General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

3

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

Brass/rubber

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

30.4 cm

Width

15.4 cm

Height

25.5 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Motorized Ground Transportation

Category

Automotive parts

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Unknown

Country

Unknown

State/Province

Unknown

City

Unknown

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

Ontario

Period

c.1910

Canada

Unknown

Function

A device that produces a loud sound to signal an audible warning to other motorists and pedestrians of a car’s presence.

Technical

A bulb horn type with a double coil that consists of a bell, flexible tubing, reed, and bulb (KE – notes). The horn was externally mounted and used as a warning device in automobiles, producing a sound through a metal reed when the bulb was squeezed, thus it was also known as a reed horn. At the beginning of the 1900s, reed horns were the universal signaling device for automobiles and were used to warn motorists and pedestrians of an approaching car or of a car’s presence and to promote public safety while driving (McMurtry: 3, 5). However, as the popularity of the automobile increased, more people traveled and the reed horn became an ineffective warning signal because it was not easily heard on crowded streets by other motorists and pedestrians. In addition to not being loud enough, reed horns do not work well in extremely cold weather (McMurtry: 5). First automobile horns were bulb horns and hand klaxons of various designs, mounted conspicuously. Electric automobile horns replaced manual models c. 1920s. Towards the end of the 1930s automobile horns began to be utilitarian only, and were hidden beneath the hood (KE – notes: 2002.0190.001).

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

'INGENEOUS/ WARNING/ DEVICE' in silver letters on black background painted inside of the horn bell

Missing

N/A

Finish

Nickel-plated

Decoration

N/A