From the Collection

When you picture the anniversaries of major automobile companies, what do you imagine? Do you think of big sales or elaborate displays or advertisements about the company’s history? Packard has had some interesting anniversary promotions. For example in 1949, which was the 50th anniversary, Packard had 2000 automobiles painted a custom gold color.

The rise and fall of the Packard Motor Car Company is a fascinating story. Promotional photographs from the late 1930s to the mid-1940s show their advertising campaigns and how they mirrored the company and the automobiles it produced.