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- Baker Electric Automobile, 1900 - Walter C. Baker and F. Philip Dorn co-founded Baker Motor Vehicle Company in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1899. From the start, the company specialized in electric vehicles. The electric runabout in this photo was priced at $850. Baker production continued until 1916, by which time gasoline-powered vehicles with internal combustion engines were dominating the market.
- circa 1901
- Collections - Artifact
Baker Electric Automobile, 1900
Walter C. Baker and F. Philip Dorn co-founded Baker Motor Vehicle Company in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1899. From the start, the company specialized in electric vehicles. The electric runabout in this photo was priced at $850. Baker production continued until 1916, by which time gasoline-powered vehicles with internal combustion engines were dominating the market.
- 1901 Baker Electric Runabout - Walter C. Baker, an engineer from Cleveland, Ohio, partnered with F. Philip Dorn to build an electrically powered automobile in 1897. They organized the Baker Motor Vehicle Company in 1899. The company specialized in electric vehicles and, by 1905, its annual production was approximately 400 cars. Electricity competed against gasoline and steam as a popular power option for early automobiles.
- 1901
- Collections - Artifact
1901 Baker Electric Runabout
Walter C. Baker, an engineer from Cleveland, Ohio, partnered with F. Philip Dorn to build an electrically powered automobile in 1897. They organized the Baker Motor Vehicle Company in 1899. The company specialized in electric vehicles and, by 1905, its annual production was approximately 400 cars. Electricity competed against gasoline and steam as a popular power option for early automobiles.
- Sales Catalog for Baker Electric Shaft Driven Automobiles, 1911 - The Baker Motor Vehicle Company produced this elaborately folded catalog to tout the quality of its electric vehicles. The company praised their automobile's modern shaft drive, its all-around efficiency, and its safety, comfort and low cost of operation. By mid-decade, however, sales of "electrics" were in decline. Gasoline-powered vehicles with internal combustion engines were dominating the market.
- 1911
- Collections - Artifact
Sales Catalog for Baker Electric Shaft Driven Automobiles, 1911
The Baker Motor Vehicle Company produced this elaborately folded catalog to tout the quality of its electric vehicles. The company praised their automobile's modern shaft drive, its all-around efficiency, and its safety, comfort and low cost of operation. By mid-decade, however, sales of "electrics" were in decline. Gasoline-powered vehicles with internal combustion engines were dominating the market.
- 1910 Baker Electrics Advertisement, "The Aristocrats of Motordom" - This 1910 advertisement praised the Baker Motor Vehicle Company's electric cars as the "Aristocrats of Motordom." The ad touted the advantages of Baker electrics. Their vehicles were simple to use, reliable, safe, clean, and elegantly styled -- qualities apparently desired by many well-to-do customers.
- April 21, 1910
- Collections - Artifact
1910 Baker Electrics Advertisement, "The Aristocrats of Motordom"
This 1910 advertisement praised the Baker Motor Vehicle Company's electric cars as the "Aristocrats of Motordom." The ad touted the advantages of Baker electrics. Their vehicles were simple to use, reliable, safe, clean, and elegantly styled -- qualities apparently desired by many well-to-do customers.
- 1912 Baker Electrics Advertisement, "The Car that Brought Them All to Shaft Drive" - This 1912 advertisement praised the Baker Motor Vehicle Company's engineering achievements as an electric car manufacturer. Similar ads touted the Baker electric vehicles as simple to use, reliable, safe, clean, and elegantly styled. Sales of "electrics," however, were beginning to decline. Gasoline-powered vehicles with internal combustion engines were beginning to dominate the market.
- February 01, 1912
- Collections - Artifact
1912 Baker Electrics Advertisement, "The Car that Brought Them All to Shaft Drive"
This 1912 advertisement praised the Baker Motor Vehicle Company's engineering achievements as an electric car manufacturer. Similar ads touted the Baker electric vehicles as simple to use, reliable, safe, clean, and elegantly styled. Sales of "electrics," however, were beginning to decline. Gasoline-powered vehicles with internal combustion engines were beginning to dominate the market.
- 1912 Baker Electrics Advertisement, "The Car that Brought Them All to Shaft Drive" - This 1912 advertisement praised the "well known efficiency" of Baker Motor Vehicle Company's electric automobiles. Similar ads from the period touted the Baker electric vehicles as simple to use, reliable, safe, clean, and elegantly styled. Sales of "electrics," however, were beginning to decline. Gasoline-powered vehicles with internal combustion engines were beginning to dominate the market.
- April 18, 1912
- Collections - Artifact
1912 Baker Electrics Advertisement, "The Car that Brought Them All to Shaft Drive"
This 1912 advertisement praised the "well known efficiency" of Baker Motor Vehicle Company's electric automobiles. Similar ads from the period touted the Baker electric vehicles as simple to use, reliable, safe, clean, and elegantly styled. Sales of "electrics," however, were beginning to decline. Gasoline-powered vehicles with internal combustion engines were beginning to dominate the market.
- 1915 Baker Electrics Advertisement, "A Light Weight Electric of the Very Highest Quality" - The Baker Motor Vehicle Company advertised its light weight electric car in this 1915 ad. Similar advertisements touted the Baker electric as simple to use, reliable, clean, and elegantly styled -- qualities implied by this ad's artwork. By 1915, however, sales of "electrics" were in decline. Gasoline-powered vehicles with internal combustion engines were dominating the market.
- January 14, 1915
- Collections - Artifact
1915 Baker Electrics Advertisement, "A Light Weight Electric of the Very Highest Quality"
The Baker Motor Vehicle Company advertised its light weight electric car in this 1915 ad. Similar advertisements touted the Baker electric as simple to use, reliable, clean, and elegantly styled -- qualities implied by this ad's artwork. By 1915, however, sales of "electrics" were in decline. Gasoline-powered vehicles with internal combustion engines were dominating the market.
- Baker Electric "Torpedo Kid" Race Car, 1903 - Walter Baker, co-founder of Baker Motor Vehicle Company, promoted his electric production cars with a series of streamlined electric race cars each called "Torpedo Kid." In a land speed run at Ormond Beach, Florida, one of Baker's racers covered a mile in 56 seconds, which translated to a speed of more than 60 miles per hour.
- 1903
- Collections - Artifact
Baker Electric "Torpedo Kid" Race Car, 1903
Walter Baker, co-founder of Baker Motor Vehicle Company, promoted his electric production cars with a series of streamlined electric race cars each called "Torpedo Kid." In a land speed run at Ormond Beach, Florida, one of Baker's racers covered a mile in 56 seconds, which translated to a speed of more than 60 miles per hour.
- Advertisement, "Your Rauch & Lang or Baker Electric is a Car of Pleasure," 1916 - The automobile is a paradox -- a practical tool that plays host to both human needs and fantasies. Like car consumers, automotive ads seem to land somewhere between fantasy and reality, emotions and rationality. Many ads incorporate apparent opposites: fantasy can sell practicality, and vice versa. Sometimes the car has disappeared completely -- an emotional appeal prompts us to complete the ad.
- April 01, 1915
- Collections - Artifact
Advertisement, "Your Rauch & Lang or Baker Electric is a Car of Pleasure," 1916
The automobile is a paradox -- a practical tool that plays host to both human needs and fantasies. Like car consumers, automotive ads seem to land somewhere between fantasy and reality, emotions and rationality. Many ads incorporate apparent opposites: fantasy can sell practicality, and vice versa. Sometimes the car has disappeared completely -- an emotional appeal prompts us to complete the ad.
- Baker Electric "Torpedo Kid" Race Car, 1904 - Walter Baker, co-founder of Baker Motor Vehicle Company, promoted his electric production cars with a series of streamlined electric race cars each called "Torpedo Kid." In a land speed run at Ormond Beach, Florida, one of Baker's racers covered a mile in 56 seconds, which translated to a speed of more than 60 miles per hour.
- 1904
- Collections - Artifact
Baker Electric "Torpedo Kid" Race Car, 1904
Walter Baker, co-founder of Baker Motor Vehicle Company, promoted his electric production cars with a series of streamlined electric race cars each called "Torpedo Kid." In a land speed run at Ormond Beach, Florida, one of Baker's racers covered a mile in 56 seconds, which translated to a speed of more than 60 miles per hour.