Friends' Gallery Picture of the Month - April 2021

[Mike Costigan]

Photographs from the 1930s are less common than those from the 1920s, so this RP de-luxe saloon is a relatively rare addition to the Gallery. It's also unusual as there is no beautiful scenic background nor a family group, whilst the dirty wheels and snapshot-quality does not indicate a professional image.


  1933 RP saloon.JPG (Size: 115.03 KB / Downloads: 374)

[Malcolm Parker]

Is the windscreen frame black?

[Ivor Hawkins]

I love the simplicity love the simplicity of that photograph together with the fact that even though it is a deluxe, it appears to be an all black car...hopefully my own box saloon will look the same in time for its mot in July.

I noticed the black screen too...

[Graham Barker]

Yes, I love the simplicity of the photo too. I think that shows some flair. Also the photographer, by design or accident, has the depth of field selected well to have the car in focus and the background receding into soft focus.

[A G Wood]

Photographs from the 1930s are less common than those from the 1920s
Any ideas why that should be so Mike- after-effects of the Depression and no money for "luxuries"?
Subjectively I'd have thought images from the '30s would've been more common, given the rapid evolution of photography from an expensive niche pursuit requiring a level of technical expertise to a commercial product in the early years of the 20th century.

[Mike Costigan]

I have several theories as to why 1930s photos are less common:

In the 1920s ownership of a car was less common, and something to be proud of, so the car would often feature largely in family photos, even taking centre-stage. As the car became more common, there was less incentive to include it in snapshots.

The typical owner in the 1920s would be well-off and more likely to have a good-quality camera. By the 1930s a typical Austin Seven owner was more likely to have a cheap box-Brownie, so the quality of 1930s photos tends to be inferior and perhaps less likely to have been preserved.

The years following the depression probably meant owners had to be more careful with their money, and photography was not a cheap hobby. The family content was therefore more important than the car - even in the 1960s I had to consider carefully what I would save to film!

[Mike Costigan]

Ivor, if you look at the colour of the window surrounds compared to the main door panel, I think it is probably a two-tone car - black upper panels, and very dark (blue?) lower. Also there doesn't appear to be any coach-lining, so maybe it is an elderly car which has already been repainted? There's no guarantee that it is even a pre-War photo, it could be from the 1940s!

Edit: By increasing the contrast, I think the two-tone paint becomes clearer:


  1933 RP saloon (2).JPG (Size: 60.08 KB / Downloads: 253)

[Dave Mann]

Yes Malcolm, that windscreen appears to be stove enameled black which raises the question when was the chrome windscreen introduced or is it a replacement.

[Ivor Hawkins]

I think you are right Mike, I've put it through Photoshop and yes, it appears to be two tone...ah well, it's still my new screen saver!

[bob46320]

   
The lower photo was a 1933 model taken in about 1934 I think.