The History of Texas License Plates - Part II

By Rod Hemmick
Special Contributing Author
for Motorheads Performance

Part II – The “pre-state” era August 1907 thru June 1917

Since it was the vehicle owner’s responsibility to display the registration number on his vehicle, a wide variety of means were used to achieve this end. It is conceivable that many types of homemade license plates were created and some very interesting types have survived to this day. Some owners simply just painted the registration numbers directly on their vehicles.

The following represents a listing of some of the types of Texas pre-state license plates that have survived to this day:

1. Hand painted numbers on a leather pad.
2. Aluminum or Brass numbers attached to a leather pad
       (some had a metal frame and solid metal backing)
3. Aluminum or Brass numbers attached to a metal plate.
4. Leather numbers stitched to a leather pad.
5. Hand painted numbers on a wooden plate or shingle.
6. Aluminum or Brass numbers on a wooden plate
       (some had metal frames).
7. Numbers stenciled on a heavy gauge tin plate.
8. Porcelain “kit type” plates.
9. Metal “kit type” plates.

The type of porcelain license plates that were manufactured in some other states consisting of a single porcelain surface on a metal plate (similar to a porcelain sign) were never produced in Texas.

METAL NUMBERS ON LEATHER PAD WITH CLIPS ON TOP Many of the leather plates were most likely made by the local saddle shop or blacksmith. Large aluminum numbers (most likely house numbers) were attached by means of rivets or spread-type metal cotter pins. As these leather plates became more popular, manufactured versions began to appear in stores.

METAL NUMBERS ON WOODEN PLATE WITH METAL FRAME
Many featured an iron frame stitched inside the edge of the plate with two clips at the top of the plate for attaching to the vehicle.

METAL NUMBERS ON METAL PLATE For the most part these license plates carried only the vehicle registration number, but a few examples have survived with the city or county names or “TEXAS” also affixed to the plate along with the registration number.

This practice of displaying a city or county name or “TEXAS” on the license plate along with the registration number became much more widespread with the introduction of “kit type” license plates.

“Kit type” license plates were “store bought” license plates which featured a rack containing all the numbers and a metal frame to attach the numbers to, thus allowing a vehicle owner to make their own license plate in a kit form. It was not uncommon for city, county and “TEXAS” inserts to be available along with the numbers so a vehicle owner could display their city or county on their license plate, or identify their license plate as a Texas license plate, if so desired.

There were two types of these “kit type” license plates available to Texas motorists. One of the “kit type” license plates consisted of a metal frame into which white-on-blue porcelain inserts were installed. A vehicle owner could purchase porcelain inserts with their city or county name or an insert with “TEXAS” on it which could be included with their registration number.

PRE-STATE PORCELAIN KIT TYPE These porcelain “kit type” license plates were manufactured by the Stafford Illuminated Auto Lamp and Number Company of Chicago, Illinois. Many of these plates have a patent date of the back while others read only “Patent Pending”. The earliest verified patent date is February 14, 1911.

A second “kit type” license plate featured a metal base to which metal numbers (with tabs on them) were fastened. The metal bases were painted black and the numbers were painted silver. An oval nameplate with tabs was also available which was painted black with the city name or TEXAS stenciled in silver.

PRE-STATE METAL KIT TYPEThis very interesting “pre-state” period for the issuance of license plates in the State of Texas ended on June 30, 1917 with the beginning of “State issued” license plates on July 1, 1917.

The early part of this “state issued” period for the registration of license plates in Texas will be the subject of a future article.

Old License Plates Are Poised To Draw Top Dollar At Upcoming Auction

by Andrea L. Algar
Motorheads Performance

Part of the pride in owning a Classic or Antique Car is being able to display license plates on your vehicle that are not the "standard current issue" type that you find on every other car on the road. If you own a classic '55, a '29 pickup truck, or even a '69 muscle car, it'd be great to proudly display an original license plate from the same year it rolled off the showroom floor!


Photo courtesy Bonhams.com
as reprinted from Hemmings Daily

  Anyone who collects old license plates will certainly be interested in an upcoming auction where two 1948 Illinois license plates with the numbers "1" go up for sale. These plates reportedly were issued to Tucker Corporation because the low number plates back then were usually always issued to the "big names" in the state. The August auction will take place in Carmel, California by Bonhams, who has estimated that the pair of plates will go for somewhere between $6,000 and $8,000! Previous sales for low-number (although not as low) plates have sold for as much as $5750 according to an article in Hemmings Daily this week. The auction will also include a pair of rare art renderings by a designer hired by Preston Tucker himself.

This news led me to get back in touch with an old friend, Rod Hemmick. Rod has been providing professional restorations of YOM license plates for over 18 years, and has even been used as a reference by the State of Texas in one of their publications on the History of Texas License Plates. Guy Algar and I have been using Rod as an expert resource for the restoration work we do at Motorheads Performance, and he's always been able to come through with the best of information and help for our customers. Rod's knowledge is extensive, and the quality of his restoration work is truly outstanding.

Rod first provided me with permission to publish a series of articles he wrote specifically for people looking for old plates, and following our conversation this week, he has once again graciously agreed to allow us to reprint the articles in our newly revised Classic Car News.

- Information Series on Old License Plates -

We will be running articles on period license plates, and how you can get them for your ride. Different states have different requirements and laws governing the use of plates, and we're grateful to have an expert who has shared his knowledge with us. We begin this series with the laws governing the issuance of Antique and Classic license plates for the State of Texas. In upcoming articles, we will cover the history of license plates, proper colors, how to find YOM plates, etc. If you'd like information about another state, or any non-price questions, please contact me so we can publish the information for you or get you in touch with Rod directly.

One thing we noticed following our first discussion of plates back in 2009 was that many contacted Rod concerning his prices for obtaining plates. He cannot generally help in that area. The cost of getting old plates which are in good condition are continually going up. And, if restoration has been done, the cost is even higher. If you've done your research on-line through eBay, specialty sites or car shows, note that they are usually listed at the going rates. Your chances of finding them elsewhere for a lot less money, especially from an experienced collector/restorer, are very slim. Here, the old adage, "You get what you pay for" is especially true. If you really want the plates, don't exhaust yourself trying to save a few dollars. These sellers generally know the accurate value of the pieces they have. It's not at all unusual for vintage plates to sell for $250 or more. If you find what you're looking for and can afford them, buy them, as there are a lot of other people in line looking for the same plates!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Andrea L. Algar is co-owner of a classic car performance and restoration design shop in Leesville, Texas. Motorheads Performance specializes in repairs, maintenance, performance upgrades and restorative work on cars and trucks from the 1920’s through 1970’s. Her husband Guy L. Algar is a Mechanical Engineer with over 25 years experience. He holds 5 ASE Certifications from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence and has been working on old cars and trucks for over 37 years. Together they share their passion for old cars and trucks with other enthusiasts from around the country.