Automobiles / Early History / Paris-Marseille-Paris / Michel - Lot 10

Automobiles / Early History / Paris-Marseille-Paris / Michelin Original photograph, a vintage silver print, likely depicting the Paris-Marseille-Paris race of September 1896. It shows three numbered cars, surrounded by their crews and onlookers: No. 34 (Lefebvre); No. 26, a Landry and Beyroux (Passy, 1894–1902); No. 39, the Michelin car driven by Arnaud This is a document of threefold historical significance: this race was the longest of its time (1,728 km), won by a Panhard & Levassor at an average speed of 25.5 km/h. The Landry and Beyroux and the Michelin finished 13th and 14th. No other images of the Michelin car are known to exist to date. The Landry and Beyroux car was involved in the first fatal accident in the history of auto racing (Périgueux-Bergerac-Périgueux, May 1, 1898; death of the Marquis de Montaignac) Extremely rare. 8.5 x 12 cm. Good condition. Slightly rounded corners, small tears along the edges. Included is a photograph from the same period showing the start of a race car (known as a “tank”), mounted on cardboard. Horizontal crease at the bottom, small stain.