1915 Cretors Model C Popcorn Wagon
- Engine
- 243 cu. in. L-head inline-four (Buda Model QU), 22.5 bhp, Zenith L5 carburetor
The 1915 Cretors Model C popcorn wagon, chassis number 9112, is one of only eight or nine known examples of this elaborate, custom-built commercial vehicle manufactured by the Chicago firm C. Cretors & Company. Powered by a Buda Model QU four-cylinder industrial engine on a heavy steel chassis, it was sold new to a buyer in Bakersfield, California, and eventually became part of the celebrated Harrah's Automobile Collection, where it underwent a meticulous 'Gold Star' restoration and operated commercially outside Showroom 1 for over two decades. It remains in functional condition today.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold US$231,000
- 1915-09-03 →Factory deliveryH.S. Herreckfull documentation
First owner, based in Bakersfield, California; purchase date confirmed by Cretors factory records.
- → 1963Private saleClinton A. Reynoldspartial documentation
Secretive early collector based in Orange, California; the wagon sat outdoors in his yard but was largely preserved by the mild local climate.
- 1963 →AuctionHarrah's Automobile Collectionfull documentation
Acquired at the Reynolds estate auction; William Harrah authorized a top-tier restoration and the wagon operated publicly outside the main showroom selling popcorn and peanuts until the collection wound down. Comprehensive Harrah's research file accompanies the vehicle.
- → 1993Acquisition unknownHarrah's Clubpartial documentation
Believed to have received the wagon following the dispersal of the automobile collection in the mid-1980s; exact transfer date unconfirmed.
- 1993 → 2007Private saleDayton McDonaldpartial documentation
- 2007 →Private saleCalifornia collectorpartial documentation
Well-known California-based collector who kept the wagon in active use until selling to the current owners.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownC.J. Harris and E.P. Sheldonpartial documentation
San Diego, California owners at some point during the roughly 45 years following the original sale; exact dates of tenure unknown.
Competition
No competition history extracted from the catalogue.
Maintenance & restoration
- 1963RestorationHarrah's Automobile Collection
A 'Gold Star' full restoration was commissioned by William Harrah immediately after the collection acquired the wagon, targeting the highest achievable level of historical authenticity. Research encompassed correct finishes, original operating recipes, period-appropriate vendor uniforms, and correctly patterned paper bags, with direct input from the Cretors Company itself.
Original Cretors promotional materials, recipes, and finish specifications were obtained directly from the manufacturer to guide the work.
- —Mechanical
The wagon was returned to fully functional operating condition at some point after the Harrah's era, allowing all popcorn and peanut-making machinery to work as intended.
Undertaken under later private ownership; exact date and workshop not specified in the catalogue.
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