Hi and welcome to our Show and Tell. We are showing off some of our fun items that we collected throughout the years. If you see something of interest and are in the USA please contact us. Then we can possibly list and reserve the item you’re interested in at our Etsy store for purchase. For pickup only items we can list and reserve the item at our Ebay store. We are not selling items through this website, it is for Show and Tell purposes only. Thank You!
Coachwork by Murray Bronze Brass Plaque Paperweight. Murray was a metal stamping company that made car bodies & framework for Ford, Hudson, Hupmobile, King, Studebaker, Lincoln, etc. The front is engraved with a raised wreath with center portrait of a man wearing a top hat in enamel with small red enamel mechanical graphic at the top of the hat, under cameo portrait is inscription – Coachwork by Murray. Stand not included.
Looks bronze or brass nonmagnetic. Measures around 4″ wide x 2 1/2″ tall and 3/16″ thick not counting feet. Weight is nice for size at close to 10 oz. Fun auto industry collectible.
Vintage condition with scratches, scuffs, dings, nicks, stains, verdigris, old glue residue, enamel has chipping nice Patina and still looks great!!! Plaque is original as found. Seen several Murray emblems tags from automobiles but seen only one paperweight and I grabbed it! Found some fun history from cool coachworks website on this famous historic company at bottom!! .
Guessing made 1920’s. Cool Old Coachwork by Murray Plaque Paperweight!!
Please check pictures for description and condition.
Murray Body Corp.; Murray Corp. of America J.W. Murray Mfg. Company, 1913-1924; Murray Body Corporation, 1924-1926; Murray Corp. of America, 1926-1965; Detroit, Michigan
John William Murray, the founder of the J.W. Murray Mfg. Co., was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1862. By 1903, he was a director and factory manager of the Michigan Stamping Co. of Chesterfield, Michigan, an early sheet metal products manufacturer.
However, John William Murray had resigned from Michigan Stamping in 1913 and along with his son, John R. Murray, formed the J.W. Murray Mfg. Co. to manufacture stamped sheet metal parts for the automobile industry. Their first plant was located at the corner of Fordyce St and Morrow St., across from the Grand Trunk Western Railroad line. Their initial 12,000 sq. ft. plant was replaced in 1916 by a much larger one that bordered on Fordyce, Morrow, Marston and Clay Sts. Company served the auto industry for many more years to come.
