Name/Title
Rauch Lang Electric Victoria, 1908Description
No provenance or history prior to purchase for / Scher collection.
The Rauch family had been a builder of wagons, then luxury carriages, in Cleveland since 1853. Founder Jacob Rauch was killed in the Civil War at Gettysburg, his son Charles Rauch teamed up with accountant Charles E. J. Lang, whose family made a fortune in the Cleveland real estate boom, to build the business into the principal maker of wagons and carriages in the region. In 1904 they decided to make luxury electric carriages. The motor and controller were from the Hertner Electric Co, which became part of R & L in 1907.
In June of 1915, in part to settle infringements on Baker patents, R & L with a capitalization value of $1 million, merged with Baker, at a capital value of $1.25 million, Owen Magnetic was folded into the mix along with fresh capital from General Electric. The new company was called Baker Rauch & Lang, some of the Lang interests diverged as the Lang Body Co.
In the winter of 1919-1920 the Company changed its name to Baker-Raulang with a body division and a material handling division (eventually absorbed by Otis Elevator). The automobile division was sold to Stevens-Duryea of Chicopee Falls Mass, they opened a subsidiary called Rauch & Lang Inc, which made electric cabs.
Vehicle wiring tested and vehicle operated, June 2015, driven in Bar Harbor 4th of July parade, shown at Northeast Harbor car show (2015) and demonstrated on Museum grounds at electric Car day and other occasions.
Green over black leather fenders with black leather dashboard a black gray lined Victoria top with gray/green corded fabric upholstery; black wood spokes wheels with nickel plated hubs.