Business Man's Runabout automobile ad, Waltham, MA, 1908
- Subjects
- AdvertisingAutomobiles
- Card type
- Printed photo
About this postcard
A black-and-white illustration shows an open runabout with spoked wheels and a folding top, presented in an advertisement for Waltham Manufacturing Company's friction-drive car. The copy calls it a business man's runabout and claims 25 miles an hour, five forward speeds and two reverse, all for $250. It argues that friction drive removes clutch and transmission troubles and makes the car cheaper to maintain than others on the market. Waltham Manufacturing Company had roots in bicycle production, and the low price and simple drive were pitched at buyers who wanted practical, everyday motoring rather than a luxury machine.
Postcard Details
Natick, MA
Postcard record
| Postmarked | , Waltham, MA |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Waltham Manufacturing Co. |
| Condition | Good |
| Place addressed | Dr. Reuben T. Clark, Natick, MA |
| Place mentioned | 11 Harvard St, Waltham, MA, 02453 |
| Stamp | 1c Benjamin Franklin, green, issued 1930, perforated on all sides |
| Stamp | 1c Benjamin Franklin, green, issued 1902, perforated vertical sides only |
| Notes | Advertising card; no white border; light corner wear and staining; faint crease upper left; printed on cream stock. Postmark: WALTHAM MASS DEC 10 6-PM 1908. Undivided back (address only), no white border, matte/cream card stock; light edge and corner wear. 1c Franklin stamp affixed, tied by flag cancellation. |
Cite this card
Business Man's Runabout automobile ad, Waltham, MA, 1908, postcard, c. 1908. PostalPast Collection. https://postalpast.com/postcard/business-mans-runabout-automobile-ad-waltham-ma-1908. Accessed November 2, 2026.