Barney Oldfield Advertising Postcard for Plymouth Automobiles, circa 1935

Summary

Barney Oldfield found ways to stay in the public spotlight well after his last professional race in 1918. The showman attended and refereed racing meets, ran a tire company, drove a tractor faster than a mile a minute, and appeared in movies and on the radio. In the mid-1930s, Oldfield joined with Plymouth to promote the car's performance and safety features.

Barney Oldfield found ways to stay in the public spotlight well after his last professional race in 1918. The showman attended and refereed racing meets, ran a tire company, drove a tractor faster than a mile a minute, and appeared in movies and on the radio. In the mid-1930s, Oldfield joined with Plymouth to promote the car's performance and safety features.

Artifact

Postcard

Subject Date

circa 1935

Location

Not on exhibit to the public.

Object ID

2005.108.25

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford.

Material

Paper (Fiber product)

Technique

Printing (Process)

Color

Black-and-white (Colors)

Dimensions

Height: 5.5 in

Width: 3.25 in

Inscriptions

Printed below image of Barney Oldfield : BARNEY OLDFIELD, WORLD'S MOST FAMOUS RACE DRIVER / "I've been / driving cars since they've been built. I / was the first man to drive a car a mile a minute. / But how this Plymouth performs! 82 horsepower / with no vibration, due to the patented Floating / Power engine mountings. The new weight dis- / tribution gives you the softest, steadiest ride im- / aginable. And those Hydraulic Brakes make all / speeds safe in my Plymouth." Barney Oldfield Printed in image on the side of the car: "You know me" / Barney OIdfield Printed on back side of postcard: BARNEY OLDFIELD'S / COUNTRY CLUB [location, details about his club]

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