ADAMS-FARWELL

The Adams Company (1905-1911)
Dubuque, Iowa

This is an Adams-Farwell sill plate (c1906-1911)  ms
Size: Unknown

The Adams Company was founded in 1883 for the manufacture of park benches and grave markers but soon moved into milling and general foundry equipment. In 1895 Fay Oliver Farwell began to experiment with internal combustion engines. His first vehicle was working by 1898. He tried four different automobile models before making his Model 5 prototype, which was exhibited at the Chicago Automobile Show in February 1905. He designed and patented a novel rotary, radial air-cooled engine design, which he installed into his motor cars.

The first Adams-Farwell car put into production in 1905 was Model 6, a 20/25 hp three-cylinder convertible brougham. A 40/45 hp five-cylinder model was added to the line in 1906 in a variety of body styles and thereafter only five-cylinder models were offered. The Adams-Farwell incorporated several other ingenious mechanical systems but was generally regarded as a novelty and the Adams Company decided to give up the motor car business in 1911 after making 200 cars. One Adams-Farwell model remains extant.

Emblems

There are few original period photos of Adams-Farwell motor cars and only one surviving example from 1906. There is no evidence that the Adams-Farwell carried an emblem.

It is possible that some early Adams-Farwell models displayed the Adams Company name on a small brass maker's nameplate mounted at the rear of the car, see example shown below. This Adams nameplate is rare.

This is an Adams Company nameplate (c1905)   mjs
Size: 68mm wide 18mm high

From 1906, the Adams-Farwell displayed the "Adams-Farwell" name on brass sill plates, see examples shown above at the top of this post and below. Original Adams-Farwell sill plates are very rare. 

This is an Adams-Farwell sill plate (1906)   nam
Size:  Unknown