Middleby Auto Company

Industry| Automobile manufacturer
Founded| 1908; 115 years ago (1908)
Founder| Joseph Middleby or Charles M. Middleby
Defunct| 1913; 110 years ago (1913)
Fate| Closed and sold
Headquarters| Reading, Pennsylvania
Products| Automobiles
Brands| Middleby, Reading

Defunct American motor vehicle manufacturer

Middleby roadster, 1909

The Middleby Auto Company (1908-1913) was a brass era American automobile manufacturer, based in Reading, Pennsylvania.[1][2]

## History[edit]

The company was founded by Joseph Middleby, who purchased the Duryea Power Company factory.[2] Some Middlebys were sold as Readings.[1][2]

Middleby's first 1908 Model A automobile was a runabout with a 108-inch wheelbase and 30 x 3 1/2 inch tires, a four-cylinder, air-cooled engine, with a sliding-gear shaft-drive transmission with three speeds forward and one reverse. Standard equipment included two gas lamps, two side oil lamps, one rear lamp, tools, and a French horn. Its price was $850, equivalent to $27,685 in 2022.[2]

Model B was a touring car, based on the same chassis, and priced at $1,000. By 1910 the company had sold about 400 automobiles. After 1911, the wheel base increased to 120 inches, with 36-inch wheels and a 4-cylinder water-cooled engine.[2] Middleby automobiles were produced in six models: a Runabout for $850, single rumble for $1,000, surrey for $1,000, double rumble for $1,100, touring car for $1,200, and Toy Tonneau for $1,200, equivalent to $37,689 in 2022.[1][3]

Two automobile reference books show Charles M. Middleby as company owner. His relationship to the plant property owner, Joseph Middleby, is not known. Joseph Middleby died in 1911, and the company was operated by his executors until closed and sold in 1913.[4][5][6]

## Middleby Advertisements[edit]

* 1908 Middleby Runabout

* 1908 Middleby Advertisement

* 1913 Middleby Advertisement

## Reading[edit]

Between 1910 and 1913,an up-market Middleby was market as the Reading. It had a larger four-cylinder engine, was a foot longer in wheelbase, and was priced several hundred dollars more. Charles M. Middleby decided that his top-of-the-line car should carry his own name, a bigger and pricier Middleby was introduced for 1911. Both marques ended in 1913.[2]

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b c Georgano, Nick (2001). The Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile (3 vol. ed.). Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers. ISBN 1-57958-293-1.
2. ^ a b c d e f Kimes, Beverly Rae; Clark Jr., Henry Austin (1996). Standard Catalog of American Cars 1805-1942 (3rd ed.). Krause Publications. ISBN 978-0-87341-428-9.
3. ^ "The Carriage Monthly". March 1, 1912.
4. ^ "Massachusetts Probate Court Record - 1924".
5. ^ "Automobile Topics Magazine". April 26, 1913.
6. ^ "The Horseless Age". April 1, 1908.

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