Korn "Liberty Special" Indianapolis Gas-Powered Racing Tether Car, 1940-1941
THF157080 / Korn "Liberty Special" Indianapolis Gas-Powered Racing Tether Car, 1940-1941
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Artifact Overview
Tether cars, gasoline-powered model race cars, were popular in the 1930s and 1940s. They were raced individually while tethered to a central pivot, or against each other on a scaled-down board track. This aluminum-bodied model of an Indianapolis-style racer was built by Barney (B.B.) Korn. While Korn's models weren't particularly fast, they were exceptional in their fine detail and craftsmanship.
Artifact Details
Artifact
Model car
Date Made
1940-1941
Place of Creation
Creator Notes
Manufactured by B.B. (Barney) Korn and the B.B. Korn Specialty Manufacturing Co. in Los Angeles, California.
Location
Not on exhibit to the public.
Object ID
2013.47.2
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Eric Zausner and the E-Z Spindizzy Foundation.
Material
Aluminum (Metal)
Bronze (Metal)
Rubber (Material)
Plexiglas (TM)
Leather
Paint (Coating)
Color
Green
Gold (Color)
Silver (Color)
Black (Color)
Dimensions
Height: 6.375 in
Width: 10.125 in
Length: 21 in
Inscriptions
10 | LIBERTY SPL.
Keywords |
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Related Content
SetBarney Korn: Tether Car Craftsman
- 14 Artifacts
Tether cars, gas-powered model race cars, were popular in the 1930s and 1940s. Few tether car makers matched the skill of Barney Korn. His remarkably detailed and largely hand-built models stood apart from mass produced units by larger manufacturers. Korn's models weren't big sellers – they were too slow for serious racers and too expensive for amateurs – but modern collectors value them for their beauty and rarity.
SetTether Cars: Big Thrills in Small Scale
- 25 Artifacts
Tether cars provided big racing thrills in a smaller size. These miniature gas-powered model cars were raced individually while tethered to a central pivot, or against each other on a scaled-down track. At their peak popularity in the years surrounding World War II, some 25 major manufacturers -- and hundreds of individual builders -- produced tether cars. The artifacts in this set offer a peek into this exciting hobby.