Stevens-Duryea production from 1908 to 1910 consisted of two four-cylinder, 36 hp models, both of which are represented in The William Alley Collection. The Model X presented here was the marque’s handsome touring car, which retailed at $2,850 in 1910. Stevens-Duryea built their own coachwork and the quality of the running gear was matched in this regard. The touring car design, evidenced here, has beautifully ornate and intricate moldings, particularly on the rear quarters, and elegant, pronounced handles on the front seat rests.

Among the collection, this incredibly well-preserved example stands out as embodying all of the criteria of originality that Mr. Alley prizes, and it has an interesting yet simple history.

A.G. Spalding & Bros., the legendary sporting goods company, arrived in Chicopee, Massachusetts, in 1902, concurrently building its business alongside the neighboring Stevens-Duryea plant, and as motoring was very much considered a sport in those days, it is not surprising that Spalding became local agents for the manufacturer. Mr. Alley records the remarkable history of this car as having remained within A.G. Spalding buildings through WWI, and long beyond. The Warwick Eastwood register notes ownership by Massachusetts residents Joe Knowles in 1946 and Ron Campbell in 1972, before being acquired by Mr. Alley.

Today, 115 years after being built, it is as good a representation of how the car was first supplied as one could imagine. The interior and almost all finishes appear to be original, including the beautifully hand painted car number on the rear-frame cross member. Its paintwork may have been refurbished once, in the 1940s; regardless, it has a patina that is immaculate and adds to the overall incredible preservation of this car. The bodywork is finished in rich, dark olive green, with black moldings all copiously pinstriped in red. This detail continues to the wheels, where the red accents the inside centers of the spokes, while leading edges are heightened with a gold/straw tapering stripe.

The interior leather is nothing short of miraculous in its condition, with very little wear. The panel behind the driver’s feet drops down to reveal leather pockets for a tool kit, much of which remains in place. In all respects, this is a fascinating automobile, which is so detailed that it rewards with new findings at each viewing.

All of these qualities justly earned it an HVA/FIVA Preservation Award at the St. Michaels Concours d’Elegance in 2013, and it has continued to be a draw wherever it is shown. Having survived this long, this hallmark example demonstrates the quality of an authentic, historic marque.