Jive-Bomber submitted a new blog post: Confessions of a Car Brochure Hoarder... Continue reading the Original Blog Post
I was (am?) one of those people. I was a farm kid and would go with the folks to town when they had "things" to do and I would just wander around the small town and seemed to always like to look at new cars (late 50's) and would talk to a salesman and get some of the brochures to take home, I have two drawers in a file cabinet holding them. I haven't looked at them for a couple of years but.....I don't really want to sell them. If I live a lot longer?? they will go from having some value to not much as the folks wanting those old brochures die off...maybe I should leave a note for the wife and kids on what to do with them
Or... You could frame them, hang them (way out of the reach of sunlight or they'll fade) & enjoy them everyday. Maybe on a rotating basis. & some actually could qualify as art - there are some very nice examples out there. 'Course this adds to the volume required to keep/store them, but enjoyment is worth something. Marcus...
Most of the drawings have the proportions "adjusted" to make the cars longer, lower, and swoopier....I'd call them art.
Illustrations, the artist had license to enhance the work. I have always enjoyed the old brochures and have collected quiet a few from 1954. HRP
And the interiors much more spacious and roomy than they really were. People weren't generally so obese as today, but they drew small framed people who would look very strange in real life if the proportions were correct.
One thing I've noticed about the (very) late 50's/early 60's brochures was how they made the cars ride height appear much lower than the actual production cars.
If you have any free time go here it is brochure heaven: http://wildaboutcarsonline.com/cgi-bin/pub9990262549471.cgi Don't blame me if you are still looking hours later.
Dad has them back to 55, I went with him to the Detroit Auto Show since I was 5 (1969) to 13 when we moved to Florida. Started going every year since, so we have quite a few file cabinets full.
I grew up in Detroit in the early 50s a mile or so from Woodward Ave. Me and my best friend hit all the dealers when the new models came out in the fall and posted all the brochures in our "Kool Car Clubhouse" which was an old coal bin in the basement of the apartment building we lived. Moved to the suburbs a few years later and had to leave all that stuff behind. Wish I had that original 54 Vette or Buick Skylark brochure now
Donate them to the Antique Automobile Club of America library. --> http://www.aacalibrary.org/ . They openly solicit collections before collectors heirs just pitch them into the trash.
Beside's the great State Fair of Texas where went thru the new car building and grabbed what we could - I went to look at an old car that was full of them....and that's kinda how it got started in the 70's. Had an old buddy friend finally give me his dad's from way back....need to scan a few of those fer ya....bought some more at an estate sale and will need to replace some that burned up in my fire awhile back....buy them as well...
Two of the best artists doing car brochures were Bob Rector and Bob Hale. The prize possession in my automotive art collection is the original painting commissioned by John Z DeLorean for dealer posters.
I mostly like to collect brochures and advertising of cars I own, even the late models, so I guess one of the favorites in my collection is just wishful thinking on my part.
Here’s the DeLorean painting...note that the layout is such that headlines or body copy can be used with out detracting from the car. I was able to buy it for small unmarked bills as John Z never payed the artist.
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