BAILEY ELECTRIC

S. R. Bailey & Co. Inc. (1907-1916)

Amesbury, Massachusetts

This is a Bailey Electric nameplate (c1908)     mjs
Size: 102mm wide 32mm high

The Bailey Electric was an attractive Victoria phaeton with batteries located underneath the body. The car was capable of 80-100 miles at 15-16 mph on a single battery charge.

The first Bailey Electric Victoria phaeton was built in 1899 but the available batteries were too heavy for the motor to pull the vehicle. By 1906, Exide and Edison batteries were able to be used effectively and the Bailey Electric went into production for the 1907 model year. The first Bailey Electric was introduced at the New York Automobile Show in 1907 and was applauded for its graceful appearance and quality of workmanship. The Bailey Electric became known as America's finest electric motor automobile. 

From 1912 a roadster version was produced with styling that was advanced for the period. Bailey Electric also produced a battery powered electric delivery van based on a passenger car chassis from 1912 to 1914. But the Bailey Electric was an expensive automobile and the company suffered from a declining market from about 1913. Sales fell and it was all over by March 1916. 

Emblem

The Bailey Electric did not carry an emblem but did show a brass nameplate combined as a serial plate, see example shown above at the top of this post. This Bailey Electric nameplate has a very low serial number and is extremely rare. This same Bailey Electric nameplate was once in the Al Thurn emblem collection.

Take care, however, as there are good reproductions of this nameplate but they do not have a serial number.

There are only four surviving examples of the Bailey Electric. The following photo shows a Bailey Electric nameplate mounted under the dash of a surviving 1911 Bailey Electric owned by Bart Bailey, whose family produced the vehicle.

Interior of Bailey Electric showing nameplate (1911)  bart bailey