Vanderbilt Cup Races

Fascinating story, Teales work is very impressive, and sadly had his life cut short by the invention he admired and depicted.

From Helck Family Collection:Original Illustration by the "Vermeer" of Automobile Advertising-Earle Teale

This is the Bell Blvd. bridge in Bayside, queens. Thanks for posting this great archive photo. Gene

From Updated: Mystery Foto #9 Solved: The Central R.R. Motor Parkway Bridge in Queens

Howard
thank you for sharing these with all of us. Really cool long island history indeed!!!!!!!!!!  SO much of these treasures are “buried” in peoples collections and never get to be shared with other interested people. You brighten peoples day by sharing with us and also educate and enlighten us with the history behind the piece. Without actually seeing the object verbal or written descriptions sometimes do not give one a good perspective of what it actually is. This let’s us all be more aware of what to seek and look for!
thank you .Walt

From Updated: My Long Island Motor Parkway License Plate Collection (11/7/2025)

That looks like the bridge across the Central Railroad Of Long Island right of way where today’s Bell Boulevard is located in Bayside . The Motor Parkway was re-routed slightly from its west-east course in order to make use of pre-built bridge abutments over the abandoned railroad pathway; it was subsequently restored to its straight line alignment once Bell Boulevard and the surrounding area were developed in the 1940’s (after the Motor Parkway became a bike path). This bridge was probably used from 1926-1938 when the western extension of the parkway was built.

From Updated: Mystery Foto #9 Solved: The Central R.R. Motor Parkway Bridge in Queens

I have never seen this picture before.  But I say it is the bridge over the old LIRR right of way, crossing the LIMP at what is today’s Bell Blvd.  The current Bell Blvd bridge was build about 1940.  At which time the LIMP was straightened.  The older “S” turn can still be seen in the woods. 
-joe o.

From Updated: Mystery Foto #9 Solved: The Central R.R. Motor Parkway Bridge in Queens

So your obtaining these plates was a matter of finding people who had them? And sold them to you? Of course that is what I expected but I was just wondering if you ever came across any original owners or just randomly came across anyone who happened to have one?? Any cool exploration stories?
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Howard Kroplick

Dave, the only Motor Parkway license plate that I ever discovered in the home of the original owner was the 1937 #100 belonging to William K. Vanderbilt, Jr.

From Updated: My Long Island Motor Parkway License Plate Collection (11/7/2025)

Several #25 plates over the years.  Any story there?  Owned by same person?  Did you get them, together?
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Howard Kroplick
Definitely a good story: http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/long_island_motor_parkway_license_plate_25_charles_davis_and_the_good_roads

From Updated: My Long Island Motor Parkway License Plate Collection (11/7/2025)

First dibs on the CIA plate!
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Howard Kroplick

At the February AACA National Convention, someone confirmed that the CIA plate was authentic and used to designate CIA parking.

From Updated: My Long Island Motor Parkway License Plate Collection (11/7/2025)

Very cool.

You gotta tell me….where did you get these plates? Who would have kept these things around after they were no longer needed and how did you get so many of them?
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Howard Kroplick

I have been purchased Motor Parkway license plate over the last 13 years. I purchased one collection of 9 plates, another of 2 plates and 6 individual plates

From Updated: My Long Island Motor Parkway License Plate Collection (11/7/2025)

Sam, I’ve been living in oyster bay since 1976, and somewhat across the street from me was the old Stillwell Dodge for a time until it stop selling Dodges and remained as dumpy gas pump and garage place then close at some point.

From Updated 2/21/18: Mystery Foto #7 Solved: The Roslyn Motors Lincoln Dealership in 1926

Just revisiting this topic. The Deepdale guest lodge is absent in the 1924 Fairchild Aerial but does appear in the 1926 aerial. Vanderbilt didn’t build his golf course (the Deepdale Club) until 1924 - thus it would appear that the guest lodge was built some time after the 1924 aerial was taken early in that year.
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Howard Kroplick

Mitch, makes sense!

From Willie K's Guest Lodge in Lake Success

P. S. - Bob Swanson - please elucidate about “Ridgefield”.  NJ or CT?  What am I missing here (or have forgotten)?  Sam, III

From Highlights from the AACA Annual Meeting Presentation "A Tribute to Henry Austin Clark. Jr."

Dragging this wild thread out even further, Mitch, was Command at 350 Lexington Ave. (later Stilwell-com-Robert-cum-Oyster Bay Dodge)?  Back to Roslyn, “Willie K’s 1928 Lincoln on display at the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum may have been purchased from Roslyn Motors.”; SG, HA, or AV should be able to document that from the incredibly-detailed records at the V. Mus. (one can but hope).  Sam, III
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Howard Kroplick I

Unfortunately, Stephanie Gress looked and the Vanderbilt Museum does not have any documentation on the dealership.

From Updated 2/21/18: Mystery Foto #7 Solved: The Roslyn Motors Lincoln Dealership in 1926

Sam III….Appreciate your re-collection about the “joyride” with Austie in the 5th Ave Coach ( an adventure you’ll never forget! ) When I was at the Half Hollow Hills library, they have copies of ” The Checkered Flag ” and ” Great Auto Races ” written by Peter Helck. Austie must have donated one of these books ( Inside cover is signed by him in 1973 ). A nice suprise to notice.

From Highlights from the AACA Annual Meeting Presentation "A Tribute to Henry Austin Clark. Jr."

Enjoyed the drive with Jay Leno in the Fiat !

From Update: Peter Helck's 1921 Benz-Mercedes "Rabbit-the-First" Now Owned by Jay Leno

The Lincoln dealer on south oyster bay road across from Grumman aircraft was command Lincoln mercury.They closed in the early 80’s.

From Updated 2/21/18: Mystery Foto #7 Solved: The Roslyn Motors Lincoln Dealership in 1926

*VCR inscribed on this Vanderbilia:  1904 race
*Location/Auto/Driver & Mechanician:  Looks to be quite a curve towards the LIRR. This curve matches the right turn crossing the LIRR, then proceeding east on Jericho Tpke. in Queens. But the DeDietrich #2, driven by Fernand Gabriel & D. Miollans; broke down in Hicksville; probably in vicinity of the LIRR ( broken pump & frozen carburetor in lap 7. They finished in 8th place ). The inscription on the Vanderbilia states Hicksville. So my answer is Hicksville.

*Artist: Ernest Montaut, Born 11/7/1878 - Died 8/9/1909. His wife Marguerite was also an artist. Mr. Montaut was known to use a lithograph stone process for his artwork.

*Possible purpose for this Vanderbilia:  This looks to be a metal novelty box. Metal is also used for lithography. The artwork is obviously “stenciled” on the top/lid of the box. Perhaps Marguerite had this novelty box made in memory of her late husband, who passed at such an early age.

*Manufacturer of this Vanderbilia and when:  Don’t know who and when this was made. Sometime after 1909?

From Mystery Foto #8 Partially Solved:A Humidor Vanderbilia from the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum

That Austie/LIAM duster brings back great memories but Austie’s trademark was his godawful checkered jacket which I memorialize, along with the LIAM Jeep truck, in
<http://sbiii.com/autopix/duesbrg2.jpg> at <http://sbiii.com/automot2.html#clasicar>.  Sam, III

From Highlights from the AACA Annual Meeting Presentation "A Tribute to Henry Austin Clark. Jr."

The AACA Truck Seminar back in the 1970’s-80’s was always a highlight of the event. Austin pulled a few cars out of Ridgefield in the early years, the ALCO that is now in the Nethercutt Collection being one of them.

From Highlights from the AACA Annual Meeting Presentation "A Tribute to Henry Austin Clark. Jr."

I lived onlytwo miles from Austie but quite literally across the tracks.  Even though we weren’t, he always treated me like an old friend.  My favorite Austie adventure was when he took me for a wild ride in the open-top Fifth Avenue Coach with me in the top front right seat and he steered us too close to live power lines in downtown Southampton - terrifying. but the road was so heavily crowned that the greater danger was as the bus tipped madly over; he got us out of that fiasco safely and roared with laughter afterward.  We tipped a few into the wee hours on occasion and, for all his Cuban tobacco wealth, he was always a genial all-around good guy.  I still miss him.  Sam, III

From Highlights from the AACA Annual Meeting Presentation "A Tribute to Henry Austin Clark. Jr."