Alfred Vanderbilt at Cunard Pier
Summary
Photo shows Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt I (1877-1915) a sportsman and son of Cornelius Vanderbilt II, who died on the Lusitania. (Source: Flickr Commons project, 2009)
Title from data provided by the Bain News Service on the negative. Date from license plate on car.
Forms part of: George Grantham Bain Collection (Library of Congress).
General information about the George Grantham Bain Collection is available at http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.ggbain
Additional information about this photograph might be available through the Flickr Commons project at library_of_congress/3842046729
The automobile was first invented and perfected in Germany and France in the late 1890s. Americans quickly came to dominate the automotive industry after WWI. Throughout this initial era, the development of automotive technology was rapid. Hundreds of small manufacturers competing to gain the world's attention. Key developments included the electric ignition system, independent suspension, and four-wheel brakes. Transmissions and throttle controls were widely adopted and safety glass also made its debut. Henry Ford perfected mass-production techniques, and Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler emerged as the “Big Three” auto companies by the 1920s. Car manufacturers received enormous orders from the military during World War II, and afterward automobile production in the United States, Europe, and Japan soared.
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