WW1 Riker restoration project

[alsfarms]

Most interesting information about the Dennis name and current production. 

Al

[alsfarms]

Here is a nice picture of a 1918 Riker working in the logging industry.

Al

 

[alsfarms]

Here is another early electric Riker technology...

I wonder what the "Moet & Chandon"  is all about?

Al

 

Edited December 21, 2020 by alsfarms
clarity

[Richard Farrant]

1 hour ago, alsfarms said:

Here is another early electric Riker technology...

I wonder what the "Moet & Chandon"  is all about?

Al

 

They are a French Champagne maker, still in existence 

[alsfarms]

Hello Richard, Where is the distillery for this Champagne maker in the US?  I assume that this rig was in use on American soil.

Al

[Richard Farrant]

8 hours ago, alsfarms said:

Hello Richard, Where is the distillery for this Champagne maker in the US?  I assume that this rig was in use on American soil.

Al

Champagne is only made in a particular region in France with the same name. There would not have been a 'distillery' in America, it would most likely have been an import arm of the business. That is assuming the photo was taken in the USA

[alsfarms]

Hello Richard,  I would assume that the Riker electric delivery truck shown in the above picture was probably taken here in the US as the script and wording is surely what you would see here in America, not so much in France.  Champagne is certainly something that is imported here to the US.  I would assume that there was am import arm of the company , as you suggested.  Does anyone else here have any additional relevant information on this subject matter?

Al

[Le Prof]

Hi

 

I think the photo was taken inthe US. Moet and Chandon "White Seal" appears to have been the advertising name this champagne was sold under in the US.

It's been around since at least 1900 (Columbia Spectator 30th July 1900) to the 1950's.

 

Schieffelin & C° of New York were the sole importers from around 1920, but I'm not sure if this is too late for the Riker pictured?

Best Regards,

Adrian

[alsfarms]

Adrian,  Thanks for posting.  I wonder who would have been the import agent, in the US, earlier that the 1920's.  The Riker electric delivery truck would have been late 1800's until maybe 1902-3?

Al

[Le Prof]

Hi Al,

I can get back to 1906 (Columbia Spectator).

and 1905 (Life Magazine).

The importer then was Geo. A. Kessler &C° of New York. I may be able to get back further, but I need to get on with some Christmas Shopping this morning (-:

Best Regards,

Adrian

[Ex-boy]

An absolute fact that can’t be disputed is that fourth is misspelled. I would have thought that such a high quality product would deserve a high quality advertisement.

[Great War truck]

So it is. I didnt notice that. I googled "Frouth" and the closest match it came up with was "frothy urine". Draw your own conclusions........ 

[alsfarms]

Thanks for the interesting comments on the original use of the Riker Electric truck.  Do any of you have period correct pictures of what Mo et & Chandon used for transportation during the time frame of 1900 in France?  It would be nice to see a comparison to the US Riker Electric.

Al

[Chris Hall]

6 hours ago, Ex-boy said:

An absolute fact that can’t be disputed is that fourth is misspelled. I would have thought that such a high quality product would deserve a high quality advertisement.

Not only Frouth but Moet & Handon and also Moet & Qandon.

I can understand some letters being in the wrong order as the ‘Type Setters’ worked back to front, but to miss a letter (or perhaps it was damaged) and an incorrect letter (a Q rather than a C) is quite bad. Then again you would think they would have printed a ‘Proof’ before printing in their thousands.

[alsfarms]

I can't resist.....

Maybe the Company quality control guy in charge of "Proofing" the ads as well as the type setter, the printer and the owners may have all spent to much time in the Champagne  tasting room and as a result either couldn't see clearly or could see but was simply to happy to worry about the small spelling issues!!!  just saying.......  🙂

Al

[oats and barley]

I do like a drop of MOET merry christmas

[Le Prof]

14 hours ago, alsfarms said:

Thanks for the interesting comments on the original use of the Riker Electric truck.  Do any of you have period correct pictures of what Mo et & Chandon used for transportation during the time frame of 1900 in France?  It would be nice to see a comparison to the US Riker Electric.

Al

Et voilà.

MOËT et CHANDON, Epernay, France 1900.

Happy Christmas! Adrian

[alsfarms]

Good Morning Fellow enthusiasts.  It is Christmas Morning in the western US.  It is my desire that everyone who takes a moment to check out this thread regarding a potential Riker Truck project, Do Enjoy Your Christmas.  Come back and share your thoughts...

And a Happy healthy and safe New Year....

Al

PS: Nice vintage photo above, thanks for posting!  I think this type of mechanical transportation was much more common in the 1900 time frame than the electric Riker delivery truck of 1900, even in America.  Here in the western US, very few motorized vehicles were here until around 1910.  My grand dad even farmed with teams until after WW-2.  When my Dad returned home from serving, during the war in Europe, he convinced Grand dad to modernize and they bought there first John-Deere tractor.  (There is a whole story about that first tractor).  That modernization scenario was typical of our area on most farms until after WW-2. 

[jpsmit]

On 12/24/2020 at 9:44 AM, Ex-boy said:

An absolute fact that can’t be disputed is that fourth is misspelled. I would have thought that such a high quality product would deserve a high quality advertisement.

Don't forget that type was set by hand with letters reversed to make the press work correctly - and speed was a virtue so, likely many more typos than we would ever be comfortable with in the age of spell check.

[alsfarms]

jp...

I agree, given the time frame we are discussing here and the subject "Champagne", society was probably more indifferent to small spelling "bobbles" like we have seen.  The same goes for small nuances on our early trucks, stampings, castings, fit and finish, identification and etc..  I really guess that we just looked at things with a different set of eyes than we do now.  Even the "Good Book" has indifferent spellings, punctuation and grammar!  But guess what, we still consider it the "Good Book".  It surprises me, that as I sift through my small Riker and Locomobile literature collection, I note issues that would not be permitted in a "modern" similar document.  Today someone would loose his job for not turning our a "perfect" document.  My our hobby is fun......(you don't have to look very far on my postings to note errors that I don't pick up....:-)

Al

Edited December 26, 2020 by alsfarms
spelling and clarity

[alsfarms]

I am snowed in and thought I would share a picture of a five spoke, cast, hard rubber tire truck wheel that has adorned my mailbox for about 40 years.  Can anyone here venture a good suggestion as to what it is?

I will post three pictures

1-

 

Edited January 3, 2021 by alsfarms
clarity

[alsfarms]

2

 

[alsfarms]

3 (note the "S" cast into a spoke)

Al

 

[alsfarms]

Good Morning to my east side of the pond friends.  I located another picture of an early Riker Electric truck, which I will post.  What a beast it is!  My second thought is a bit off subject.  Last evening I watched the first in the BBC Masterpiece movie series "All Creatures Large and small".  I am an avid Masterpiece enthusiast, Downton Abbey, Poldark, Doc Martin, Sherlock Holmes, all others and now the above mentioned.  I read religiously all the short stories by James Herriot earlier when we used to read the "Readers Digest".  Being a country boy myself, where we had an active dairy, farmed and ran beef cattle, (as well as pigs, chickens, horses, and kept ornery looking bulls also).  I could laugh along with the heart warming real life stories he shared.  Now, with the bologna out of the way, would one of you Brits please describe the type and name of vehicles shown in the first of the  movie series.  There was  a nice looking early pug nosed bus, a "C" cab lorry in one shot, what I think is a green Singer 9 or 4AD, and lastly what is the old blue sedan that didn't have very good brakes? Yes, I am thoroughly enjoying this Masterpiece production!

Al

 

[alsfarms]

I didn't realize that the picture was going to show as a thumbnail, so I will post another nice Riker Picture for you.

Al