Jump to content

Middleby Auto Company: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
m →Reading: Clean up spacing around commas and other punctuation fixes, replaced: ,a → , a
 
(12 intermediate revisions by 5 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{short description|Defunct American motor vehicle manufacturer}}
⚫
[[File:Middleby roadster, 1909, made by Middleby Automobile Co., Reading, Pennsylvania, 20 HP, 4 cylinder, gasoline enginer - Luray Caverns Car and Carriage Museum - Luray, Virginia - DSC01249.jpg|thumb|right|Middleby roadster, 1909]]
{{Infobox company
| name = Middleby Auto Company
| logo = Middleby logo.jpg
| industry = [[Automobile manufacturer]]
| founded = {{Start date and age|1908}}
| founder = Joseph Middleby or Charles M. Middleby
| defunct = {{end date and age|1913}}
| fate = Closed and sold
| hq_location = [[Reading, Pennsylvania]]
| products = [[Automobiles]]
| brands = Middleby, Reading
⚫
}}[[File:Middleby roadster, 1909, made by Middleby Automobile Co., Reading, Pennsylvania, 20 HP, 4 cylinder, gasoline enginer - Luray Caverns Car and Carriage Museum - Luray, Virginia - DSC01249.jpg|thumb|right|Middleby roadster, 1909]]


The '''Middleby Auto Company''' (1908-1913) was a defunct American automobile manufacturer, based in [[Reading, Pennsylvania]].
The '''Middleby Auto Company''' (1908–1913) was a [[Brass Era car|brass era]] American automobile manufacturer, based in [[Reading, Pennsylvania]].<ref name=":0">{{Georgano-EncAuto3v}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Kimes-USCars3rd}}</ref>


== History ==
The company was founded by Joseph Middleby, who purchased the Duryea Power Company from [[Charles Duryea]]. Its first Model A automobile (1908) was a runabout with a 108-inch wheel base and 30 x 3 1/2 inch tires, and a four-cylinder, air-cooled engine with a sliding-gear, shaft-drive transmission with three speeds forward and one reverse. Standard equipment included two gas lamps, two side oil lamps, one rear lamp, tools, and a French horn. Its price was $850. Model B was a touring car, based on the same chassis, and priced at $1,000. By 1910 the company had sold about 400 automobiles. After 1911, the wheel base increased to 120 inches, with 36-inch wheels and a 4-cylinder water-cooled engine. All told, Middleby automobiles were produced in six models: a Runabout for $850, single rumble for $1,000, surrey for $1,000, double rumble for $1,100, touring car for $1,200, and Toy Tonneau for $1,200.
The company was founded by Joseph Middleby, who purchased the [[Duryea Power]] Company factory.<ref name=":1" /> Some Middlebys were sold as Readings.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />


Middleby's first 1908 Model A automobile was a [[Runabout (car)|runabout]] with a 108-inch [[wheelbase]] and 30 x {{frac|3|1|2}}-inch tires, a [[four-cylinder]], [[air-cooled engine]], with a sliding-gear shaft-drive [[Propulsion transmission|transmission]] with three speeds forward and one reverse. Standard equipment included two gas lamps, two side oil lamps, one rear lamp, tools, and a French horn. Its price was $850, {{Inflation|US|850|1908|fmt=eq}}.<ref name=":1" />
Middleby died in 1911, and the company was wound down two years after his death.

Model B was a touring car, based on the same chassis, and priced at $1,000. By 1910 the company had sold about 400 automobiles. After 1911, the wheel base increased to 120 inches, with 36-inch wheels and a 4-cylinder water-cooled engine.<ref name=":1" /> Middleby automobiles were produced in six models: a Runabout for $850, single rumble for $1,000, surrey for $1,000, double rumble for $1,100, touring car for $1,200, and Toy Tonneau for $1,200, {{Inflation|US|1200|1911|fmt=eq}}.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=March 1, 1912 |title=The Carriage Monthly |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t_VYAAAAYAAJ&dq=Middleby%20Auto%20Company&pg=RA11-PA89}}</ref>

Two automobile reference books show Charles M. Middleby as company owner. His relationship to the plant property owner, Joseph Middleby, is not known. Joseph Middleby died in 1911, and the company was operated by his executors until closed and sold in 1913.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Massachusetts Probate Court Record - 1924 | date=1925 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LwcYw-ReqwkC&dq=%22joseph%20middleby%22%2C%20malden%20ma&pg=PA441}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=April 26, 1913 |title=Automobile Topics Magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LwcYw-ReqwkC&dq=%22joseph%20middleby%22%2C%20malden%20ma&pg=PA441}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=April 1, 1908 |title=The Horseless Age |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LwcYw-ReqwkC&dq=%22joseph%20middleby%22%2C%20malden%20ma&pg=PA441}}</ref>

== Middleby Advertisements ==
<gallery widths="180" heights="180">
File:1908 Middleby Runabout Automobile.jpg|alt=|1908 Middleby Runabout
File:Middleby Runabout advertisement (small).jpg|alt=|1908 Middleby Advertisement
File:1913 Middleby Automobile advertisement.jpg|alt=|1913 Middleby Advertisement
</gallery>

== Reading ==
Between 1910 and 1913, an up-market Middleby was market as the '''Reading'''. It had a larger four-cylinder engine, was a foot longer in wheelbase, and was priced several hundred dollars more. Charles M. Middleby decided that his top-of-the-line car should carry his own name, a bigger and pricier '''Middleby''' was introduced for 1911. Both marques ended in 1913.<ref name=":1" />


== References ==
== References ==
<references />
* [https://books.google.com/books?id=t_VYAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA89&dq=Middleby+Auto+Company&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiWndSovJfPAhUh5YMKHSd9CrIQ6AEISDAJ#v=onepage&q=Middleby%20Auto%20Company&f=false Motor Body, Paint and Trim], Volume 47, March 1912, page 89.
{{Commons category|Middleby automobiles}}
* [https://books.google.com/books?id=nepZAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA802&lpg=PA802&dq=joseph+middleby+reading&source=bl&ots=X9N57P4EZj&sig=g18v0modn3INDCNwKdKkWOcWh5E&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwixm435vpfPAhUCw4MKHdIZAUYQ6AEIMTAD#v=onepage&q=joseph%20middleby%20reading&f=false "Public Sale of the Middleby Automobile Plant of Reading, Pa."], Automobile Topics, Volume 29, April 26, 1913.
* [http://www.earlyamericanautomobiles.com/americanautomobiles25.htm Early American Automobiles]
* [http://www.american-automobiles.com/Middleby.html American Automobiles]


[[Category:Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of the United States]]
[[Category:Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of the United States]]
Line 18: Line 43:
[[Category:1908 establishments in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:1908 establishments in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:American companies disestablished in 1913]]
[[Category:American companies disestablished in 1913]]
[[Category:Vehicle manufacturing companies disestablished in 1913]]
[[Category:1913 disestablishments in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Companies based in Reading, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Brass Era vehicles]]
[[Category:1900s cars]]
[[Category:1910s cars]]
[[Category:Motor vehicle manufacturers based in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Cars introduced in 1908]]

Latest revision as of 01:51, 18 November 2024

Middleby Auto Company
IndustryAutomobile manufacturer
Founded1908; 117 years ago (1908)
FounderJoseph Middleby or Charles M. Middleby
Defunct1913; 112 years ago (1913)
FateClosed and sold
HeadquartersReading, Pennsylvania
ProductsAutomobiles
BrandsMiddleby, Reading
Middleby roadster, 1909

The Middleby Auto Company (1908–1913) was a brass era American automobile manufacturer, based in Reading, Pennsylvania.[1][2]

History

[edit]

The company was founded by Joseph Middleby, who purchased the Duryea Power Company factory.[2] Some Middlebys were sold as Readings.[1][2]

Middleby's first 1908 Model A automobile was a runabout with a 108-inch wheelbase and 30 x 3+1⁄2-inch tires, a four-cylinder, air-cooled engine, with a sliding-gear shaft-drive transmission with three speeds forward and one reverse. Standard equipment included two gas lamps, two side oil lamps, one rear lamp, tools, and a French horn. Its price was $850, equivalent to $28,824 in 2023.[2]

Model B was a touring car, based on the same chassis, and priced at $1,000. By 1910 the company had sold about 400 automobiles. After 1911, the wheel base increased to 120 inches, with 36-inch wheels and a 4-cylinder water-cooled engine.[2] Middleby automobiles were produced in six models: a Runabout for $850, single rumble for $1,000, surrey for $1,000, double rumble for $1,100, touring car for $1,200, and Toy Tonneau for $1,200, equivalent to $39,240 in 2023.[1][3]

Two automobile reference books show Charles M. Middleby as company owner. His relationship to the plant property owner, Joseph Middleby, is not known. Joseph Middleby died in 1911, and the company was operated by his executors until closed and sold in 1913.[4][5][6]

Middleby Advertisements

[edit]
  • 1908 Middleby Runabout
  • 1908 Middleby Advertisement
  • 1913 Middleby Advertisement

Reading

[edit]

Between 1910 and 1913, an up-market Middleby was market as the Reading. It had a larger four-cylinder engine, was a foot longer in wheelbase, and was priced several hundred dollars more. Charles M. Middleby decided that his top-of-the-line car should carry his own name, a bigger and pricier Middleby was introduced for 1911. Both marques ended in 1913.[2]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Georgano, Nick (2001). The Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile (3 vol. ed.). Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers. ISBN 1-57958-293-1.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Kimes, Beverly Rae; Clark Jr., Henry Austin (1996). Standard Catalog of American Cars 1805-1942 (3rd ed.). Krause Publications. ISBN 978-0-87341-428-9.
  3. ^ "The Carriage Monthly". March 1, 1912.
  4. ^ "Massachusetts Probate Court Record - 1924". 1925.
  5. ^ "Automobile Topics Magazine". April 26, 1913.
  6. ^ "The Horseless Age". April 1, 1908.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Middleby automobiles.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Middleby_Auto_Company&oldid=1258084756"