Patent Plate Minutiae

[Mick Hobday]

In the summer of 1967 I spent a satisfying afternoon in Don Rowarth's scrapfield in the Derbyshire Peak, removing various potentially useful small parts from the remains of the many 1930s Austins there. I managed to find several patents plates (I still have a couple), all secured with round head brass (possibly originally chrome or nickel plated) BA screws and nuts.  I have never seen an original unmolested car with the patents plate rivetted on, and I would be surprised if Austins ever used the rather unattractive rivets pictured in Jon's photos.