National Gallery of Victoria Art Deco: 1910 - 1939
Deco Detective

The Cord 812 Westchester sedan was manufactured by the Auburn Automobile Company in 1937. The design, engineering and styling features of this vehicle surpassed many of the cars manufactured in the 1930s. Some of these features have become standard equipment in all cars today.

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The Cord in Motion

The Cord is a sports car, created for speed and performance as well as luxury.

This video clip shows the Cord in motion, driving at standard road speeds.

What can you see as you watch the Cord drive?
How does the design reflect the way the car moves?

 

No audio - running time: 1:07min
 

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Egmont ARENS (designer)
United States 1889–1966
Theodore C. BROOKHART (designer)
United States 1898–1942
THE HOBART MANUFACTURING COMPANY, Troy, Ohio (manufacturer)
United States 1913–74
410 Streamliner, meat slicer 1940 designed, 1944 manufactured
aluminium, steel, rubber
34.3 x 53.3 x 38.1 cm
Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Loaned by the American Friends of the V&A through the generosity of Mr Edgar Harden (LOAN: 428-2005)
© V&A Images/Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Photography: Predrag Cancar and Jean-Pierre Chabrol, National Gallery of Victoria
Video Production: Jean-Pierre Chabrol, National Gallery of Victoria
Photography and video produced with the generous permission of Terry Dowel
Interactive production: Jonathan Luker, National Gallery of Victoria

Gordon M. BUEHRIG (designer)
United States 1904–90
AUBURN AUTOMOBILE COMPANY, Auburn and Connersville, Indiana (manufacturer)
United States 1900–37
Cord 812 Westchester sedan 1937
Lycoming V8 engine, preselector 4 speed transmission, front wheel drive
154.2 x 180.3 x 496.6 cm
Collection of Terry Dowel, Melbourne

ART METAL WORKS, INC., Newark, New Jersey (manufacturer)
United States 1897–1928
Cigarette lighter (c. 1925)
chromium-plated steel, painted metal
11.1 x 5.6 x 9.2 cm
Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Accessioned, 1971 (Circ.266-1971)
© V&A Images/Victoria and Albert Museum, London