1917 "Mabelline" Paige 2 + 2 Roadster

1917 Paige Brooklands 2 + 2 Description

1917 PAIGE Brooklands 2 + 2 Roadster

6 Cylinder Continental engine, 303 cid with 30 hp, motor # 980 73804, serial # 73804

From the 2 seat roadster configuration, the center panel in the rear deck is “unlocked” and then it and the front panel are removed. Both are wrapped in a “blanket” and placed in a padded cloth bag which sits in two braces behind both back fenders, behind the spare tire, and held into place by leather straps. Leather covered “sofa” arms are then lifted to brace the back panel in an upright position, and then held in place by bolts that are fastened with acorn bolts.

There is a separate top for the front compartment, which is held securely in place by lifting the bar behind the front seat. The cover for the back seat attaches to the front cover and is held up in position by a bar that is installed on the last panel: the back of the rear seat.

The “Maybelline” 1917 PAIGE

When Tom Lyle Williams (1896 – Sept 1976) was 18 years old, he observed his older sister, Mabel, enhance her eyelashes with burnt cork and Vaseline. With the help of a chemist, he created a black substance that would stick to the eyelashes but not harm the eyes. He sold this product in small kits with a tiny brush under the brand name of Maybelline at Woolworth 5 & 10 at a beginning price of 10 cents each. He was wealthy by the time he was 20. In the book “Maybelline” the authors, Sharrie Williams and Bettie Youngs, published 2010, on page 26 tells how Tom and his brother took the train to Detroit to the Paige Automobile Co. “Most Beautiful Cars in America” with his drawing of his dream car (a car that reminded him of cars like so many of his idols such as Rudolph Valentino had, the Stutz Bearcat but in a clever way could be turned into a 4 door touring car. Tom had a tight knit family he’d be transporting). This car proved to be rather complicated in converting from a roadster to a touring car.

Tom eventually gave the car to Mabel. Tom did buy the Rudolph Valentino estate after the famous actor died. Mabel too must have found it difficult to convert and, instead, never removed the back panels, but always drove the car as a roadster. Thus the mahogany cabinet and leather of the back seat and arm rests, appear like new today.

Robert Pass, of Passport Transports, purchased several cars from the Jim Grundy Sr. estate. This car Paige was in the group, but Robert had no desire to keep it. I purchased it because I thought it “cool”. I tried to trace the car’s history. I was not even able to find evidence that another like it was ever made. Neither Mrs. Grundy Sr. or Jim Jr. had any knowledge of where the car had come from. Apparently Mr. Grundy had owned it many years. So at that point I was sure I had hit a dead end.

The AACA Antique Automobile magazine volume 73, # 5, Sept/Oct. 2009, page 68 -69, Ran an article on this car because of its unique design which allowed it to transform from a racy 2-seater to a rather impressive all-weather touring car. The article even contained a photo that I found in the rear compartment of the car, which turned out to be a picture of Mabel driving the Paige (although unknown to me at the time). A year later, the Antique Automobile Magazine Editor, West Peterson called to advise me to buy the book “Maybelline” for in it are pictures of the Paige and how it came to be and the evidence that it was designed by and built for the founder of Maybelline.

Tom loved automobiles and for the remainder of his life, he had cars customized built.