Mr Vantreight and three beautiful ladies

The picture was probably taken a little later, as the car is a 1906 Russell Model C (price $2500 in Toronto). Russell cars were made in Toronto by the Canada Cycle and Motor Co. (CCM), known today as makers of ice skates and bicycles. Russell cars and trucks were made from 1905 to 1916.

Mr. Vantreight was issued B.C. registration number 168 in July of 1908, likely for this car. There doesn't seem to be a record of an earlier registration for him. Perhaps he was the second owner of the car or perhaps he didn't register it until 1908. There were only about 100 cars in B.C. in 1906, so registration may not have been a priority.

This 1906 Russell belonged to Mr. Sydney Vantreight of Saanich, B.C., near Victoria. The Vantreight family had a very successful strawberry farm on the Saanich Peninsula. In later years they grew and sold daffodils. The car looks to be a four cylinder Model C. It has accessory headlights and windshield, and a curious object mounted on the left side of the dash - perhaps a horn? (Source: Saanich Archives)

For many more pictures of Russell cars and much information about them visit http://antique.vccc.com/Russell . There is also a video of a 1906 model, the oldest surviving Russell, recently driven for the first time in many decades.