August 2015 The Brass Lamp Classics at the Salons By Gerald Perschbacher (LL.D.) all rights reserved Actor James Cagney enjoyed his massive Dietrich Duesenberg for 1931 "How will they know what instead of being moguls of in- the Salon, which -- in those con- to buy unless they come?" dustry who had leveraged the servative year -- goes far in say- That could have been a ownerships of corporations. ing it was the golden age of de- motto for the Motor Car Sa- By its own admission, a Sa- sign and that the Salon was at lons of old held in fashionable lon "presents annually to a dis- the heart of it. New York, Chicago, San Fran- criminating and distinguished Custom body builders of fine cisco, and Los Angeles. These clientele, all that is really meri- automobiles would have been annual events were popular in torious in high-grade motor pressed hard to survive well the late 1920s and into the cars, custom coachwork, and without the Salon. And, truth be 1930s. Meant to be high-class the various accessories thereof, told, there were sophisticated shows, a Salon usually attract- admirably staged in a beautiful showings of cars in other venues ed people by invitation only and appropriate setting, and on fashioned after the major Sa- and were bright spots in a dis- a scale commensurate with the lons. Cases in point: Packard, mal economy wherein some importance and character of Lincoln, and Cadillac dealers, millionaires were soon selling the products exhibited." hungry for high-dollar business, apples and counting pennies But the event was much set aside fancy areas of their more. In fact, it proved to be a large dealerships/distributorships pool for study in automotive to showcase the best of their design, a test for what was picks for local patrons. Pierce- strong in appearance among Arrow in Buffalo, New York, was the buying public, and a crea- prone to this tendency, too. tive klatch which foresaw trends on the horizon. In some cases, Continued on Page 6 >>> new trends were launched at The President’s Column Martin L. Hassel (314) 232-5934 We are all “Seekers”…. President By Larry Hassel Peter Bitzer (636) 256-7511 I think of all of the reasons why I to a 900+ mile road trip adventure 1st Vice President/Programs joined The Horseless Carriage to bring it to St. Louis. However, Sharon Mercer Club way back in the early1980s. today, I received the following letter (636) 928-8672 I sought excitement and adven- and found it fascinating. Perhaps 2nd Vice President/Membership ture beyond the TV set, and it one of you may be able to solve was the “throwing of the gauntlet” the mystery for the gentlemen writ- that put me over the edge per- Louis Allen ing to me? (314) 741-4158 haps. The “gauntlet”…well, that Treasurer pertained to my lack of “Hello, knowledge of cars and a com- I am searching for a 1956 Packard Joe Yochim ment made by a certain female to (636) 947-1157 Executive I sold about 30 years ago, that effect regarding my potential and thought you may be able to point Recording Secretary incompetence that would hinder me in the right direction. I sold the car Dr. Gerald Perschbacher my success in the rebuilding of early in my marriage, when money was (314) 849-5249 brakes on a certain yellow Mer- short and my time was needed for oth- Corresponding Secretary cury Capri that probably long ago er things. I am not interested in buying went to that great junkyard in the it back, but rather I am just curious as Directors sky (where it belonged!!!). Before to what happened to it since I last saw Ted Hamburg(2015) you fall off your chair with laugh- it on the back of a flatbed. Ted Baker(2015) ter, just think about what this club Bill Albertin(2016) Al Mercer(2016) has to offer. I’ve met some inter- I did not keep any records of the sale, John Clark (2017) esting and colorful folks to say or even of the car itself. The only Ron Nelson(2017) the least. I believe I may have things I remember is that I sold it to a become one of them over the gentleman for $500. I believe he lived Ron Nelson years. We seek mystery and in Arnold or Fenton. The car was two- 9826 Affton View Ct. adventure, pursuit of temporary tone blue. The base color on the body St. Louis, MO 63123 was sky blue, the top and side stripe (314) 638-7131 sanity, the possibility of a barn Brass Lamp Editor find, or locating something that were dark blue. It had only 29,000 one long thought was lost in the miles on it. The Packard belonged to Don Hoelscher annals of time. Sometimes it is my grandfather, who bought it from an older lady whose husband had died (I (636) 939-9667 about the pursuit of a new treas- Webmaster remember going to the car lot with my ure or learning about some inter- grandfather and father, when the lady esting factoid that might or might pulled in with the car...my grandfather not be automotive related…such was looking at a Simca at the as the story of the lost 1956 Pinin time). My grandfather gave the car to Farina designed Chrysler Norse- my father in the late 60's. man Concept Car that went down with the Italian ocean liner, An- My father rarely drove it, but I do re- drea Doria. member driving it to Lake of the Ozarks once. I was sitting in the back All of us fondly remember certain seat with my sister. On a flat piece of www.hccmo.com cars of our youth and wonder Hwy 7 or 5, just south of the lake, my what happened to them. This (314) 991-HONK dad decided to open it up and see if it last month has been fascinating would go 100mph. It did, I watched the for me. I’ve avidly been following speedometer hit the mark. I don't the fine work that Bradley Potts is know if I was excited, probably more Celebrating 71 Years doing on the 1901 Curved Dash terrified than anything. Olds, but perhaps a bit more ex- In citing for me, I bought another St. Louis! “collector car,” and that is leading 2 Shortly after that the Packard devel- I’m sure that any leads would be “It had approximately 11,500 oped transmission issues, so it sat appreciated. Feel welcome to on our back lawn in South St. Louis miles on it and the owner reli- for years. It was a source of great share any information with me, giously changed fluids and amusement for my neighborhood and I’ll get back to the individu- drove the car gently. It was a bit pals however. It had some sort of al. more than I wanted to spend… automatic leveling system. We and it was Torch Red (we com- knew enough to dig a battery out of As to my “find”…I was rambling monly refer to that color as one of the good cars, and hook it up around in “Hemmings Online.” I “Arrest Me Red”) with what to the Packard. About 800 kids was reminiscing about the cars I Chevy describes as a Light Oak would pile on the back and had sold and missed the shear Leather interior. The car had wait. After a minute or less the car adrenaline rush and rumble of would lurch upward. We would all every conceivable option, in- jump off, and it would spring even the C-4 Corvette I had for a cou- cluding the glass top, ride con- higher. A small switch under the ple of years. I decided to do a trol, head-up display and a very dash could be switched off, and the search on “Corvettes.” I always nice Bose factory audio system car would remain in a 'raked" posi- had a certain hesitancy about with CD Changer. tion. Eventually my father gave the the digital display, having owned Packard to me, and I put it in my dirt an Audi that was prone to cata- I once had vowed I would never floor shed...the front end stuck out a strophic display failure. I found couple feet and I couldn't close the own a RED or Yellow Corvette a very nice C-4 in Sebring Sil- because of the “euphemisms” door. As you're probably thinking, ver…a 1996 that had low miles even though this car hardly was driv- attached to “old” men owning en, sitting on dirt exposed to the in Terre Haute, Indiana. Just for such cars. I am old and I can elements (and the kids riding the curiosity, I contacted the gentle- justify that! There is no getting trunk) took its toll. I decided to try to man and learned that someone around that…you find little sub- save it by selling it to someone who was coming to look at it in a day tleties like…”can we help you had the resources it needed. and it was probably sold. He out with your grocery cart?” rein- was kind enough to email me forcing that concept. You just I had it appraised. I remember the that day to apologize that I gentleman that appraised it had a know it even though you don’t missed out. feel it on the inside. I’ve already long last name, so I’m thinking it was probably Mr.