PLEASE SEE PHOTO FOR DETAILS AND CONDITION OF THIS NEW POSTER
SIZE OF POSTER PRINT - 12 X 18 INCHES
DATE OF ORIGINAL PRINT, POSTER OR ADVERT - 1947
At PosterPrint Shop we look for rare & unusual ITEMS OF commercial graphics from throughout the world.
The PosterPrints are printed on high quality 48 # acid free PREMIUM GLOSSY PHOTO PAPER (to insure high depth ink holding and wrinkle free product)
Most of the PosterPrints have APPROX 1/4" border MARGINS for framing, to use in framing without matting.
MOST POSTERPRINTS HAVE IMAGE SIZE OF 11.5 X 17.5.
As decorative art these PosterPrints give you - the buyer - an opportunity to purchase and enjoy fine graphics (which in most cases are rare in original form) in a size and price range to fit most all.
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DESCRIPTION OF ITEM: additional information:
Chris-Craft Boats was an American manufacturer of boats that was founded by Christopher Columbus Smith (1861–1939). The company was sold by the Smith family in 1960 to NAFI Corporation, which changed its name to Chris-Craft Industries in 1962. The current successor is Chris-Craft Corporation, which produces motorboats under the Chris-Craft name.
History
Chris Smith built his first wooden boat in 1874 at the age of 13. Years later, he built a duck hunting boat. His friends liked the way he built them, and they asked him to build them one. This was technically the start of the boat company. He soon began to build more boats and joined his brother Hank in 1881 to begin producing boats full-time.
In 1910, the brothers joined with other partners to form the Smith Ryan Boat Company.[1] The firm's name was changed in 1922 to Chris Smith & Sons Boat Company, then to Chris-Craft in 1924. The Detroit-area company became well known for its sleek racing boats in the 1910s and 1920s. Chris-Craft sold high-end powerboats to wealthy patrons such as Henry Ford and William Randolph Hearst.
In the late 1920s, Chris-Craft extended its market into the middle class when it became one of the first mass-producers of civilian pleasure boats. The company began assembly line production at their plant in Algonac, Michigan, on the St. Clair River, dramatically lowering production costs. Formerly, most powerboats had been hand-built. Engines were supplied by both Ford and Chrysler, and by the Hercules Engine Company in later models.
In 1927, the company introduced the Cadet, an affordable 22' runabout. At the time, the domain of speedboats was largely confined to the wealthy. Its innovative advertising campaign promised a piece of "the good life" to the growing American middle class. The company sold its boats on the installment plan, making them among the first powerboats available to the general population.
The Great Depression robbed many Americans of discretionary income, and Chris-Craft sales suffered. The company introduced a line of low-priced powerboats to stay solvent. By 1935, a 15.5' utility boat sold for as little as US$406 ($8,024 in 2021 dollars ). During World War II, the company produced small patrol boats and launches for the U.S. Navy.
After the war, Chris-Craft introduced a new lineup of civilian pleasure boats in time for the massive American consumer expansion of the 1950s. That decade marked the height of company prestige, and the Chris-Craft brand name became virtually synonymous with pleasure boating. The company offered 159 different models, and it was the sales leader in many categories of small civilian powerboats.
The company sold high-end boats to famous customers such as Dean Martin, Katharine Hepburn, Frank Sinatra, and Elvis Presley. Their boats were often made from the finest mahogany and were considered to be among the best available. They were easy to operate, a must for their "weekend sailor" owners. In some circles, owning a Chris-Craft was expected. Even their lower-priced boats were considered to be of high quality, often featuring such luxurious items as a liberal use of mahogany, teak, and brass.
Chris-Craft manufactured its first fiberglass boat by 1955. The company added a metal boat division in 1957, designated as the Roamer Steel Boats Division (RSBD). This was founded upon its purchase of the Roamer Boat Company, and the boats became known as Chris Craft Roamers.
The company was acquired by Shields & Company's NAFI Corporation in 1960 under which the company operated independently. Chris-Craft Industries sold its boat division to Murray Industries in 1981, while retaining the Chris-Craft trademark and licensed it to Murray. Outboard Marine Corporation acquired the boat company in 1989, then went into bankruptcy in 2000 and was purchased by Genmar Holdings. Genmar sold the Chris-Craft boat division to Stellican Ltd., then Stellican purchased the Chris-Craft trademark from News Corporation, thus reuniting the two parts of the boat company.
In June 2018, Winnebago Industries Inc. acquired Chris Craft
The Dodge brothers, Horace and John, created a highly successful Motor Car company in about 1913. The Dodge Brothers Motor Car Company grew, and by 1915 they were the second largest car manufacturer in the USA. But as fate would have it, both brothers died from influenza related illnesses in 1920. Horace Dodge's only son was Horace Dodge Jr. and after his Fathers death, his mother encouraged the young Dodge to begin his own venture in 1923 called Horace E. Dodge Boat Works which would use car assembly techniques to build wood boats. He began branding the boats under the "WaterCar" name. He spent the equivalent of over $15 million ( in todays money) building a Boat factory that only managed to produce 5 boats a day. George F Crouch was in charge of design and production. This innovative approach , coupled with world class marketing vaulted Dodge to an enviable position. By the late 20's, Dodge Boats made the competitors like Chris-Craft and Gar-Wood seem mundane. The roaring 20's instilled great optimism in the future and young Dodge was convinced there was a growing trend toward luxurious Speedboats. Plans were drawn up for a beautiful line of Dodge boats in about 1928, yet no one anticipated the stock market crash of 1929. Around the same time Dodge Jr. initiated construction of a new factory in Newport News, Virginia and boats were well under production by the Spring of 1930. The plant was State of the Art and was divided into 8 departments, linked together with an overhead monorail that moved boats from station to station.
A spectacular new Dodge model line appeared in 1930. It was available in the following lengths
- 16' Runabout. Solid mahogany construction, powered by a 40hp Lycoming. Price $945
- 21'6" Runabout. Solid mahogany, split cockpit, folding windshields, 35 mph with a Lycoming straight 8. Price $2100
- 25' Runabout. Solid mahogany, triple cockpit. Lycoming straight 8 with speeds up to 38 mph. Price $3200
- 28' Runabout. Solid mahogany. Triple cockpit. Lycoming straight 8 - 32 mph, Lycoming V12 - 45 mph. Price up to $5000
Horace Dodge Jr. was a force to be reckoned with. He was from a very wealthy family, owned homes all over the world and in his leisure time, raced cars and airplanes and boats. He is reputed to have spent well over a $1,000,000 alone trying to become a famous speedboat racer like his competitor, Gar-Wood. He had a fleet of Race boats, each named in honor of his sister, Delphine. These boats included “Baby WaterCar” with a 24 cylinder engine with 400hp., “Sister Syn” and any number race boats called “Delphine”. Dodge was well connected at the upper echelons of Society, given his status and wealth. He formed a working relationship with the Auburn Automobile company which was linked to Cord and Duesenberg. Lycoming was well known for building aircraft engines and worked with Dodge to modify their engines for marine use. Horace Jr. was adamant that his new boats would be equipped with features not seen on any other boats. Duesenberg steering wheels were use on the larger boats. The steering hub was altered to allow for throttle, spark advance and an innovative light switch at the base of the column. A Cord gear lever was fashioned and installed through the dash to operate the gearbox. Hardware on these Dodges was of the highest quality and unique to Crouches specifications. The Dodge name was featured on the step pads and the very unique "Mermaid" sculpture was attached to the bow. Dodge was convinced the mermaid would mimic hood ornaments on cars. Bar none, the Dodges that were produced in 1930 and 1931 were the finest production mahogany runabouts on the market.
Dodge remained optimistic and in the early 30’s but as the economy continued to worsen, the Dodge Boat Company found itself in a position whereby their fabulous new runabouts proved to be unaffordable to the majority of the boating public. While the family could well afford to continue to fund the Company, a decision was made to close operation in the mid 30’s which makes any Dodge that remains today both rare and exceedingly collectible. Have a look at our Web site and you will see a stunning 1931 Dodge 21’6” split cockpit Runabout we meticulously restored to Show condition. This unique boat is currently for sale through Absolute Classics Marine.
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