Lincoln Highway Motometer, circa 1925
01
Artifact Overview
Automobiles often came without temperature gauges before the early 1930s, so enterprising manufacturers sold aftermarket motometers. Mounted on a car's radiator, these devices measured and displayed coolant water vapor temperature, notifying drivers if their automobiles were in danger of overheating. Moto-Meter Co. Inc. dominated the American market, producing the popular Boyce motometer and others featuring an automotive manufacturer's name or logo.
Artifact Details
Artifact
Motometer
Date Made
circa 1925
Place of Creation
Creator Notes
Made by the Moto-Meter Co. Inc. in Long Island City, New York for the Lincoln Highway Association.
Location
Not on exhibit to the public.
Object ID
81.99.66
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Material
White metal
Glass (Material)
Color
Silver (Color)
Black (Color)
Dimensions
Height: 5 in
Width: 3.25 in
Length: 1.25 in
Inscriptions
obverse and reverse of case: PATENTED / MAY-13-13 / MAR-17-14 / BOYCE / MOTO-METER / PATENTED / JULY-16-18 / AUG-13-18 / THE MOTOMETER CO. INC. / LONG ISLAND CITY N.Y. U.S.A.
obverse of insert: LINCOLN / L (logo) / HIGHWAY / USE OF EMBLEM LICENSED BY THE / LINCOLN HIGHWAY ASSOCIATION / MOTOMETER CO. N.Y. U.S.A.
reverse of insert: DANGER STEAM / ... / COOL MOTOR / INEFFICIENT COVER RAD / FREEZING WATER
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