t has already been stated that the 1930s was the golden era of men’s fashion. The car industry also flourished during this era, with a plethora of stylish car models being launched in response to high public demand.
The 1930s Bugatti 57SC Atlantic is probably the most sought-after vintage car on the market, and many other car models from the same era shared the aesthetically pleasing rounded and long front body. Then, one can’t help but admire the stylish illustrations made in the 1930s and 1940s – something that was also prevalent in the fashion industry.
For the weekend, we’ll also be compiling a guide to both the best-looking luxury cars of the era and mass-market classics. Join us then!
Classic American cars
Today we’re taking inspiration from the 1930s and early 1940s and the car advertising that appeared in the now defunct American newspaper The Saturday Evening Post. This newspaper was published 6 times a year between 1897 and 1963.
Certain car brands featured prominently in the advertising space of the magazine from the 1920s onwards, as cars became more accessible to the public in terms of price. This is particularly evident in issues in the late 1930s and early 1940s before the outbreak of war.
Below are makes that are now defunct, but for fans of American vintage cars, some of the makes may be familiar.
Then there are other makes such as Buick, Lincoln, Chevrolet, Cadillac, Ford and Chrysler, which were also prominent in advertising during those decades. However, these brands are much better known nowadays, partly because most of them still exist today.
Below, then, is some inspiration from the world of advertising in the 1930s and early 1940s.
Mercury
Mercury from Ford Motor Company an American car brand produced between the years 1939-2011.
DeSoto
DeSoto was an American car brand manufactured by the Chrysler Corporation between 1928 and 1960.
Packard Motor Car Co
Packard Motor Car Co was an American car manufacturer from Detroit that built cars between the years 1903 and 1958.
Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile was manufactured in Michigan by the Oldsmobile Division, which became part of General Motors Corporation after 1909. The first Oldsmobile was built in 1897 and in 1901 the Curved Dash Runabout became the world’s first mass-produced car. A total of 425 cars were sold.
In 2000, Oldsmobile, then the oldest car brand still in existence in the United States, ceased production.
Studebaker Corp
Studebaker Corp built cars in South Bend, Indiana between 1902 and 1964.
Hudson Motor Car Co
Hudson Motor Car Co was a brand that built cars in Detroit between 1909 and 1954. In 1954, the company became part of American Motors Corporation through a merger with Nash.
From 1955, Hudson was manufactured in Wisconsin, but closed in 1957.
LaFayette Motors Corporation
LaFayette Motors Corporation was an Indianapolis-based luxury car manufacturer founded in 1919. LaFayette’s innovations included the first electric clock in a car. In 1921, the owner of The Nash Motors Company, Charles W. Nash became president of LaFayette. In 1924, LaFayette passed into the ownership of Nash Motors and in 1941 the brand was discontinued and replaced by the new Nash 600 model.
Dodge
Dodge is certainly more familiar than the brands above. The brand was founded as Dodge Brothers Inc in 1914, but passed into the ownership of the Chrysler Group in 1928.
In 2006, the brand was reintroduced in several European countries, but in 2011 the brand disappeared from Europe altogether.
Plymouth
Plymouth was a car brand manufactured by Chrysler Corporation from 1928 to 2001.
Willys-Knight
Willys-Knight was a car brand manufactured between 1914 and 1933 by Willys-Overland in Toledo, Ohio.
Peerless Motor Car Co
Peerless Motor Car Co was an American automobile manufacturer that built cars in Cleveland, Ohio between 1900 and 1931.
Jordan Motor Car Company
Jordan Motor Car Company also known as Jordan Automobiles, LLC was founded in 1916 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Jordan Brougham car was produced until 1931.
