Description
Take a trip back to the days when motoring was new, and the automobile unlocked a world of travel and opportunity.
Writer and World’s Fair historian Mark Bussler (1904 St. Louis World’s Fair: The Louisiana Purchase Exposition Photographs and When Trolleys Ruled the Earth) presents a stunning pictorial collection of antique vacation photographs and family pictures from the early part of the 20th century featuring people and their cars.
- Rare, never-before-published pictures
- Road trips, family snapshots, and an antique auto show (from the 40s)
- Scenic European and American locations from the turn of the century
- High quality full-size 8 1/2″ x 11″ color and black & white pages
- Ultra-high-resolution scans from the CGR Restoration Workshop archives
- A variety of cars including Mercedes, Rolls Royce, Ford, and more
- Introduction from World’s Fair historian and writer, Mark Bussler
Over the years of working on historical print and film projects, Bussler assembled a massive collection of antique photographs and negatives that tell stories about people and their motor vehicles. Whether on the road in pre-war France or parked in downtown New York City, each antique automobile pictured in When Our Antique Car was Brand New opened up a world of new adventures and held a special place in someone’s heart.
Excerpt:
“We tend to focus on pictures that show people at big, famous events like the 1893 World’s Fair or fighting in the middle of World War 1. These photographs show a moment in time that relates to a significant, world-changing event. But, what about the pictures of a family’s road trip in the days before motor vehicles were common? Did their trip not change history in some way?
What I find most fascinating about the photographs featured in The Great European Road Trip (starting on page 6) is, in addition to the spectacular antique photography, the look of wonder on peoples’ faces upon seeing a car. Additionally, there are no other automobiles on the roads or in the bustling town centers. The only other vehicles pictured are pulled by horses and mules, save for the streetcars and steam engines.
Sure, we like cars today. Some of us even love cars. But people back then were impressed by cars. They stood in awe at the mere fact that an automobile could exist at all, as evidenced by the photograph on page 34. In nearly every city scene, throngs of people surrounded the family’s motor vehicle. There are so many people jostling for a look on page 42 that you can’t even see it!”
About the Writer:
Writer, artist, musician, and publisher Mark Bussler has written more than 100 books and designed over 300 covers for CGR Publishing. Bussler is a professional artist and commercial designer who works in digital and physical media. He created and continues to develop the Robot Kitten Factory series, Retromegatrex, How to Draw Inspired by Classic Illustrations, and other graphic novels and instructional guides. Additionally, he writes history books and photographic history collections such as 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair: The Louisiana Purchase Exposition in Photographs. Bussler previously produced and directed films such as Westinghouse, Expo: Magic of the White City, and the Classic Game Room series. He is the founder and president of CGR Publishing, and founder of the industrial synthesizer laser-disco band, Turbo Volcano and the ambient synth group, Seatropica. Bussler produces and hosts the weekly CGR Podcast featuring Turbo Volcano.
