1920 Nash 685--SOLD (Maine) - $0

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Extraordinarily rare 1920 Nash Model 685 4-Passenger Coupe. 1 of 1 known. This exceptional motorcar has been painstakingly restored and is truly a treasure. Bought new and owned by the same family for 91 years! This is perhaps one on the longest periods of automobile ownership in history and the car tells a wonderful story of a father and then his daughter and her family who preserved the car for nearly a century. This 1920 Nash 685 Coupe with serial number 168549 was purchased new by Arthur Stanley Little of New London, New Hampshire. Little worked as the general manager of Kearsage Telephone Company, with main offices in nearby Salisbury, New Hampshire. Founded in 1899, Kearsage Telephone was responsible for installing and maintaining the first phone system in the region, and became a thriving enterprise. Little's father, Thomas, served as the treasurer of the company in the early days and brought his son into the business. By 1920, Little was a key leader in the business. When it came time for the Company to purchase a car for the business, Little travelled to the state capital, Concord, and visited the F.W. Sanborn dealership, the only Nash dealer in central New Hampshire. Little purchased the car and it was put into service by the telephone company to inspect and maintain telephone lines. An employee of the company named Ed Carter was known to have been its primary driver. The only modification made to the car was the removal of the folding auxiliary seat up front, which allowed for room for telephone company tools and equipment. Despite being a utility company car, it appeared to have been treated exceptionally well. With only 30,000 miles on the odometer, the car was retired from service, probably sometime in the late 20s or early 30s. Obsolescence surely hastened its retirement, as no evidence of mechanical failure was found during the extensive restoration. Interestingly, Little opened a Nash dealership of his own, sometime in the late '20s, which was located adjacent to the phone company offices in New London. One can't help but speculate that he was so impressed with the quality and dependability of this particular car that Nash was the natural choice when starting his new business.