A boy, his dog and their mystery limousine

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Once upon a time, when not every other car was an SUV, there was a wide range of automotive body styles and all of them had their own purpose, their own advantages and their own fanciers.

There were roadsters and speedsters, phaetons and tonneaux, torpedoes, saloons and coupés, brakes and landaulets and many more. Several of those had their own variants, too, and different countries used different nomenclature.

What we see here is a prime example of a limousine of around 1910, or so we think. That style of body was described in period as “A car with a compartment for passengers in the permanent rear seat for two or three, a permanent front seat outside for one or two and a permanent roof extending over the front seat.” Quite so.

That is, however, about as far as our knowledge extends here, since we have no idea what exactly the make and model of this vehicle is. We do like what we see, though, with its convex radiator and massive acetylene lights, but with no further information coming with the photograph itself we thought it would be better to leave the pleasure of deciphering this one to you.

Two small side notes: could the number plate be Belgian? And how about the boy’s coat and hat? These may well suggest something about its origins, too. Finally, what do you make of that left front tyre? It looks daring!

Words: Jeroen Booij; picture: archive
 

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