The Lady Takes Control

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Photo series in which men used their car to bring women into temptation were numerous during the early years of automobilism. Sometimes this ended happily in a picknick, sometimes more sadly in an accident because the driver got distracted by obvious reasons. The series to which this photo belongs started in the ususal way, with the man seducing the lady to take a ride in his car. In this case, however, it ended differently, because the lady took control of the steering wheel. And looking at the man's not too happy attitude, that was not according to plan!

There can't be any doubt about the make of the car with the name Dux written clearly on the radiator. The registration number starting with the Roman number III was issued in Leipzig, Germany. Leipzig was the home city of the Polyphon-Werke, which was the firm producing the Dux. Probably this model belonged to the first Dux series produced in 1909. The firm had been founded in 1895 to produce musical instruments, gramophones, and musical records. From 1904 they started to build Oldsmobile cars under license. These had a slightly modified body and were named Polymobil. From 1909 onwards, the cars were designed by Gustav Schürmann and the name was changed into Dux. Production ended in 1926.

Words by Ariejan Bos.

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