Selling a Panhard in the centre of Paris

This is not the highest quality photograph we've come across, but it has intrigued us nevertheless. The original caption is all we have to work with, but it gives away some crucial information. It reads: “P&L No. 37, Place de la Concorde, 11 November 1907.” That immediately solves the major whats, whens and wheres, but still leaves us with some slightly more in-depth questions. What, for example, do they mean by ‘No. 37’? Could it really have been the 37th Panhard et Levassor vehicle built?

Judging from pictures of other Panhard et Levassors, this big one seems to be a model that dates back to circa 1900, we think, but you may be able to tell us more about that. With that year in mind, it made us wonder, could it really be chassis 37? Then there’s the situation itself. With a crowd surrounding it in such a prominent place as Paris's Place de la Concorde, this may well be the start or finish of a rally of some sor. There’s also the ‘À Vendre’ sign - this impressive vehicle was for sale. Now then, what do you suppose the likelihood was of this being a second-hand car marketplace back in 1907?

Words: Jeroen Booij; picture: National Library of France

Published:

Thursday February 8th, 2024

Eberhard Moldenhauer

11 February 2024, 10:41

Panhard-Levassor produced in its second year, 1891, more than 720 cars overall and in 1907 about 1068 cars, so this number 37 has a different explanation...

Ariejan Bos

12 February 2024, 09:42

Besides, the production number for 1891 was only five or so. For 1907 the number may be about correct.

Ariejan Bos

11 February 2024, 22:49

The number 37 refers to the list of cars, present in this Promenade. It has nothing to do with production numbers.

John Stokes

11 February 2024, 01:01

This wouldn't be the 24hp Panhard that a man called E. E. Lehwess and one Max Cudell attempted to drive around the world in 1902. That car was nicknamed "Passe Partout" but the attempt was abandoned in Nizhny Novgorod in Russia. Allegedly, it looked more like prairie schooner than a car.

Ariejan Bos

08 February 2024, 10:56

Clearly a photo from the Rol collection on the site Gallica-BnF (Bibliothèque nationale de France), it is obvious that the date is not correct: it is 11 November 1906, not 1907. The event is the 'Promenade (or Réunion) des Vieux Tacots' and consisted of a respectable number of about 40 old vehicles. Among the participants were a.o. the oldest Panhard & Levassor models. No. 37, not on the original list, is the 8hp omnibus of M. Huet de Baranchez, which obtained a silver medal. The production date of the vehicle is not mentioned, but will be about 1902. Nowadays it would be unbelievable that a four-year old car would run in an ancient vehicle event, but car evolution in those years was that fast that even this car looked like a vehicle from a different era!

Darryl Grey

20 May 2025, 13:03

According to an article about Britain's first motor museum (David Jeremiah, Journal of the History of Collections, Vol. 10, No, 1, 1998) the cars in the November, 1906, parade were all pre-1901. Is it possible that the Panhard was of that period? Fascinating stuff!

Charles Walmsley

09 February 2024, 22:53

Thank you Ariejan, most interesting.

Jérôme

08 February 2024, 10:53

This is probably the Place de la Concorde, almost in front of the ACF.
----------------------
il s'agit vraisemblablement de la place de la concorde presque devant l'ACF.

Selling a Panhard in the centre of Paris

Comments

Make a comment, ask a question, give your opinion, share additional information or start a discussion by filling in the fields below.