Introduced at the New York Automobile Show at Madison Square Garden in January 1903, the Buckmobile was produced in Utica, New York from 1903 to 1905. The vehicle was powered by a 15-horsepower two-cylinder engine cooled by either air or water with a chain-driven rear axle. It was exclusively produced throughout its short run with a runabout body from a local carriage builder named Charles H. Childs. With an initial capacity to produce two cars a week, the enthusiasm for the car after its debut in New York City necessitated an expansion of the factory to meet demand. However, the orders never reached the numbers needed to keep the company afloat and the firm was sold at a sheriff’s sale in August 1905.

The example on offer bears the chassis number 244 upon a brass plate just above the hand crank and is believed to be one of only a handful of survivors from this early American marque. Made obvious by the radiator up front, this example features the water-cooled variant of the twin-cylinder engine. The car was part of a collection in Pennsylvania for many years prior to being sold at auction in 2012. Under its new owner, the Buckmobile was restored to working order and new wood-spoked wheels, a distributor, and a brass radiator shell were manufactured at the time. The car would be sold in 2016 to its current owner, who has maintained the runabout’s wonderful condition to this day. Of particular note, the furniture-grade maple bodywork bears a striking resemblance to that found on a Buckmobile participating at a 1904 AAA tour in St. Louis. While it could not be confirmed by cataloguing time whether that car was actually chassis 244, it is certainly a line of inquiry worth pursuing.

A charming example of an early motor car, this Buckmobile is a wonderful candidate for participation in any veteran car run, especially the Audrain’s Newport-Bristol-Newport Veteran Car Tour. The sale of this car represents a wonderful opportunity to acquire a truly uncommon piece of automotive history.