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Lot 1037
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1904 Pre State Chicago IL License Plate #1
1904 Pre State Chicago IL License Plate #1
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This is the holy grail of the Chicago plates. 1904 was the first year that Chicago issued a full plate. It was made of stamped aluminum. Very few of these plate survive today. And this is Number 1. Doesn't get any rarer than that! Measures 6 7/8" X 11 7/8". In overall VG condition retaining most original black paint. Plate is from the Lee Hartung collection and he had scratched his name and 'Glenview, ILL' on the reverse of the number '1'. See photos . At the turn of the century, Chicago was the center of the fledgling automotive industry with showrooms springing up on South State Street forming the now historic “Automotive Row”. The Chicago Motor Club was formed in 1904, which would in short order grow to become the AAA. The Chicago Auto Show was organized in 1901 and continues to be the largest and longest running auto show in the world. In 1901 Chicago was one of the first cities in the nation to license motor vehicles, first by issuing badges for the motorist to wear and starting in 1903, license “plates” that were meant to be displayed on the vehicle itself. The 1903 plate was actually a set of metal numbers issued by the city that owners had to mount on a piece of leather or wood which would then be hung on the automobile. The 1904 plate was the cities first attempt at a metal plate made from thin stamped aluminum. These aluminum plates were very flimsy and prone to damage so the 1905, 06 & 07 plates were made from a more durable solid brass. Chicago was ordered to discontinue issuing plates in 1907 when the State of Illinois announced that they would be issuing a state plate. Chicago, from that point forward, began issuing a smaller metal vehicle tax tag that was to be displayed next to the Illinois plate. Only a few of the 1904 plates have ever turned up and what makes this one special besides its beautiful, original condition is that it is plate No. 1 and it was issued to Chicagoan Arthur J. Eddy. Arthur Jerome Eddy, a prominent lawyer and early automobile enthusiast in Chicago at the turn of the century, in 1900 became the first person in Chicago to receive a license for a motor vehicle, badge No. 1. Arthur Eddy was a founding member of the Chicago Motor Club in 1902, which would grow to become the AAA Motor Club. He helped organize the Chicago Auto Show in 1901. He was the author of several books on automobiles including, Two Thousand Miles On An Automobile published in 1902. Mr. Eddy was responsible for bringing Modern Art enthusiasm to the Chicago Art Institute and his personal collection was bequeathed as the Arthur J. Eddy Memorial Collection after his untimely death in 1920. He was a friend of the artist James McNeil Whistler whose portrait of Mr. Eddy titled, Arrangement in Flesh Color and Brown, still hangs in the Union League Club of Chicago. His residence was at 5623 N. Sheridan Road.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

IMPORTANT SHIPPING INFORMATION:

1. PAY INVOICE TODAY - When invoice is paid in full, it will be passed to our Shipping Department. Cost for shipping is a separate transaction and will NOT be included in original invoice. Please allow 7 to 25 BUSINESS DAYS for us to pack hundreds of items. Watch for a text/email from "SHIPPING SAINT" with next steps. Thank you in advance for your patience!
2. FIREARM BUYERS: WITHIN 3 DAYS OF AUCTION - A signed FFL License from your preferred local dealer MUST be provided unless specifically identified as an "antique" in the description. Ask them to put your name in the email and send to [email protected].
California residents must also provide an FFL license for ammunition.
3. PICKING UP - Please let us know within 24 hours if declining shipping or you may be charged for packing. Email us at [email protected] to confirm day and time for pickups. We are open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm and by appointment only on weekends. We will work with you to arrange pick up times!
4. STORAGE FEES: Due to limited space, items must be picked up from the auction house within 5 days. Any items left for over 5 days, will incur a storage charge of $20 per day unless prior arrangements have been made. Items left after 30 days will be considered abandoned and sold to recover expenses.
5. U.S. SHIPPING OF STANDARD SIZED ITEMS - We will carefully, efficiently, and economically pack small/medium sized items. You will receive an invoice via text/email with shipping/handling costs which can be paid directly through the link.
Please allow 7 to 25 business days to receive info from "Shipping Saint".
6. U.S. SHIPPING OF OVERSIZED ITEMS - We do not pack large or items over 100lbs.
By request, we will send you a list of recommended transporters and/or crating companies. It is the sole responsibility of the buyer to arrange transportation.
7. INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING - If a single item is valued over $2,499, we cannot ship internationally through USPS or FedEx. Any single item exceeding the value must ship through an international shipping broker. We will provide recommendations.
It is the sole responsibility of the buyer to arrange transportation.

Email us at [email protected] or call the office at 815.923.7000 if you have any additional questions.

Thank you for your business!
Donley Auctions

by Donley Auction Services
August 28, 2022 12:00 PM CDT
8512 S. Union Rd.
Union, IL, US 60180

Donley Auction Services

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of up to 26% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $49 $5
$50 $199 $10
$200 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $2,999 $100
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 + $1,000