SDC Turning Wheels Staff/ Contributers / ASC guys/ or National Museum

[(S)]

I'm looking through stacks of old TW and Antique Reviews trying to find info about old books/Catalogs.

Does anyone know if there is a list of the early books describing the various models?

In the early years, they called them catalogs, or trade books. One would contact the factory, and they would send out a book, like a sales book. The ones I have seen are titled Studebaker wagons and buggies, Studebaker carriages and passenger wagons, etc written by Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing


Somewhere around 1900, the books were numbered and by about 1904 or so, the book for that year was number 223? (and some years had 2 books at this time when wagons and cars were available at the same time)

I'm still looking for book 223 or 224 (I think) I am hoping it will help document what a model 25 Electric wagon looked like, options, how many years it was produced, etc. In the searching, I am recording what books I have located , what number they are, and what year it covers. Might make a good article........

[go-studebaker]

Hi,
I have no 200 Trade Edition here in the UK which is leather bound, so I think it is a more up market version. It seems to be a reprint of catalogue 188 and it does have addendum sheets in it, with the factory depicted at having an annual capacity of 100,000 vehicles in order to date it. There is rice paper bound between every plate of the bazillion pages in it.

One of the best guys for real old and quirky literature is Ol Doc Barnes. I think his knowledge of that type of literature may even be better than that rascal Dick Quinn's

You are looking at an area of knowledge that very few people have any inkling of. I am sure your knowledge on the subject would be excellent if you have the range of wagon Trade books. I only have my book because I don't have anything as comprehensive as that on Studebaker wagons, and what is published is no where near as comprehensive as these epic documents and I was prepared to pay good money for it so I could have an example. At least thats what I thought at the time. It is one of my most treasured Studebaker books.

Good luck with your quirky search.

Regards
Greg

[(S)]

Sounds like late 1880s- 1890's. ? That's a nice book Greg. Thanks for the info!