Dort Motometer, circa 1920
Add to SetSummary
Automobiles often came without temperature gauges before the early 1930s, so enterprising manufacturers sold aftermarket motometers. Mounted on a car's radiator, these devices measured and displayed coolant water vapor temperature, notifying drivers if their automobiles were in danger of overheating. Moto-Meter Co. Inc. dominated the American market, producing the popular Boyce motometer and others featuring an automotive manufacturer's name or logo.
Automobiles often came without temperature gauges before the early 1930s, so enterprising manufacturers sold aftermarket motometers. Mounted on a car's radiator, these devices measured and displayed coolant water vapor temperature, notifying drivers if their automobiles were in danger of overheating. Moto-Meter Co. Inc. dominated the American market, producing the popular Boyce motometer and others featuring an automotive manufacturer's name or logo.
Artifact
Motometer
Date Made
circa 1920
Creators
Place of Creation
Keywords
Location
Not on exhibit to the public.
Object ID
81.99.29
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Material
White metal
Glass (Material)
Color
Silver (Color)
Black (Color)
White (Color)
Dimensions
Height: 5.25 in
Width: 3 in
Length: 1.25 in
Inscriptions
obverse and reverse of case: PATENTED / MAY-13-13 / MAR-17-14 / BOYCE / MOTO-METER / PATENTED / JULY-16-18 / AUG-13-18 / THE MOTOMETER CO. INC. / LONG ISLAND CITY N.Y. U.S.A. obverse of insert: OWN A / DORT / YOU WILL LIKE IT reverse of insert: DANGER STEAM / SUMMER AVERAGE / A COOL MOTOR CAUSES / GASOLINE WASTE / USE RADIATOR COVER / A SUDDEN RISE / INDICATES TROUBLE / STOP AND INVESTIGATE / COOL MOTOR
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