MTFCA Forum

The 4th picture from the top has me wondering about the signage on the T. Honest Bills shows No. 2. What could that have been advertising. No telling.

The last picture is probably some college kids in the late 20’s.

The Honest Bills' vehicle is probably a traveling circus/show advance man's. He or they would go ahead of the traveling show to the next towns on the route to put up posters and make arrangements for space to set up, get water, animal feed, and so forth.

The dude with the sport roadster and the girls is wearing some really crazy pants....

“Knickerbockers”. One time considered snazzy attire for playing golf.

John kuehn wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 09, 2026 4:52 pm

Honest Bills shows No. 2. What could that have been advertising. No telling.

Telling...

"Honest Bill's Shows" refers to a traveling circus and carnival operation that was active, particularly in the 1920s.
Context: It was a large, touring show known for utilizing a specialized train of high-powered trucks for transportation.
Historical Associations: In 1924, the show featured performers billed as the "World's Oldest & Youngest Contortionists," featuring William Henry "Dad" Whitlark and a young Harry Haag James.
Operations: Records indicate the show played for one day only in various locations, sometimes appearing under local auspices like the Boy Scouts.
Time Period: Newspaper records and trade publications like The Billboard show activity for "Honest Bill's" in the early 1920s.

Displaying my ignorance toward the gas tank on that 5th from the bottom factory photo of the ‘Open Runabout’. It appears to be a large much later gas tank. I would’ve thought something round or oval on a stand ??

Early runabouts had a square tank. Look at the picture of the open runabout from the Ford agency on Broadway in NY. The build specs on my ‘10 Touring shows that it was delivered to that Ford agency in March of 1910.