Boa Constrictor Automobile Horn, circa 1910

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Artifact Overview

Motor vehicles can be dangerous if you don't hear them coming. Early automobiles were required to have some sort of horn to alert pedestrians, animals and horse-drawn vehicles. Some motorists used whistles or bells. Others installed brass, bulb horns. In addition to the sound this horn made, its snake-like appearance provided an added incentive to move quickly out of the way.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Vehicle horn

Date Made

circa 1910

Location

On Loan - Shanghai Auto Museum (Anting, Shanghai, China)

Object ID

68.19.4

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Samuel L. Scher, M.D.

Material

Nickel (Metal)
Rubber (Material)

Inscriptions

On plate: BOA-CONSTRICTOR HORN/ LICENSED UNDER/ BRIT PATENT 2774808/ BRITISH MANUFACTURE/ 4709
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