December, 1927 Introduction Mystery

[Special Coupe Frank]

and this:

https://news.google.com/newspapers?n...,2041395&hl=en

[Jason in TX]

Frank beat me to it by 5 minutes. I've been to the Davenport in Spokane and these pictures are in the lobby. Recognized it right away

I've got another inside where they are hoisting the car out.. Let me find it.

[Jason in TX]

This is from 1915 for their autoshow. Showing them loading a car in (or out) of the lobby. They apparently did this alot.





The lobby now...

[31 Model A]

Originally Posted by special coupe frank

how about this: ( the rams head "gargoyles" were the key... )

bingo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[31 Model A]

I included in one of my searches "Hotel Rams Head Gargoyles" but nothing came up for me.

[Jason in TX]

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Davenport Hotel Spokane. Entry is three windows to the left of the window they are loading the car out of.

[Jason in TX]

Here is Beardmore's store...

[lookin-backtexas]

Frank got it right - it's the Davenport Hotel in Spokane, Washington. Here's a Google streetview of what it looks like today. The Model A was removed from the ballroom through the 2nd floor window just to the right of the tree. You can clearly see the ram's head gargoyles above the windows.

https://www.google.com/maps/@47.6565...8i6656!6m1!1e1

[John Butts in CT]

No prize but a big "thanks" for a job well done. I searched for hotel postcards from every state north of North Carolina from Maine west to Iowa.... but I fell asleep before I got to Washington State! Isn't that a great picture, and wasn't the search fun? Now, my pro genealogist wife would advise "go to the newspapers" in Spokane for November and December 1927 for stories and, perhaps, more images.

[John Butts in CT]

The Spokane Daily Chronicle had a front page picture of the New Ford interior on Saturday, December 3, 1927, and a large ad on Monday. December 5th. Still looking for news articles about the debut.

[John Butts in CT]

Spokane Chronicle, December 2, 1927. Front page.

[31 Model A]

Originally Posted by John Butts in CT

, and wasn't the search fun?

Yes but......lost sleep, a lot. Now I'm auditioning for a Zombie role!!!!

[Special Coupe Frank]

This was a lot of fun... one of my hobbies is historic architecture, as well as historic cars...

[mhsprecher]

Great detective work!

[Jason in TX]

Good job finding the article! So it was light green!

[John Butts in CT]

The Beardmore building, which housed a number of businesses in addition to the Beardmore family hardware store, is in Priest River, about 50 miles NW of Spokane. The Beardmores also had holdings in logging and sawmills in the region, so they had the riggers, haulage equipment and timber ramps to deliver the New Ford to the Davenport ballroom.

[John Butts in CT]

Looking at that 1915 image I can't help but notice that there's a rear seat passenger as well as a driver in the "T" sedan! Did he lose a bet?

The winch cable is evident. Absent a cable, I wonder if the "T" could have climbed that ramp... in reverse, of course. Going down would be another story (entitled "Suicide") without a cable.

At least the 1915 ramps had sides, unlike the 1927 version. No wonder the 1927 driver looks to be bracing himself for dear life. What do you think, was he a Ford factory man, a dealer employee, or a Beardmore rigger?

[John Butts in CT]

Originally Posted by Jason in TX

Good job finding the article! So it was light green!

Always great to find another print reference to a color depicted in a black and white photo.

Of course, the reporter did not have access to the judging standards, else he would have chosen among "Niagara Blue Light, Arabian Sand Dark, Dawn Gray Dark, Gunmetal Blue, or Niagara Blue Dark." How the heck did he come up with light green?

[John Butts in CT]

Originally Posted by al's28/33

Get your safety checklist out, how many violations can you guys spot ???

Oh, oh!

In the 1915 image the gentleman standing on the ramp behind and downslope from the "T" sedan has failed to tuck his necktie into his shirt between the 3rd and 4th buttons, as I was taught to do by my 7th grade shop teacher... in case of tie clip failure. All the more reason to wear a vest.

Otherwise, it looks fine... about the correct ratio of supervisors/bystanders to workers. What could go wrong?

Add Laurel, Hardy and a grand piano and we could make a movie.

[Special Coupe Frank]

Originally Posted by John Butts in CT

Oh, oh!

In the 1915 image the gentleman standing on the ramp behind and downslope from the "T" sedan has failed to tuck his necktie into his shirt between the 3rd and 4th buttons, as I was taught to do by my 7th grade shop teacher... in case of tie clip failure. All the more reason to wear a vest.

Otherwise, it looks fine... about the correct ratio of supervisors/bystanders to workers. What could go wrong?

Add Laurel, Hardy and a grand piano and we could make a movie.

"Tall oaks from little acorns grow"