Brass Era car
Overview
The automotive Brass Era is the first period of automotive manufacturing, named for the prominent brass
fitting
s used during this time for such things as lights and radiator
s. It extends from the first commercial automobile
s (first known as motocycles
) marketed in the 1890s until about World War I
. The term "Brass Era automobile" is a retronym
for "horseless carriage," the original name for such vehicles, which is still in use today. The Brass Era closely followed the Veteran Era.
Within the 15 years that make up this era, the various experimental designs and alternate power systems would be marginalised.
Brass
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties.In comparison, bronze is principally an alloy of copper and tin...
fitting
Fitting
Fitting can refer to:* A dress fitting.* Any machine, component, piping or tubing part that can attach or connect two or more larger parts. For examples, see coupling, compression fitting or piping and plumbing fittings....
s used during this time for such things as lights and radiator
Radiator (engine cooling)
Radiators are used for cooling internal combustion engines, mainly in automobiles but also in piston-engined aircraft, railway locomotives, motorcycles, stationary generating plant or any similar use of such an engine....
s. It extends from the first commercial automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
s (first known as motocycles
Motocycle
]Motocycle was the word adopted by the United States in the later part of the nineteenth century to indicate the horseless carriage, because it was short and easier to understand than the other possibilities, such as "automobile carriage", "motor carriage", "motor vehicle", or "auto carriage". It...
) marketed in the 1890s until about World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. The term "Brass Era automobile" is a retronym
Retronym
A retronym is a type of neologism that provides a new name for an object or concept to differentiate the original form or version of it from a more recent form or version. The original name is most often augmented with an adjective to account for later developments of the object or concept itself...
for "horseless carriage," the original name for such vehicles, which is still in use today. The Brass Era closely followed the Veteran Era.
Within the 15 years that make up this era, the various experimental designs and alternate power systems would be marginalised.
Unanswered Questions
