26-09-2019, 08:45 AM
(This post was last modified: 26-09-2019, 08:47 AM by Mike Costigan.)
Hmmm ... I would treat anything in the Source Book with great care! Film of the 1920s would not render gold (paint or leaf) as a pale tint as in the van picture. This is a period photo of a Longbridge-built Austin tractor in the standard colours of Royal Blue with yellow/gold lettering - you will note the lettering is virtually black:
1921 Austin tractor.jpg (Size: 64.73 KB / Downloads: 163)
I also doubt the tractor in the van photo is a French-built one; Longbridge were building these tractors up to around 1932. If the van was, indeed, maroon (and the photo rendering would make this quite possible), then I would suggest the Austin script was probably white, or maybe silver (it could well be pale blue, but that seems an unlikely colour combination!). Wings and wheels would almost certainly be black.
Edit: ... and yes, I agree, white roof!
1921 Austin tractor.jpg (Size: 64.73 KB / Downloads: 163)
I also doubt the tractor in the van photo is a French-built one; Longbridge were building these tractors up to around 1932. If the van was, indeed, maroon (and the photo rendering would make this quite possible), then I would suggest the Austin script was probably white, or maybe silver (it could well be pale blue, but that seems an unlikely colour combination!). Wings and wheels would almost certainly be black.
Edit: ... and yes, I agree, white roof!