1912 Baker Electric Brougham

At the dawn of the automobile age, no one knew which form of propulsion would dominate the future. Steam, gasoline, and electricity all competed for market share, with electric automobiles emerging as one of the most refined and practical choices for urban motorists. Quiet, clean, and effortless to operate, early electric cars eliminated the hand cranking, gear shifting, vibration, and mechanical complexity associated with gasoline-powered automobiles. Around 1900, it’s estimated that around one-third of the automobiles on American roads were electrically powered, making them popular among affluent city dwellers and professional drivers.

Among the leading manufacturers was the Baker Motor Vehicle Company of Cleveland, Ohio, founded in 1899 by Walter C. Baker. The company quickly established a reputation for engineering excellence and luxurious craftsmanship, attracting distinguished owners, and inspiring people like Thomas Edison, who not only purchased a Baker, but also went on to develop batteries and build his examples. Baker automobiles became known for their elegant coachwork, dependable operation, and exceptional build quality, earning the company recognition as one of America's premier electric car manufacturers.

By 1912, the Baker Electric represented the pinnacle of the company's development. Featuring improved shaft-drive engineering, luxurious enclosed coachwork, and refined appointments, the 1912 models emphasized comfort, reliability, and sophistication over outright speed. Their whisper-quiet operation and ease of use made them especially appealing to wealthy families, physicians, and business professionals navigating increasingly congested city streets. Although gasoline-powered automobiles would soon eclipse electrics through longer range, faster refueling, and mass production, Baker demonstrated that electric propulsion was a practical and desirable alternative decades before its time. Today, the 1912 Baker Electric stands as more than a fascinating Brass Era automobile, it represents one of the earliest successful electric vehicles.

An early pioneer in green energy and the electric car market, this 1912 Baker Electric is a rare and seldom-seen surviving example that has been faithfully and beautifully restored. The body has been nicely finished in a two-tone color scheme of red with black fenders and roof. The body rides on spoke wheels that are wrapped in blackwall tires. Inside, the lovely cabin offers a bench seat, dual, correct swiveling parlor seats, elegant upholstery, and its tiller which controls the steering. The most interesting part of this pioneering automobile is the motor and mechanisms, as it has a direct-current electric motor that provides power to the rear wheels via a shaft drive.

Accompanied by various history files and a copy of the original instruction booklet, this 1912 Baker Electric was acquired by its long-term owner, Curtis Fouse of West Virginia, from a former Baker automobile dealer. This car had been disassembled and placed in storage; luckily, it was very complete, with all the parts properly labeled and identified in the boxes. Curtis would later embark on a complete and comprehensive restoration, which would result in winning an AACA National award, being featured in Antique Automobile, an AACA publication, and being bestowed “Most Elegant Car” at the Concours d’Elegance in Pepper Pike, Ohio. Later ownership would include Burch Roack of Spokane, Washington, who showed this example at the Forest Grove Rotary Concours d’Elegance and was noted as being just the fourth owner from new.

Most importantly, in preparation of this auction, this Baker was equipped with new batteries. Way ahead of its time, as well as the EV craze that can be seen today, this 1912 Baker Electric is a true testament to innovation during the progressive era and one that helped set the standard for EV automobiles to follow.