185 - PANHARD & LEVASSOR - c.1920

PANHARD & LEVASSOR - c.1920 Original promotional oil can made of lithographed sheet metal. Capacity: 2 liters. 20.7 x 16.5 x 6.5 cm. In good condition - The lithography features a deep, rich blue and yellow lettering that is partially faded. There are subtle signs of oxidation, mainly on the reverse, as well as slight signs of wear on the front. There is slight wear along the top and bottom edges. Lid missing. Founded in 1867 by René Panhard and Jean-Louis Périn (machine tools) and later Émile Levassor, the company became Panhard & Levassor in 1886. A true pioneer, it launched the world’s first industrial production of mass-produced automobiles in 1891, thanks to Daimler patents. Dominating automobile racing until 1905 (victory in the 1895 Paris-Bordeaux-Paris race), the company expanded from its workshops on Avenue d’Ivry in Paris to its factory in Reims (Rue Ernest Renan) It made its mark on automotive history with its prestigious “valveless” engines during the interwar period (Dynamic, Panoramic) and its aluminum Dyna models after 1945. After being acquired by Citroën, its civilian production ceased in 1967 to focus exclusively on military armored vehicles in Marolles-en-Hurepoix.