsen, New York. The cab on his vehicle is similar, if not identical, to that found on the Dover canopy express and includes a cab-mounted Biddle & Smart body tag. He writes:

"I've attached a couple of pictures of my Hudson.  They show that this is slightly different than the Dover.  First, it is a Hudson not an Essex.  Most obvious is the straight roof, not a humpback like the Dover pictures. The Hudson bumper (not pictured) and dual side-mounts also differ from the Dover.  IE: this is not identical to Dover, but unique as a Hudson.  It also has the rose pattern dash in addition to the body tag (Coachbuilt).

One of Their Best

Last, but not   least, is the great 1907 Thomas Flyer, the winner of the 1908 New York to Paris Race
Thomas Automobile Co, Buffalo, NY
E. R. Thomas Motor Co. Buffalo, NY 1902-1913

Special work for Hudson producing Walter Murphy's Designs  For Hudson Automobiles

Walter Murphy, Pasedena, Ca., was one of the leaders in the automobile industry. He was one of the richest men in America who owned controlling intrerest in some of the leading companies at that time. In 1920,  he was given dealership's rights for the Lincoln automobile for California and shortly had them through out the state. In order to get the bodies that he wanted for his clientele, he set up a body building shop in Pasadena. His bodies were designed by his company and speciallly built for the rich and famous. His designs were considered to be some of the best ever.

For reasons that remain unclear, Harold L. Arnold, Hudsons California distributor, swapped distributorships with Murphy in 1926 - the former, now handled Lincoln, and the latter, Hudson. Now that Murphy had a direct relationship with Hudson, the Detroit automaker became interested in gaining the services of Murphys roster of talented designers. Biddle and Smart did all of Hudson's top of the line automobiles.

Murphy built a couple of prototype convertible sedans for Hudson in 1927.  Six cars were eventually commissioned by Hudson and ultimately delivered to Detroit: a landau sedan, a Victoria, a seven-passenger sedan, a convertible coupe, a convertible sedan, and a fixed-head coupe. Hudson management liked them, but Murphy lacked the capacity to build in quantities that Hudson needed, so the prototypes were sent off to Amesbury for assimilation by Biddle and Smart into 1928 production and eventually wound up in the hands of Hudson Co. executives. Murphy also designed a low, handsome 1928 Hudson convertible sedan that was later produced in quantity by Biddle & Smart, albeit with a roof that was three inches taller. Each of these Biddle & Smart bodies carried a cowl tag that announced "Designed by Walter M. Murphy, Coachbuilders, Pasadena.

Murphy was well aware of the quality work that Biddle and Smart did because he was using their facilities to build his Lincoln bodies. When Murphy decided to call it quits around 1931, Hudson bought the entire contents of the business. There was a large number of Duesenberg bodies that was included. Hudson Motors shipped the entire lot by rail to Biddle and Smart to have the tops raised for the 1932 Hudson automobiles. This was Biddle and Smart's last job for Hudson.

1929 Hudson Model L Club Sedan Considered a Classic Designed by Walter Murphy Built by Biddle and Smart

1929 Hudson Sports Phaeton The prize of the Hudson Automobiles Designed by Walter Murphy Built by Biddle and Smart

Walker Carriage Company
1903-1932

Walker produced bodies for a number of automakers; Abbott-Detroit, Buick, Holmes, Jordan, Lexington, Packard, Paige, Reo, Studebaker, White, Winton, Jackson, and Buick, but they were closely associated with the H.H. Franklin Mfg. Co. of Syracuse, New York. From 1910 through 1932, Walker produced bodies for the air-cooled automaker, and for most of those years Franklin was Walkers largest customer and Walker was Franklin's principal supplier of coachwork.

According to former employees, Walker employed 1500 hands in 1926-27, its peak years, and consumed over two million board feet of white ash lumber. During this period, Walker produced an average of 75 aluminum-clad bodies per day, making them the nation's largest consumer of sheet aluminum.

The December, 1930 issue of Autobody included pictures of three Raymond H. Dietrich designs built by Walker:

A Victoria coupe designed by Raymond H. Dietrich and executed by Walker on the Franklin series 15 chassis. It has the modish sloping front and rounded front header, the curved motif being repeated at the back and on the special trunk.

Sport sedan, designed by Raymond H. Dietrich and constructed by Walker, on Franklin chassis. This bears a close relation to the Victoria coupe, but instead of the large trunk, this body has a swept rear that can be used for luggage; access is by a small door at the back

The Franklin Tandem sedan, designed by Raymond H. Dietrich and built by Walker Body Co., was noteworthy not only for its square back and undercut door, but also for the narrow pillars and flush side. The use of the new Campbell concealed hinge permitted a center pillar of minimum width.

Years later, Dietrich recalled: "Construction used by Walker followed methods practiced by the finest custom builders. When designing for Franklin, I was always sure the construction - and workmanship - would meet the same high standards established by the custom coach builders." (Coach Built)

1910 Franklin Touring H.H. Franklin Mfg. Co. Syracuse, NY 1901-1934 The first body built for Franklin	1932 Franklin 163 Oxford, Franklin Automobile Co. Syracuse, NY 1902-1934 Body by Walker, the last body built in Amesbury
Jordan Playboy Advertisement Considered to be the best automotive advertisement of all times	1920 Jordan, Playboy Coupe Jordan Motor Car Co. Inc. Cleveland, OH 1916-1931 The 1920's most famous coupes
1912 Abbott-Detroit Model 44 Abbott-Detroit Motor Car Co. Detroit, Michigan 1909-1915	1916 Studebaker Coupe or Runabout Studebaker Corp. South Bend, IN 1902-1964
1921 Lexington Touring Lexington Motor Co. Lexington, KY 1909-1910 Connersville, IN 1910-1928	1913 REO  Model S Demi-Tonneau REO Motor Car Co. Lansing, MI 1904-1936
1926 Paige Sedan Paige-Detroit Motor Car Co. Detroit, MI 1908-1927	1921 Holmes Limousine The Holmes Automobile Co. Canton, OH 1918-1923
1915 Packard   1-35 Touring Packard Automobile Co. Detroit, Mi. 1899-1958	1920 Chevrolet Touring Chevrolet Motors, Flint, Mi. 1904-Date
1908 Jackson Touring Jackson Automobile Co. Jackson, MI 1903-1923	1912 White Touring White Sewing Machine Co. Cleveland, OH 1900-1918

In 1906, Henry Leland, owner of the Cadillac Automobile Co., visited Walker Carriage Company and hired the company to build Cadillac's first closed automobile body to be shown at the 1907 New York Show. He was so impressed with the beauty of Walker's work that he wanted the company to move to Detroit. Walker declined to do so.

1906 Cadillac Henry Leland's Personal Car Body by Walker Carriage Co., Amesbury, MA Now in the Detroit Historical Society Museum

1906  Closed Body Cadillac with Henry Leland

Clark Carriage Co. and Clark Body Co.
1910-1923

Among the body building companies that developed in Amesbury shortly after the introduction of metal covered bodies in 1910 was the Clark Carriage Co. After the death of John H. Clark, senior member of the firm, the business was continued by Thomas Clark, who for many years was not at all antagonistic to the automobile, believing that there was a place for both carriages and autos. As a result very few early wooden auto bodies were built by this company. Their first motor car bodies were built of aluminum for the Buick Motor Car Co. They continued to do work for this company during their entire career in the automobile business, specializing in the Buick touring car. In 1913 seven to ten bodies per week were finished. A large brick factory at the corner of Oakland and Chestnut Street housed the establishment where in 1916 one hundred and twenty-five men were employed. The Walker Body Co. bought out the Clark Carriage Co. in 1920. (Coach Built)

1910 Buick Model 10
Buick Motors, Flint MI
1904 -Date

1915 Chevrolet, Amesbury Special Coupe, the only known photo
Named for the City of Amesbury

1917 Buick Touring
Buick Motors Co. Flint, MI
1904-Date
Last year for Clark Carriage Company

1909 Sultan Landaulet Town Car Sultan Motor Co. Springfield, MA 1909-1912

1909 Sultan Taximeter (Taxi) Sultan Motor Co. Springfield, MA 1909-1912

Hollander and Morrill
1909-1925

Successor to Lambert Hollander

On September 1st, 1909 an Agreement of Association was signed by George H. Hollander, Gayden W. Morrill, Lambert Hollander and Frank F. Morrill creating Hollander & Morrill Inc.  Hollander and Morrill continued building bodies that Lambert Hollander had been supplying.  Maxwel-Briscoe and Pierce-Arrow also contracted for bodies.

By 1913 they had started building bodies for Inglis M. Uppercus Detroit Cadillac Motor Car Co., a firm that would soon become their best customer. Detroit Cadillac, the Manhattan Cadillac distributor, had a custom body department that was headed by J.R. McLauchlen, and prior to Cadillacs association with Fleetwood, many of Uppercus town cars, landaulets and limousines were designed by McLauchlen and built by Hollander & Morrill.

The firm prospered until 1923 when sales began to decline and by 1924 were struggling to stay in business. Finally, on August 17, 1925 the Board voted to accept the offer of Biddle & Smart Company effective as of June 30, 1925, and voted to dissolve the Corporation and surrender its charter as of the close of business August 17, 1925

1910 Maxwell-Briscoe
Maxwell-Briscoe Motor Co.  Tarrytown, NY and Detroit, Mi
1904-1925

1913 Cadillac Four Door Touring
Detroit Cadillac Motor Car Co, Manhattan, NY
One of the first bodies built for Detroit Cadillac

1913 Pierce Arrow Touring
The George N. Pierce Co. Buffalo, NY
1901-1938

1922 Cadillac Town Car, Cadillac Motors, Detroit, Mi.
One of the last bodies built

Holland and Morrill Factory, Amesbury

Miller Brothers
1900-1923

After Currier Cameron , and Co. and Hume Carriage CO.  the Miller Brothers were next to make bodies. Their first auto body, a two-seater runabout, was finished in August of 1901. Almost all of their bodies were either experimental or special pieces of work which were mounted on many different style chassis. From 1901 to 1907 this concern did not accept any form of contract for production bodies from any individual motor car builder. In 1907 a very small contract was drawn up with the Cleveland Auto Co. of Ohio for twelve bodies per week. This organization was composed of four brothers: Thomas, William, Robert and John Miller. The last of these, however, severed relations with the company in 1903. All of theses men were skilled carriage artisans, having worked in the ranks over a period of many years. During the first nine years of auto body-building, the directors of Miller Bros. moved their business four different times. They were the first located on Market Street opposite the Amesbury Fair Grounds, but due to expansion they moved, over into a building on Carriage Avenue.

The other occupant of this factory desired more floor space and forced them to move a third time, which was into one floor of the Babcock's No. 5 plant on Chestnut Street. Because of trouble among the executives of the business organization, the company ended up shortly after 1910 in a garage on Friend Street, with only one of the original four brothers a member of the firm. During their relations with the auto body industry of the town, they never employed more than forty workers.

1902 Boston and Amesbury Stanhope Boston and Amesbury Mfg. Co, Boston, MA 1902

1908 Cleveland Tourneau Cleveland Motor Car Co. Cleveland, OH 1901-1909

1909 Advertisement copied from the 1909 Hub Magazine

Amesbury Rattan and Reed Company
1900-1910

Amesbury has the unique distinction of being the first and only town of the country in which a rattan automobile body was ever manufactured. When these bodies were placed on the market in 1906, they were a great novelty to the automobile world. The firm that designed these bodies was the Amesbury Rattan and Reed Co., which was located in one corner of Babcock's No.5 plant. During the companys short existence it enjoyed a high reputation for excellence in construction and beauty of design in its claims for the bodies. Having been exhibited at several of the larger auto shows of the East, and having gained the approval of the automobile critics, these bodies were said to be the most durable on the market at that time. Such exhibitions created a considerable demand for the basket bodies. They were made to fit any chassis although the firm specialized in fine custom work. The bodies were rubber lined with straight back upholstering, making them water and dust proof. Due to uneasiness among the directors, George Ayscough and Arthur Skinner, this concern was liquidated in 1911. The six employees of the company tried to maintain the business after 1911, but were unsuccessful in their attempts.

Two seated Roadster withe a Rattan Body by
Amesbury Rattan and Reed Co.
Amesbury, Ma.
1906-1911

1903 Corbin
Corbin Motor Vehicle Co. New Britain, CT 1903-1912

Bela Body Company
1913-1918

1913 Winton Six
Winton Motor Carriage Co. Cleveland, OH
1897-1924

A.G. Bela was the owner of the Pettingill Machine Company and in 1913 started making automobile bodies for Winton Automobile Co. and Franklin with Biddle and Smart doing the decorating. In 1916, he moved his body assembly operation to Framingham, MA. He stilled  made component parts in Amesbury He shut down in 1918 and sold the body business to Richard Long, a Framingham businessman. The Pettingell Machine Company continued making machines and sold them to United States, Great Britian, and Canadian governments. They were the larest seller of automobile body machinery in the world. They continued to do business into the early 1940"s At one time, Fisher Body had over 500 of the automatic hammers and there was no large repair shop without one. In late 1917, they began to manufacture parts for automobiles bodies.

These advertisements appeared in the 1917 Hub Magazine

Bryant Body Company
1922-1925

Bryant Body Company was founded as the result of the Walker Body Co.'s not being able to fill required or contracted orders. In 1918, Mr. Jordan, of the Jordan Motor Co. came to Amesbury to have the Walker Body Co. build a certain number of Jordan bodies for him per month, but it was found that under no circumstances could the desired number of bodies be fabricated by the local concern. Thus the Bryant Body Co. was founded which engaged only in the construction of sedans for the Jordan chassis, producing eighteen bodies daily from its three plants.

This company was one of the first to use the paint spray machine, which eliminated much of the hand painting and varnishing. Modern trim stitchers were also made use of in these factories. Some four hundred men were employed by the Bryant Body Co. before it went out of business. Orders for Jordan bodies decreased until the Bryant Body Co. was forced out of business in 1926. The machinery and much of the skilled labor was turned over to the Walker Body Co.

1924 Jordan Two Door Sedan Jordan Motor Car Co. Inc. Cleveland, OH 1916-1931

Amesbury Metal Body Company
1907-1913

One of the first business organizations in the east to engage in the manufacture of aluminum auto bodies was formed in Amesbury in 1907. It was called the Amesbury Metal Body Co., and was composed of James H. Walker, John Foster, Fred England and J. Albert Davis, all of whom were once members of various body concerns of the town, but because of the invention of metal covered bodies, severed their relations and founded one of the most prosperous of all local metal shops. Their establishment was, like many others, located in Babcocks No.5 plant on Chestnut Street where they employed some forty metal workers. Because of their building metal fenders and engine heads for various auto chassis  they completed only eight finished motor car bodies per week. During their six years stay in Amesbury before going to Detroit in 1913, more than on-half of their work was for the Stevens-Duryea Motor Co. but they also built bodies for the Studebaker, Packard, and Alco automobiles. This firm was the second in the country to press-out metal engine hoods and door panels but very little of this work was done in Amesbury. Many of the pioneer auto body builders who had been building wooden bodies for some years before metal covered frames came in began to renovate their plants and hire the metal men to do this type of work. Some of the same concerns were liquidated, but most of them held on until the large presswork began to be employed, which was the key to maximum production. From 19l0 to 1920 several successful body building firms grew up in this community as the auto body business was proving to be very profitable and beneficial to the business men of the town already engaged in it.

1907 Packard Limousine
Packard Automobile Co. Detroit, Mi
1899-1958

1912 ALCO  Touring
American Locomotive Automobile Co. Providence, Rhode Island 1905-1913

1913 Studebaker Touring
Studebaker Corp. South Bend, IN
1902-1954

1913 Stevens Duryea Touring
From Springfield, MA to Saginaw, MI
1895-1913
The last body built before moving to Detroit

1916 Haynes   Model 32 Touring
Haynes Automobile Co. Kokomo, IN
1905-1925

1922 Holmes Series 4
The Holmes Automobile Co. Canton, OH
1918-1923

1908 Bailey Model Victoria
S.R. Bailey & Co. Amesbury, MA
1903-1916

1911 Bailey Victoria Phaeton with The Baileys at Lake Gardner, Amesbury

1908 Bailey Electric Victoria

1912  Bailey Coupe

1913 Bailey Coupe

1914 Bailey Touring

1915 Bailey Special

1915 Bailey Delivery Van

1913 Bailey Runabout
S.R. Bailey & Co. Amesbury, MA
1903-1915
With the original 100 mile battery
Only one known and in exceptional unrestored runing condition
Courtesy of Bart Bailey, owner

Rear View
For a detail view, click on Bailey Automobile

1922 Wills Sainte Claire A6B Sports Sedan
Wills Sainte Claire Co. Marysville, MI
1921-1927

1925 Stearns-Knight Sports Sedan
F. B Stearns Co. Cleveland, OH
1899-1930

1906 Advertisement

1906 Advertisement

In 1905, Horworth and Rogers factory was desstroyed by fire with 25 completed
bodies.

Article from the 1905 edition of Cycle and Automobile Trade Magazine

Howarth & Rogers Co., of Amesbury. Mass., whose factory was destroyed by fire recentlv, have purchased a new three-story brick building, which has been equipped with machinery and which will be devoted to the manufacture of automobile bodies exclusively.