From tiny houses to smaller vehicles, it’s not uncommon to hear folks talking about downsizing these days. It’s a subject that got me to thinking about some of the smaller and lesser known aspects of vehicle collecting.
Tiny replicas of about anything can be incredibly fascinating. It doesn’t matter if you’re referencing a ‘mini-me’ as seen in your own grandchild or those highly detailed, scale models that mirror a coveted muscle car, pickup truck, classic motorcycle, or antique tractor. Those petite particulars carry a personality all their own and are easy to showcase. It seems the world has always been fascinated with ‘smalls.’ So much so that the die cast toy industry, itself, is said to be worth close to 2 billion dollars today! There’s nothing tiny about that!
While many of these collectibles are easy to obtain, other ‘old world’ pieces like original patent models, salesman’s samples, promotional items, period wood and tin toys, miniature vehicles, and other early display pieces can be especially challenging to locate and acquire. Our Wheels That WonThe West® collection has long been a repository for this type of history and, over the years, we’ve come across a number of these intriguing survivors. From private collections and museums to flea markets, yard sales, and antique stores, these pieces are scattered all over the country. Part of their appeal is that they’re connected to the multiple worlds of transportation, advertising, business, agriculture, artistry, and childhood.
One of the rarest and most iconic examples of scaled head-turners is a Concord coach we came across while visiting Wall Drug in Wall, South Dakota. If I could describe this set of wheels in one word, that word would be “UNBELIEVABLE!” Far from a rough sawn piece of common folk art, this throwback to yesterday is a smaller-than-life, absolute mirror of a genuine Concord Hotel coach. The full-size originals of this design once plied the streets, stage routes, and early train stations of America. They were first class rides infused with beauty and adorned with style.
This scaled Concord coach is an incredible, down-sized mirror of a genuine Abbot-Downing vehicle.
This particular tiny tribute is located above the entrance to a gift shop that's connected to Wall Drug’s Western Café. From the green body and straw yellow running gear to the striping, leather, glass, and metalwork, this icon is a showstopper. Everything on it is formed, fitted, and made to function like the original. In other words, latches turn, doors swing, windows open, wheels turn, seats are properly sewn and cushioned, brakes move, steps fold, and the entire interior – from the leather seats to side tassels and headliner are all impeccable copies of the full-size nineteenth century legend. It’s as if the piece was made by a stagecoach factory specializing in bantam rides of artistic precision.
According to Rick Hustead of Wall Drug, this custom set of wheels has been a fixture in their store for well over a half century. While the build date has been lost to time, it’s definitely possible that it could have been created in the nineteenth century. It was certainly fashioned by someone with an exceptional understanding of Concord coach construction. As I viewed the old set of wheels, I was taken aback by the serious level of involvement in the woodwork, wheelmaking, iron artistry, leatherwork, stitching, paint, pinstriping, and what may be gold leaf on the doors. The intricate detail in the piece is so painstakingly thorough and accurate that it wouldn’t surprise me to learn that the legendary firm of Abbot-Downing actually built the coach. If you’re ever in western South Dakota, you owe it to yourself to see this diminutive copy of historic perfection. It’s a one-of-a-kind homage to the legendary Concord coach. Regrettably, there is no surviving documentation outlining the provenance of the piece, but it’s clearly a very special – and old – creation. The detail level is off-the-charts original. In fact, in all of our travels and decades of research, I’ve never come across an early reproduction like this. Incredibly, the interior of the body is just as exquisite as the entire exterior. (Even the leaf & vine art in the fabric headliner is period perfect!) Once you see the amazing quality of western artwork lining the walls of the café, you’ll understand why this stage was positioned at the entrance. It’s an impeccable centerpiece to a western story that continues to inspire generations around the globe.
The white-looking covering to the top of the stage is hard-to-reach dust that has accumulated.
This and so many more treasures of the Old West can still be seen in countless places across the country. Most often, there are no road maps to the discoveries. Keeping a keen, watchful eye and heightened sense of awareness can make all the difference in the number of celebratory finds in any trip. This coach is a prominent reminder that big rewards can come in small packages.
We’ll cover even more ‘smalls’ in upcoming blogs. If you have an interesting tiny tribute to western wheels or know of one, please drop us a line. We’d love to hear from you.
( By the way, the story of Wall Drug’s beginnings is equally intriguing. If you’d like to know more about this amazing destination and how it was started, check out their history at www.walldrug.com)
