Brewster cars
Coordinates: 40°45′02″N 73°56′20″W / 40.7505°N 73.9389°W
Brewster & Company was an American custom carriage-maker and automobile coachbuilder founded by James Brewster in 1810 and active almost 130 years. Brewster began in New Haven, Connecticut and quickly established a reputation for building America's finest carriages. He opened his first New York City showroom at 52 Broad Street in 1827.
Brewster's first known bodywork on an automobile was on an electric car in 1896 then a gasoline-powered Delaunay-Belleville chassis in 1905. Eventually they built bodies on chassis from a variety of makers winning a particular link with Rolls-Royce America Inc at Springfield.
Between 1915-1925 they produced their own line of opulent and expensive automobiles at their plant in Long Island City. The Great Depression began in 1929 and luxury car sales fell away. In 1934-35 they built and sold luxury bodies on 135 Ford V8 chassis but bankruptcy proceedings began in mid-1935 and the last of Brewster's assets were sold by auction in 1937.
Over the lifetime of this business it passed through many hands but they were usually hands linked to the founder's family.
In 1804 James Brewster became an apprentice to carriage builder Colonel Charles Chapman when he was 16 years old. He considered pursuing a life in the military, achieving the rank of Lieutenant in the Northampton militia, but ultimately decided "coachmaker with a competency" sounded better than "General Brewster". James had $30 when he completed his apprenticeship, heading out for New York in 1809 but there were delays along the way.
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