Early Sports

[Hugh Barnes]

This is one of the lots that contains relevant items

https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/26811/l...483&page=1

£255 including premium

[Chris KC]

I'd have thought it unlikely that a works car would have acquired a fancy bonnet mascot, surely an aftermarket accessory?

Given the shine and the surrounding group, this looks to me like a proud new owner bringing new car home to show Mum & Dad (and annoying little brother in his hand-me-down suit). Perhaps a replacement for the outgoing motorcycle behind.

It's hard to age the lad in front, but I doubt he's the 'driver' (more likely it's the guy/ guy-ess holding the camera).

p.s. With older photographs, it's often worth pausing to consider their size. In the 1920's the norm was contact printing; prints from hand-held Box Brownies etc. were normally the same size as the negative. This print is 6" x 8", but lacks the quality you'd normally associate with a full plate camera (keeping in mind that it's been re-photographed for eBay, perhaps poorly). Photo enlarging was certainly available in the 20's, but probably quite expensive. It tells you something about the perceived value of the photograph. It may of course have been re-printed from an old negative at a later date; something you couldn't judge without seeing it in the flesh.

[JonE]

This is one of the lots that contains relevant items

https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/26811/l...483&page=1

£255 including premium

perhaps a letter from the club to Bonhams may get to the previous owner to research who it might have been? 
The circumstances are probably more important than the objects, which we have photos of their existence.

[Hedd_Jones]

Again. Looking at the evidence.

So the photo and all the austin guff come from same source.

The photo shows a sports with first reg letter O last 6. And the car carries a mascot as sold in the same lot.

There is an Austin apprentice prize cup in the same lot.

And a load of expensive guff that you would expect someone with very close ties to Austin to have. Perhaps a salesman, premium apprentice or sum such.

We know the ref OL166 was used by the works, either on the 'same chassis' notionally, or on various chassis at different times. We know that it was on a sports of the type shown in this photo.

When 'works cars' get old. It was common for them to be disposed. History tells us usually to someone in the know, or with links to the manufacturer. There are countless of examples

I'm not a betting man, but I did do statistics at A level. I would suggest the likelihood of this photograph being OL166 are rather better than it not being OL166.

With regards Bonhams, no harm trying, but with GDPR being what most believe it is, I suspect it will be a dead end.

[JonE]

The other OL166 pics mostly show a sticker in the passenger side lower windscreen, and different detail where the external mirror sits.
But it could be later picture... i.e. why the central Austin grille remains exist.
The plate could technically be OM too... still supplied in 1924.

[Reckless Rat]

Not saying anything similar went off at the Austin, but someone who I know in the motor cycle trials world was a works rider for Bultaco in the 1970s and he used to have half a dozen bikes in his garage all with the same reg plate. All he did was swap the tax disc holder over dependant on which one he was using ...

[Steve kay]

So certain auction houses, perhaps on the A49 for instance, are very happy to confirm provenance and history and where possible put potential buyers in touch, or pass on requests, to vendors. Others choose to do nothing with historical items they have for sale.

[Mike Costigan]

Sorry Hedd, I disagree! Austin Harris' website shows OL 166 had an active competition life through to 1927 at least, by which time it had the butterfly wings replaced with normal touring wings. This photo is unlikely to be OL 166 as a new car (when it was owned by the Austin Motor Co), nor is it likely to be OL 166 after 1927. I can't comment on the likely age of the motorcycle in the background, but this looks like a new, or very little used, car to me. For a 1924 car, which is what I assume it is, the registration letters could potentially be OL (7/23 - 11/24), OM (11/24-9/25), ON (9/24-8/26), or OR (10/22-1/26). I'm still convinced the letter spacing indicates a 4-digit number.

The photograph itself puzzles me: the brown wallet suggests an original print, but it's most unusual for a print from the 1920s to be borderless - that's something I associate with post-1960s prints.

[Hedd_Jones]

Mike

I'm less inclined to believe OL 166 was a specific car. Particularly after looking harder at Austins site which clearly shows OL 3443 in a great many forms including a 6 inch drum Standard sports and a 7 inch drum EA Sports with stainless centre wheels.

But it will have got out of captivity at some point. Or rather the number will have.

And for the record, I doubt any manufacturer would have sent a car our new ex works with bent front wings. The bonhams/ebay photo shows a car with bent front wings.

[Hugh Barnes]

Jon. I am technologically challenged at the moment and am out of the country. Perhaps you could approach Bonhams, explaining the background and ask if they could forward your note onto the consigned asking them to contact you to continue the discussion?

Cheers

Hiugh