Electrical Equipment of the Car Vol 1 1926 Illustrated Automotive Technical Reference
 
Electrical Equipment of the Car — Volume 1
 
By Herbert J. Butler & Hugh E. J. Butler (assisted by many experts & collaborators)
Forward by Sir Herbert Austin
Published 1926 by W. R. Howell & Co., 42 Theobald’s Road, London
Printed in Great Britain by Unwin Brothers Ltd., London & Woking
 
Bibliographic Details
 
Title: Electrical Equipment of the Car. Volume 1 – Comprising the Various Systems Fitted to British, French, Italian, German and Other European Cars
Authors/Editors: Herbert J. Butler & Hugh E. J. Butler, assisted by many experts and collaborators. Forward by Sir Herbert Austin.
Publisher: W. R. Howell & Co., 42 Theobald’s Road, London
Printer: Unwin Brothers Ltd., London & Woking
Publication date: 1926
Format: Hardcover (limp grain cloth cover imitating leather)
Pagination: xlviii + 506 pages
Illustrations: 574 illustrations, 24 folding plates, 61 tables, 394 wiring diagrams, 428 electrical specifications (all present and accounted for, including frontispiece)
Size: approx. 21.7 × 14.1 × 3.3 cm
Weight: approx. 926 g
 
Description & Significance
 
This volume is a comprehensive early-20th-century reference work on automotive electrical systems across major European car manufacturers. With contributions from numerous experts and a forward by automotive pioneer Sir Herbert Austin, it remains a significant technical resource for classic car enthusiasts, restorers, and historians. The sheer volume of wiring diagrams, tables and folding plates makes this a standout edition in the field of automotive engineering literature.
 
Exterior Condition
 
Bound in limp grain cloth embossing the appearance of leather, with gilt titles on the front board and spine, embossed decorative borders on front and rear boards, and a panelled spine. The cover is intact and structurally robust. Cosmetic wear is modest and expected for a book nearly 100 years old: light rubbing to corners and edges, some surface marks and faint fading. Please refer to photos for more detail.
 
Interior Condition
 
Black pastedowns and endpapers; edge coloured in a blue/black finish. The text block is clean and neat overall, with occasional light marks, one or two very small folds at the edges, and minor rips at some plate edges. Notably, a few small rips appear on the folding plate facing page 234, but the plate is still present and intact (see photos). No pen or pencil inscriptions. The binding remains tight and secure, and all leaves are present.
 
Completeness & Features
 
All xlviii + 506 pages are present. All 574 illustrations, 24 folding plates, 61 tables, 394 wiring diagrams and 428 electrical specifications are accounted for.