La rivista e il marketplace globale per gli appassionati di auto d’epoca, creati da appassionati.
La rivista e il marketplace globale per gli appassionati di auto d’epoca, creati da appassionati.
It’s a game we can play with this image that was sent to us by Marc Fellman from Australia (Click for enlargement). Marc hopes that someone might be able to identify the ‘carrossier’ as he writes: “The cars are 2 litre Theophile Schneider around 1925 or 1926 and I believe that they were photographed nearby the THS factory in Besançon, France before delivery to their new owners. Despite obvious differences I assume that the skiff-type bodies have been made by the same coachbuilding company. The profiles of the fenders or doors might be recognizable to someone. The engine-turned finish on the metal is also quite distinctive. It is possible to make out a maker’s plaque below the driver's side door of the car on the right but without any clarity. I have already been in contact with the person who has the Labourdette archive who advises that it is not made by him.” So, if it’s not Labourdette, then who could have built these attractive bodies? Perhaps the position of the two spare wheels could be a clue? Contact us! (photo courtesy AutoPassion)
Update III by Marc Douëzy: "I am quite sure this is a picture of the cars that were to be exhibited at the Paris Salon. The year I don't know, but it could be 1923 as the car on the left looks quite like the one in the 1923 catalogue.
Most Th Schneider were bodied by the nearby coachbuilders. If before WWI, and as Th Schneider had a factory near Paris, some were bodied by famous coachbuilders such as Kellner, it seems that, after the war, most were bodied in Besançon by Monjardet. Mr Monjardet was on the board of the company which explains why. A few were bodied by Holliger et Leloup in the city of Montbéliard, some by Wandres in Belfort or by Henri Gauthier in Lyon. I know that many were sold in the UK and some have had bodies by Corsica such as Graham Thorn's car.
As far as the Canadian car, which is restored, is concerned I am not really sure that any car were ever prepared for the le Mans race in 1929. At this time the company was near bankrupted and had certainly other problems to solve. And the last Th Schneider to race in 1927 had a very light fabric body and I don't think they would have entered such a heavy car as their new 7CV was probably the last th Schneider to race in the Routes Pavées race in 1928.
At last, the Th. Schneider company should not be called Théophile but simply Th. Schneider. In fact Mr Schneider, the same as in Rochet Schneider, was named Théodore! In France we sometimes say a Théo! This is enough to describe the make.
I hope this information will be useful and I remain at your disposal for any other details on this make which was created by my great Grand father in 1910.