The Ford Times started out in 1908 as a means of keeping both customer & dealer informed. In the early days of the publication articles were geared towards Ford products.
However as time went on this trend gradually changed to a more variety magazine format, featuring travel stories, historical yarns, watercolor prints, and in the 1950s & 60s a myriad of artwork by artist Charley Harper.
Perhaps the one thing Ford Times was most known for is the recipes. For many years recipes from famous restaurants across the country were published towards the back of the magazine. This popularity spawned several "Treasury of Ford Times Recipes" cookbooks, which those in itself are also fairly desirable.
Ford Times magazines started out as a medium sized magazine in 1908. Henry Ford upon seeing the first copies of the magazine, went to stuff one in his pocket- however it wouldn't fit! He promptly had the print staff shrink the size of the magazine to where it could fit in his coat pocket. He said "Might as well make it to where people can carry them around without much hassle." And so it was. After WW2, they tried going back to the medium sized magazine but here again Henry Ford had on a coat with small pockets. In the 1980s the magazine took on traditional magazine size.
Ford Times and the spin off publications such as "Treasury of Station Wagon Living" , "Treasury of Ford Times Recipes" and others all are worth collecting. Most issues of Ford Times can be bought for a few dollars each with the very early ones going for much more. Recently on Ebay, a complete set of Vol 1. (1908) sold for close to $2,000.00!
Saturday, 6 November 2010
Friday, 5 November 2010
Recommended Reading Part 2
Ford Bryan worked at the Ford Rouge plant for over 30 years and then went on to volunteer at Greenfield Village & Henry Ford Museum upon retirement. In addition to all this, he was a distant relative of Henry Ford, so it seems almost natural that he would write a couple books about Ford- however he wrote more than a couple.
It's worth noting he also wrote for "The Dearborn Historian" a publication of the Dearborn Historical Society in Dearborn, MI. In fact those articles provide the basis for a few of his books. When he passed away in 2004, Ford Bryan made a sizable monetary donation to the Henry Ford Estate to help with the preservation of the Estate.
Any of his books are worth picking up and adding to your Ford bookshelf. I have all of them and they are frequently cited sources of information during my research.
Titles include-
Rouge Pictured in it's Prime- covers the years 1917-1940 and contains lots of previously unpublished photos.
The Fords of Dearborn- more of a genealogical book, it covers the entire Ford family from the early days to modern times. Also has a few interesting chapters on Fair Lane estate, Model T travel in the 1920s, Early Ford dealers, Old Fashioned Harvesting and more.
Beyond The Model T- Covers some of Henry's 'hobbies' such as farming, Employee Housing, Radio Broadcasting, D. T. & I Railroad, and lots more.
Friends Families, Forays- More Genealogical stuff, his friendships with Edison, Firestone, Burroughs. Also covers some of the luxuries such as Huron Mountain Club, Yachts, The Mangoes. The book encompasses much more than listed here. I highly recommend this one.
Clara, Mrs. Henry Ford- Mainly deals with Clara Ford but also has some info relating to Henry. Foodies will appreciate the recipes towards the back of the book, most in Clara Ford's own handwriting.
Henry's Lieutenants- Another excellent book! Gives short articles on over 30 Ford Motor Company executives. A well researched book.
Henry's Attic- A book about some of the various donations to the Henry Ford Museum, as well as various items that were found when Fair Lane was cleaned out.
This isn't meant to be an actual book review, there's plenty of other sites for that. What it is intended for is a chance to view some titles if you are looking to expand your bookshelf or just want some fresh reading material.
As always comments & questions welcomed.
It's worth noting he also wrote for "The Dearborn Historian" a publication of the Dearborn Historical Society in Dearborn, MI. In fact those articles provide the basis for a few of his books. When he passed away in 2004, Ford Bryan made a sizable monetary donation to the Henry Ford Estate to help with the preservation of the Estate.
Any of his books are worth picking up and adding to your Ford bookshelf. I have all of them and they are frequently cited sources of information during my research.
Titles include-
Rouge Pictured in it's Prime- covers the years 1917-1940 and contains lots of previously unpublished photos.
The Fords of Dearborn- more of a genealogical book, it covers the entire Ford family from the early days to modern times. Also has a few interesting chapters on Fair Lane estate, Model T travel in the 1920s, Early Ford dealers, Old Fashioned Harvesting and more.
Beyond The Model T- Covers some of Henry's 'hobbies' such as farming, Employee Housing, Radio Broadcasting, D. T. & I Railroad, and lots more.
Friends Families, Forays- More Genealogical stuff, his friendships with Edison, Firestone, Burroughs. Also covers some of the luxuries such as Huron Mountain Club, Yachts, The Mangoes. The book encompasses much more than listed here. I highly recommend this one.
Clara, Mrs. Henry Ford- Mainly deals with Clara Ford but also has some info relating to Henry. Foodies will appreciate the recipes towards the back of the book, most in Clara Ford's own handwriting.
Henry's Lieutenants- Another excellent book! Gives short articles on over 30 Ford Motor Company executives. A well researched book.
Henry's Attic- A book about some of the various donations to the Henry Ford Museum, as well as various items that were found when Fair Lane was cleaned out.
This isn't meant to be an actual book review, there's plenty of other sites for that. What it is intended for is a chance to view some titles if you are looking to expand your bookshelf or just want some fresh reading material.
As always comments & questions welcomed.
Thursday, 4 November 2010
The Red Tie
Henry Ford had a knack for creating stories on a whim when asked questions. A prime example of this is "the red tie" yarn.
One morning a reporter asked him about his red tie and it matching his mood of being mad. Henry's response? "That's right. Makes me feel spunky, it matches my temper."
Here again we can take a look at William C. Richards' book "The Last Billionaire" for more information on this. Turns out Richards asked Ford about this one day when Henry Ford was in a good mood AND wearing a red tie. According to William Richards' account-
"He threw himself into a role of an angry man before my eyes. His eyes snapped, he clenched a fist- he slammed out and said he had a few words to say to a fellow, leaving the impression it was going to be rough on the other fellow.
I followed him for a distance to where he couldn't see me unless he turned around. He seemed pleased with himself. Out the door leading to the laboratory he wheeled right and retraced his steps, walked into the corridor and walking into his office, smiling, giving the tie a jaunty pull as he went in. He was apparently trying to make the myth good for my benefit."
Is any of this true? In my opinion, I say yes. Ford was a master showman and always had an eye for free publicity. This is just one of his many things to get that free publicity. Other notable accounts include, stating that George Washington's clock was one second slow, that he was going to make a horn that sounded like a human voice, chicken was fit only for hawks, that he wore mismatched shoes on occasion to remind himself that he was once poor and could be that way again if he wasn't careful and many thousands of other things along this line.
One morning a reporter asked him about his red tie and it matching his mood of being mad. Henry's response? "That's right. Makes me feel spunky, it matches my temper."
Here again we can take a look at William C. Richards' book "The Last Billionaire" for more information on this. Turns out Richards asked Ford about this one day when Henry Ford was in a good mood AND wearing a red tie. According to William Richards' account-
"He threw himself into a role of an angry man before my eyes. His eyes snapped, he clenched a fist- he slammed out and said he had a few words to say to a fellow, leaving the impression it was going to be rough on the other fellow.
I followed him for a distance to where he couldn't see me unless he turned around. He seemed pleased with himself. Out the door leading to the laboratory he wheeled right and retraced his steps, walked into the corridor and walking into his office, smiling, giving the tie a jaunty pull as he went in. He was apparently trying to make the myth good for my benefit."
Is any of this true? In my opinion, I say yes. Ford was a master showman and always had an eye for free publicity. This is just one of his many things to get that free publicity. Other notable accounts include, stating that George Washington's clock was one second slow, that he was going to make a horn that sounded like a human voice, chicken was fit only for hawks, that he wore mismatched shoes on occasion to remind himself that he was once poor and could be that way again if he wasn't careful and many thousands of other things along this line.
Ford Photo of the Day.
Henry & Edsel Ford with an impatient Charles Sorensen in the back seat of the 15 Millionth Ford. The car itself is a '27 Model T Touring in the colors of Channel Green body, Black wheels & fenders. You can see the car to this day at Greenfield Village.
Today's photo comes from the WSU Digital Library.
Monday, 1 November 2010
Recommended Reading Part 1
Anyone looking to learn more about the history of Ford or Henry Ford in particular will enjoy some or all of the following books. I hold no financial interest in any of these publications, but wish I did then maybe I'd have more money to spend on my cars!
The Nevins & Hill Trilogy- By Allen Nevins and Frank Hill
Comprised of a 3 volume set. Ford- The Times, The Man The Company, Vol 2. Expansion & Challenge, with Vol. 3 being Decline & Rebirth. These 3 volumes are a definitive work on the history of Ford Motor Company prior to 1962. Vol. 1 is the most common with Vol. 2 being the scarcest of the set, it took me 3 years to find a decent quality copy for my collection. Volume 3 is somewhat more easily found but you will search for it too. For the serious collector I'd recommend having two sets of books, a reading set and a preservation set.
The public image of Henry Ford- By David L. Lewis
David Lewis is a well respected Ford historian & author of many Ford articles. This book is over 600 pages of well written facts, lore, and goes into actually trying to figure out what made Henry Ford tick. It did a damn fine job of it too. If you have limited shelf space make sure you have room for this book.
My Forty Years With Ford - By Charles Sorensen
Written in 1956 by Ford's former production superintendent, the book goes into some detail on how the assembly line formed, the early methods of manufacturing cars before the assembly line, how the Rouge got started, dealing with the Soviets in the late 1920s and much more. Sorensen's writing style makes it very enjoyable to read. The first time I read this book I sat down in the recliner with a cold Pepsi & a hot roast beef sammich. It took a few more cold Pepsi's but I finished the book that evening. I've re-read this book more times than I care to admit.
The Last Billionaire- By William C. Richards
This book is an absolute gem! Not really a history book or a biography, but rather a collection of trivia & rare stories. Such as the time Henry Ford made buckwheat pancakes for his doctors who came to give Ford an exam before an operation. Richards also mentions some of Ford's odd habits such as "the best way to calm an ulcer is to swallow a ball of butter down whole" or "Salt is good for your hair, I rub it in my hair every morning" It's hard to say how much is accurate in this book, but in my opinion 98% of it is.
William Richards was a reporter who got to know Ford on a personal friendship level. If you read this book look for the "Dung-brindle" reference. It will give you a laugh. One piece of advice- Look for the original 1948 hardback version, not only do hardback books look better on your shelf, but the 1956 paperback is missing about 100 pages and alot of meat got cut in this abridged version.
I'll add more to this tomorrow, it's time to read a Ford book before bed.
The Nevins & Hill Trilogy- By Allen Nevins and Frank Hill
Comprised of a 3 volume set. Ford- The Times, The Man The Company, Vol 2. Expansion & Challenge, with Vol. 3 being Decline & Rebirth. These 3 volumes are a definitive work on the history of Ford Motor Company prior to 1962. Vol. 1 is the most common with Vol. 2 being the scarcest of the set, it took me 3 years to find a decent quality copy for my collection. Volume 3 is somewhat more easily found but you will search for it too. For the serious collector I'd recommend having two sets of books, a reading set and a preservation set.
The public image of Henry Ford- By David L. Lewis
David Lewis is a well respected Ford historian & author of many Ford articles. This book is over 600 pages of well written facts, lore, and goes into actually trying to figure out what made Henry Ford tick. It did a damn fine job of it too. If you have limited shelf space make sure you have room for this book.
My Forty Years With Ford - By Charles Sorensen
Written in 1956 by Ford's former production superintendent, the book goes into some detail on how the assembly line formed, the early methods of manufacturing cars before the assembly line, how the Rouge got started, dealing with the Soviets in the late 1920s and much more. Sorensen's writing style makes it very enjoyable to read. The first time I read this book I sat down in the recliner with a cold Pepsi & a hot roast beef sammich. It took a few more cold Pepsi's but I finished the book that evening. I've re-read this book more times than I care to admit.
The Last Billionaire- By William C. Richards
This book is an absolute gem! Not really a history book or a biography, but rather a collection of trivia & rare stories. Such as the time Henry Ford made buckwheat pancakes for his doctors who came to give Ford an exam before an operation. Richards also mentions some of Ford's odd habits such as "the best way to calm an ulcer is to swallow a ball of butter down whole" or "Salt is good for your hair, I rub it in my hair every morning" It's hard to say how much is accurate in this book, but in my opinion 98% of it is.
William Richards was a reporter who got to know Ford on a personal friendship level. If you read this book look for the "Dung-brindle" reference. It will give you a laugh. One piece of advice- Look for the original 1948 hardback version, not only do hardback books look better on your shelf, but the 1956 paperback is missing about 100 pages and alot of meat got cut in this abridged version.
I'll add more to this tomorrow, it's time to read a Ford book before bed.
Ford Branch Assembly Plants
Jacksonville plant circa 1930
From time to time I will post about some of the various Branch Assembly plants and what has became of them here in Modern Times.
This entry will deal with the Jacksonville, Florida plant. I'm biased towards this one because I own a '31 Model A Ford that was built here in January 1931. You can be biased towards your favorite plant also. It's a free country(for now).
This assembly plant was built starting in 1924 and ceased production in 1932 to become a Sales & Service Center. You can read all about that in the links I will provide at the bottom.
A lesser known fact is Ford had a presence in Jax starting in 1915 when Henry Ford acquired a warehouse on Ashley St. In 1919 they moved to a location at 532 West Forsythe St. in Jax. Then they moved to the waterfront plant that is on the St. Johns river.
And the status of the surviving Ford plant today? There's talk of it becoming a cruise ship terminal but as of now it's being used for storage. You'll see a short film in link #2. That's not me or my car, my '31 is torn apart in the shop getting the beauty shop treatment. You Yankees finally sent us a dose of cooler weather to Florida, which is appreciated as it gives me more shop time without getting a heat stroke.
Here's a few links you may enjoy. (Here again copy/paste as I can't figure out to embed)
Good photos on this link
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2008-jan-inside-the-ford-motor-company-assembly-plant
Nice short video.
http://jacksonville.com/video/community/jacksonville-community-news/2010-10-15/watch-1930s-ford-assembly-plant-toured
Sources-
September 1945 Ford Times (Author's personal collection)
Web links posted above
Ford Country Vol. 1 by David L. Lewis
58 Bagley Avenue
Any Ford enthusiast/historian worth his Ford script knows that 58 Bagley Avenue was the place where Henry Ford built his first car, the Quadricycle.
What happened to 58 Bagley Ave.? Did he have it moved to Greenfield Village like he did with his birthplace? Partially. Here's how it happened. The house was moved in the early 1920s to a new location around the corner from it's former lot to make room for the Michigan Theater that now covers the site in downtown Detroit. It's understood that the famous shed where he built the car was torn down.
The building once moved was treated to a new facade and encompassed a coffee/tea house.
Now the shed you see in Greenfield Village was actually new construction using brick from the old Bagley Ave. House. Photos of 58 Bagley are somewhat hard to find with the same 2 or 3 being used constantly in books & magazines. However on the Wayne State photo archives there is a photo of 58 Bagley with the new facade & tea house signs.
See the light color bricks on the side of the building? That's where Henry Ford has his bricklayer's remove some of the original bricks for his "new" Quadricycle shed.
In case you want to see what the Michgan Theatre looks like, here's a link. The building in & of itself has a unique history worth taking a look at. (For some reason I can't get a link to work here, but you can copy & paste) http://buildingsofdetroit.com/places/mi
As always comments are welcome.
Sources:
Young Henry Ford by Sidney Olson
The Last Billionaire by William C. Richards
The Public Image of Henry Ford by David L. Lewis
Old issues of the Detroit News
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