1910 Practical Treatise on Automobiles: Volume One and Two.
 
Practical Treatise on Automobiles; A New, Complete and Practical Treatise on Gasoline, Steam and Electrical Vehicles, Including a Description of All Their Various Parts, Their Principles of Operation, Ignition Systems, Carburetors, Magnetos, Etc. Methods of Setting Valves and Other Valuable Information Pertaining to Their Operation, Management and Repair, Written Expressly for the Owner, Chauffeur, Machinist and Garage Man, Profusely Illustrated with Photographs, Diagrams and Line Cuts, Oscar C. Schmidt, Stanley Institute, Philadelphia, 1910, two volume set bound in 3/4 maroon cloth, 8vo. 

In okay condition. Missing spines. Bumps to boards along corners. A few detached pages but all included. Please see photos for more details. 

Henry Ford’s Model T was released for widespread use in 1908 making these one of the first manuals for car owners. The Automobile was a complex piece of machinery from the beginning. Despite its obvious debt to existing technologies, such as the internal combustion engine and the bicycle, the public still views the motor car as a new invention during the years prior to WWI., one that required knowledge and training to master. As a result, during the early decade of automotive history a large number of “self-help” technical and driving manuals were published. Interesting!

This item is sold from a vintage boutique in Washington.