The motor car: An illustrated international history By David Burgess Wise
The Motor Car: An Illustrated International History (Collectible First Edition)
A Masterful Chronology of Technological Triumphs, Failures, and the Engineering Evolution of the Automobile
A Masterful Chronology of Technological Triumphs, Failures, and the Engineering Evolution of the Automobile
Bibliographic Specifications
- Title: The Motor Car: An Illustrated International History
- Author: David Burgess-Wise
- Publisher: Orbis Publishing Ltd, London
- Publication Date: 1977
- ISBN-10: 0856132675 / ISBN-13: 9780856132674
- Edition Details: First Edition, First Impression. High-end international transport and industrial history archive.
- Binding: Hardcover with original publisher's heavy premium cloth boards, housed in the original large-scale illustrated dust jacket under a protective archive cellophane wrapper.
- Physical Format: Large Quarto Format (Oversized 4to), 312 pages. Lavishly enhanced with 387 photographs (including 258 brilliant full-colour plates) and complemented by 150 rare contemporary technical illustrations, factory line-drawings, and historical advertisements.
- Language: English
Official Condition Report
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The Book: Very Good Plus (VG+) / Near Mint
- Exterior / Boards: The original publisher's heavy cloth boards are remarkably sharp, square, and firm across all edges. The spine is completely straight, tight, robustly bound, and remains structurally and visually perfect with bright lettering.
- Interior: Exceptional and pristine. The 312 high-grade pages and dense illustration layouts are clean, crisp, stark white, and fully intact. Completely free from handling soils, greasy fingerprint marks, highlighting, previous owner gift inscriptions, or dealer pencil marks.
- Protection: Beautifully maintained and looked after, now professionally protected with a removable, archival-grade cellophane sleeve to safeguard its excellent state.
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The Dust Jacket: Very Good Plus (VG+)
- Condition: The original large-format illustrated dust jacket is complete and unclipped. Exhibits only very slight, microscopic signs of standard shelf storage wear along the extreme corner tips, completely free from deep sun fading, chips, or tears.
Synopsis & Historical Value
Published in 1977 by the prestigious Orbis Publishing house, The Motor Car is a monumental, expertly executed history that traces the seismic technological evolution of the automobile. Renowned motoring historian David Burgess-Wise meticulously details the hazardous early experiments, hidden pioneering discoveries, and high-stakes corporate gambles that led to both the triumphant successes and catastrophic failures of vehicle development across Europe and the United States. The text maps out the profound socio-economic shift that transformed eccentric individual backyard inventors into the massive, high-volume manufacturing industries that fundamentally changed the face of the modern world. Enhanced by a magnificent gallery of 387 photographs and 150 contemporary illustrations, this out-of-print first impression serves as an essential design reference atlas for automotive restorers, industrial archaeologists, and veteran car bibliophiles.
Published in 1977 by the prestigious Orbis Publishing house, The Motor Car is a monumental, expertly executed history that traces the seismic technological evolution of the automobile. Renowned motoring historian David Burgess-Wise meticulously details the hazardous early experiments, hidden pioneering discoveries, and high-stakes corporate gambles that led to both the triumphant successes and catastrophic failures of vehicle development across Europe and the United States. The text maps out the profound socio-economic shift that transformed eccentric individual backyard inventors into the massive, high-volume manufacturing industries that fundamentally changed the face of the modern world. Enhanced by a magnificent gallery of 387 photographs and 150 contemporary illustrations, this out-of-print first impression serves as an essential design reference atlas for automotive restorers, industrial archaeologists, and veteran car bibliophiles.
Author Profile: David Burgess-Wise
David Burgess-Wise is an exceptionally prominent, universally respected British automotive historian, archivist, and prolific author who has published over 30 highly acclaimed monographs on veteran, vintage, and classic motoring infrastructure. Formerly an editor for elite automotive journals and a principal historian for prominent motor manufacturers, Burgess-Wise is globally celebrated for his uncompromising technical fidelity, deep reliance on unvarnished factory records, and highly accessible narrative pacing. His mid-century visual encyclopedias remain highly sought-after, foundational reference works across private collector libraries and international transport heritage museums.
David Burgess-Wise is an exceptionally prominent, universally respected British automotive historian, archivist, and prolific author who has published over 30 highly acclaimed monographs on veteran, vintage, and classic motoring infrastructure. Formerly an editor for elite automotive journals and a principal historian for prominent motor manufacturers, Burgess-Wise is globally celebrated for his uncompromising technical fidelity, deep reliance on unvarnished factory records, and highly accessible narrative pacing. His mid-century visual encyclopedias remain highly sought-after, foundational reference works across private collector libraries and international transport heritage museums.
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