Photograph of Motor Buggy

Sears
Motor Buggy
Production 1908-1912
With vehicle fever sweeping the globe, the early twentieth century was a time of innovation in design, manufacture, fitting and even sales. Today, it’s common to buy a car via a dealership or an advert, but a century ago, you could buy a car by mail order from the Sears catalogue. The recipient of such an order would receive a Sears Model K Motor Buggy, a vehicle designed by Alvaro S. Krotz, which had yet to be assembled upon receipt. This is how Sears targeted farmers and other people living farther away from cities who wanted to buy a car but couldn’t, because the nearest dealer was too far away. However, Sears did not roll off to immediate success – in the same year 1908, Henry Ford introduced the Model T, with which the Sears Model K Motor Buggy was unable to compete for the attention of customers.