Monday mystery: the perfect cars for a Sunday outing

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Oh, the joys of the rolling English road... the breeze and the birdsong, the wayside inn and the sweet perfume of the meadows. It is pictures like this which illustrate so handsomely why the veteran, Edwardian and vintage periods represented the Golden Age of Motoring. Sat-navs, entertainment systems and motorways can go to the devil, their creator; just give me an open touring car and an open English road, and the gates to Paradise are opened.

If one is of a like mind to me, and means to travel the country viâ its most ancient and perfect byways, these two cars would seem to be the perfect ones for the task: torquey, robust, comfortable and ever so good-looking. With plenty of room for a picnic hamper well-stuffed with game pie and fruits of the season, what could make for a better Sunday afternoon drive to a favourite spot, an old mill stream or a hill with a commanding view? Unfortunately for our happy motorists, it seems they haven't quite reached their destination yet, the stop being occasioned by the second car requesting some attention, but we are sure it is no major matter. They'll be on the move again within 15 minutes.

Although I have ventured to assert that these two cars look perfect for touring, I am afraid that I do not quite what they are. The second car has a passing resemblance to a Daimler but seems to lack the requisite radiator flutes, but the first one is quite another matter. It has such a distinctive shape to its radiator, and yet it is not one that I can recall seeing before. Readers, please help if you can.

It remains to answer where and when the pictures may have been taken. The year would be circa 1910 but the location is less obvious. The first car seems to just have an "A" registration, denoting London, whereas the other has "AF" for Cornwall. Cornwall, probably, is the scene of the picture, for it is far more likely that a wealthy inhabitant of the country would buy and register a car in London before returning to his estate than vice versâ. Perhaps those of our readers who possess a suitable Edwardian tourer would like to venture with it to beauteous Cornwall for their summer holiday next year.

Words: Zack Stiling; Photograph: Stiling Collection

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