For Sale at Auction: 1907 Cadillac Model M in Atlanta, Georgia

Serial No. 4085
Engine No. 21910

In 1905, Cadillac founder Henry M. Leland oversaw the construction of a prototype example with a high, upright coupe body, similar to that which would be seen on many electric cars of the next decade. Dubbed "Osceola" for the Seminole chief whom Leland admired, it was his regular transportation for years, and ever since has remained a standard-bearer for the marque, shown by Cadillac at the 1933 Chicago World's Fair and later in various museums and auto shows. More importantly, as an extremely early example of closed coachwork, it was, of sorts, the original Cadillac concept car.

One of very few known extant, the car offered here is among the earliest surviving examples of production closed coachwork on a Cadillac chassis, following "Osceola" by but two seasons, and exhibits a distinctive design flair with its two-tone paintwork and tapered "tulip" tail. While it has long been attributed by past owners as being a 1906 Model H, it is actually a 1907 Model M, with the company's single-cylinder engine design on a 76-in.-wheelbase chassis. Not only is the engine by number correct for a Model M, but it is recorded in Cadillac build records as having originally been fitted to a coupe, indicating it is the original engine for this automobile. A copy of this record remains in the file, indicating that the coupe was originally delivered to the wonderfully named Centaur Motor Company of Buffalo, New York.

The Cadillac was later owned by prominent Beverly Hills, California, attorney and civic leader, Robert J. Gottlieb, who was also an avid automobile enthusiast and the longtime "Classic Comments" columnist for Motor Trend magazine. Mr. Gottlieb undertook a cosmetic restoration of the coupe in the hands of noted restorer Eric Rosenau, some correspondence and documentation of which is included in the history file. Afterward, it remained in the Gottlieb collection until the autumn of 2004, when it and Mr. Gottlieb's 1913 Pierce-Arrow were both acquired for the Gateway Automobile Museum.

Since acquisition for the museum in 2004, the car has been occasionally shown, including at the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance in 2010. It remains in near-perfect overall condition, with the maroon and black lacquer paint still shining on the wooden bodywork, and the red chassis and wheels as a wonderful accent. The windshield and rear window both slide down for ventilation, railroad carriage-style, while the curved glass side windows are removable. Within is finished in maroon leather, with pull curtains to all windows and bud vases as elegant accents.

One of the most significant surviving early Cadillacs, this is a must for any passionate devotee of the Standard of the World.