Three Mercer Race Cars and Designer Finley Robertson Porter at Racing Quarters, circa 1910

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Artifact Overview

Founded in 1909, the Mercer Automobile Company of Trenton, New Jersey, quickly made its reputation with performance cars. Its Type 35 Raceabout, designed by chief engineer Finley R. Porter, boasted a top speed over 70 miles per hour. Mercer Raceabouts were popular on the road and on the track. Management problems and money troubles closed Mercer in 1925.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Photographic print

Date Made

circa 1910

Subject Date

circa 1910

Creator Notes

Photographed by Spooner & Wells Company, from New York City

Location

By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center

Object ID

92.150.9616.12

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of the Family of Henry Austin Clark, Jr.

Material

Paper (Fiber product)

Technique

Gelatin silver process
Toning (photography)

Color

Black-and-white (Colors)
Brown
Sepia (color)

Dimensions

Height: 5 in
Width: 7 in

Inscriptions

Sign on the barn, center, above the cars: RACING QUARTERS / OF THE / MERCER A sign on the front radiator of the car on the left reads: 6 VANDERDERBILT CUP RACE / ENTRANT / No. / 33. A sign on the lower part of the front radiator of the car in the center is illegible. A sign on the front radiator of the car on the right is in the sun and too bright to read. Handwritten into image, at bottom right on front: 64531
Three Mercer Race Cars and Designer Finley Robertson Porter at Racing Quarters, circa 1910