Cadillac Motometer, circa 1925
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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
Creators
Place of Creation
Location
Not on exhibit to the public.
Object ID
81.99.41
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Material
White metal
Glass (Material)
Dimensions
Height: 5.125 in
Width: 3 in
Length: 1.25 in
Inscriptions
obverse and reverse of case: BOYCE / MOTOMETER
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Related Content
SetMotor Mascots
- 18 Artifacts
Hood ornaments -- formally called mascots -- are among the most prominent decorative elements on an automobile's exterior. Manufacturers designed mascots that communicated speed, power, or prestige. Some motorists replaced factory ornaments with aftermarket pieces that conveyed wealth and taste. More practical drivers capped their radiators with functional motometers to measure engine temperature. In any form, mascots made a statement.