The Collection

The Seal Cove Auto Museum preserves an extraordinary collection of early automobiles from the Brass Era, a time when innovation, craftsmanship, and imagination were transforming the way people traveled. Located on a quiet back road of Mount Desert Island, Maine, the museum brings together remarkable vehicles built between 1895 and 1917, each offering a glimpse into the design, technology, and spirit of a rapidly changing world.

The collection was assembled over a lifetime by passionate automobile enthusiast Richard Paine, whose vision was to preserve these pioneering vehicles for future generations. He established the nonprofit Seal Cove Auto Museum to share this remarkable collection with the public and keep the stories of early motoring alive.

Today, visitors can explore these unique automobiles and discover the ingenuity, artistry, and ambition that helped shape the future of transportation. The museum is open to the public seasonally, May through October.

Motor Vehicles

Kimball Electric 1913

Motor Vehicle

It appears that this very original car has a total of 33 hours on the motor and 2.5 hours on the last charge; this corresponds to the 297 total miles and 28.1 hours on the "trip odometer." this is an average of 9 MPH over the use of the vehicle. A recently acquired photo of the car on display in the 1950's is in the vehicle binder. The vehicle should be stabilized and preserved. The Kimball Electric Automobile lo was made by The C. P. Kimball & Co. in Chicago, Illinois from 1910 to 1913. This early Electric automobile was available in both two and four passenger versions. The General Electric motor model 1025E1SW operated on 60 volts, 32 amps and was rated at 10 horsepower with a practical limit of 1200rpms.. A full charge of the Exide battery rated 75 to 100 miles. The transverse motor drove the rear wheels by double chain, steering was by wheel and the car had solid rubber tires. Very few Kimball Electric cars were made and this is the only one known to exist. The C. P. Kimball & Co. was a major carriage maker in the late 1800s and early 1900s and was a Judge in the 1896 Chicago to Evanston Automobile Race. C. P. Kimball died in 1891 and was succeeded by his son Charles F. Kimball who promoted the idea of making carriages and Electric Automobile lug. Unfortunately Charles F. Kimball passed away from heart disease in 1909 and his younger brother, Charles Porter Kimball II, assumed the presidency of the firm. This is an un-restored black Victoria with worn faded black paint, black leather fenders, a black folding top with green tufted fabric upholstery, and wood spoked wheels with the remains of yellow paint. The brass lighting has been partially painted. This is the second vehicle that was donated by John Mozart. The appraiser (Locke) speculated that this is a late production special order car. There is extensive information on the Kimball family and on early electric vehicles on file in the vehicle binder.

Motorcycles

Objects