David Brown

[Maxwelton]

This is tacked on the top of the left door of my RN, and I'm curious if it's likely to be a "genuine" relic of this car's history, or an affectation, as it were:

   

If nothing else, it's fairly charming, despite (or perhaps because) someone forgot their straightedge when tacking it up. The plaque at initial glance appears to be something other than card, perhaps plastic, though for 1930 (if it's indeed period) wouldn't that be anachronistic?

There being no shortage of gents named "David Brown" (the plural surely would be "Davids Brown") in British automotive history, makes this difficult to research. If the Aberdeen in question is the Scottish one, it would appear that whatever stood at that address before the war is long gone, now replaced with residences.

[Malcolm Parker]

David Brown of Aberdeen were a pre-war Austin dealership so the plate is most likely original from that period.   Whether it was originally on your car is another matter.   They were generally fixed to the dashboard, not skewiff on the door capping!
Has your car got an Aberdeen registration?   If so I would look on the back of the dashboard for evidence of the fixing holes.

[nrzam]

Pretty sure Adrian Smith, SAAB dealers were here in the late 70s 80s so it was a garage then

[Maxwelton]

Whatever GB registration this car may have once had has long since disappeared, unfortunately...there is no trace physically or among the few documents I have. The car appears to have been here in the states since at least 1950 and perhaps earlier. I'll peek at the dash and see if there are corresponding holes anywhere.

[Lowespeed]

The material may be Celluloid, an early type of "plastic"

[Jeff Taylor]

This more recent housing development is on the site of 116 -124 Stanley Street in Aberdeen. The Ordnance Survey map was published in 1938 - I've delineated the site in red. It would appear that by September 1938 it had become 'J. Robertson's Garage'.


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[IanClayton]

My 1928 copy of Fletchers Motor Trades Directory lits David Brown having space for 40 vehicles at their 116-124 Stanley St. Aberdeen address
So quite a substantial enterprise. -- I think the plasickey material of the plate is probably "Ivorine"" widely used by the engraving
and nameplate industry at the time and often machine engraved or heat stamped then depressions filled with colour paint.

Ian C