Hol-Tan

Hol-Tan was an American automobile marque associated with a New York City dealership and trading company active in the first decade of the twentieth century. The company was established in 1906 by G. P. Tangeman, Cornelius Hoagland Tangeman, and E. R. Hollander. Its business initially centered on automobile retailing and the importation of Fiat cars. The partners had reportedly been importing Fiats informally since 1902, and the 1906 incorporation gave that activity a formal commercial structure. Hol-Tan’s relationship with Fiat soon ended. The company announced that it had abandoned the Fiat license and would concentrate on American automobiles. The change was not simply a voluntary repositioning: Fiat had revoked Hol-Tan’s license in anticipation of establishing its own production operation in Poughkeepsie, New York. Hol-Tan therefore turned toward an American manufacturing partner and introduced a car bearing its own name. The Hol-Tan automobile was manufactured by the Moon Motor Company of St. Louis, Missouri. Moon’s C and D models were shipped to the Hollander & Tangeman organization in New York and marketed under the Hol-Tan name. Most examples were essentially standard Moon automobiles with Hol-Tan branding, although some received specially commissioned New York-built bodies from Locke, Quinby and Demarest. This arrangement made Hol-Tan primarily a dealer-backed marque rather than a fully independent automobile manufacturer with its own large-scale engineering and production facilities. The cars were priced at approximately $3,000 or more, placing them in an expensive segment for the period. The company intended to build a desirable and credible image through competition, but its proposed sporting program produced little practical result. Hol-Tan became the first American company to enter the 1908 New York-to-Paris Race, yet it never supplied a car for the event. It also entered the Automobile Club of America’s 1908 reliability run, but substituted a Shawmut automobile at the last moment. Hol-Tan was the New York City dealer for Shawmut, which explains the choice of a different marque. The Hol-Tan automobile lasted only one year and was not a commercial success. In 1909 the business returned to its previous role as an automobile dealership rather than continuing production or branding cars under the Hol-Tan name. By 1910, after Shawmut had ceased operations, the company was handling Delaunay-Belleville and Lancia automobiles. No surviving Hol-Tan cars are known. The marque is consequently remembered as a brief, dealer-controlled American automobile venture whose products were closely derived from Moon models.

Hol-Tan emerged from the early American automobile trade rather than from an established manufacturing concern. G. P. Tangeman, Cornelius Hoagland Tangeman, and E. R. Hollander formed the company in New York City in 1906. Before the incorporation, the partners had been involved in the informal importation of Fiat automobiles since 1902. The new organization gave that activity a formal dealership and corporate structure. The company's original Fiat business was disrupted when Fiat revoked Hol-Tan's license. Fiat was preparing to establish automobile production in Poughkeepsie, New York, and no longer wanted Hol-Tan to represent the marque in the same way. Hol-Tan publicly repositioned itself as a seller of American automobiles. It subsequently moved beyond dealership activity by introducing an automobile carrying the Hol-Tan name. Hol-Tan did not operate an independent automobile factory. Its cars were produced by the Moon Motor Company of St. Louis. Moon supplied its C and D models to the Hollander & Tangeman organization, which marketed them as Hol-Tans. The arrangement was typical of some early dealer-associated marques: the commercial identity and distribution came from the New York company, while the underlying engineering and manufacturing were supplied by another automaker. Most Hol-Tans were standard Moon automobiles with different branding. A minority received custom New York bodies from Locke, Quinby and Demarest. The resulting cars were expensive, costing at least $3,000 in many cases. Hol-Tan appears to have sought a premium image, and the company considered motor sport and endurance events a way to promote the marque. Its planned competitive program, however, did not produce a successful public record. Hol-Tan entered the 1908 New York-to-Paris Race, becoming the first American company to do so, but never furnished a car for the contest. It also entered the Automobile Club of America's reliability run during the summer of 1908. Instead of running a Hol-Tan, the company substituted a Shawmut at the last moment. The substitution reflected Hol-Tan's role as Shawmut's New York City dealer. The Hol-Tan automobile was offered for only one model year, 1908. The venture failed to gain lasting commercial traction, and the company returned to dealership operations in 1909. By 1910, it represented Delaunay-Belleville and Lancia, while Shawmut had gone out of business. No Hol-Tan automobiles are known to survive. The brand therefore occupies a small but illustrative place in American automotive history: it was a short-lived, high-priced marque created by a dealership, manufactured by Moon, and discontinued after a single year.

• 1910

  Dealership represented Delaunay-Belleville and Lancia

  [1]Hol-Tanen.wikipedia.org

  Hol-Tan shifted its dealership portfolio to Delaunay-Belleville and Lancia after Shawmut ceased operations.

• 1909

  Marque discontinued

  [1]Hol-Tanen.wikipedia.org

  After one model year, Hol-Tan stopped selling cars under its own name and returned to dealership operations.

• 1908

  Hol-Tan cars marketed

  [1]Hol-Tanen.wikipedia.org

  Moon C and D models were sold under the Hol-Tan name, with some examples receiving custom bodies in New York.

• 1906

  Hol-Tan established in New York City

  [1]Hol-Tanen.wikipedia.org

  G. P. Tangeman, Cornelius Hoagland Tangeman, and E. R. Hollander established Hol-Tan as an automobile dealership and trading company.

• 1902

  Informal Fiat importation begins

  [1]Hol-Tanen.wikipedia.org

  The future Hol-Tan partners were involved in importing Fiat automobiles to the United States before the company was formally incorporated.

A high-priced, dealer-backed American automobile marque positioned around prestige, exclusivity, and an intended competition-oriented image.

• Automobile · 1908

  Hol-Tan automobile

  The sole automobile marketed under the Hol-Tan name was offered in 1908. It was built by Moon Motor Company using the company's C and D models as the mechanical basis. Most examples were standard Moon cars with Hol-Tan branding, while some were fitted with custom bodies supplied by Locke, Quinby and Demarest in New York. The cars occupied an expensive market position, costing $3,000 or more, but the marque lasted only one year and no surviving examples are known.

• 1908New York-to-Paris Race entry

  United States · International

  Hol-Tan entered the 1908 New York-to-Paris Race as the first American company to enlist. The company intended to use competition to support a desirable image for its automobile, but it did not provide a car for the event.

  Outcome. The entry did not produce a race appearance or meaningful promotional result for Hol-Tan.

  Source
• 1908Automobile Club of America reliability-run entry

  United States

  Hol-Tan entered the Automobile Club of America's summer reliability run as part of its intended competition-oriented marketing approach.

  Outcome. A Shawmut was substituted at the last moment instead of a Hol-Tan automobile.

  Source

• 1909

  Return to dealership-only operationsStrategy

  Background

  The Hol-Tan automobile had lasted only one year and had not achieved commercial success.

  Action taken

  Hol-Tan discontinued its own automobile marque and resumed operating solely as a dealership.

  Aftermath

  The dealership later handled Delaunay-Belleville and Lancia automobiles.

  Source

• 1908

  Launch of the Hol-Tan automobileProduct launch

  Background

  The company sought to remain in the automobile business after losing its Fiat license and to establish a premium American marque.

  Action taken

  Hol-Tan marketed Moon C and D models under its own name, with selected cars receiving custom New York bodies.

  Aftermath

  The automobile was sold for one year and was not commercially successful.

  Approximate vehicle price. $3,000 or more (1908)

  Source

• Shift from Fiat representation to American automobilesStrategy

  Background

  Fiat revoked Hol-Tan's license while preparing its own automobile production operation in Poughkeepsie, New York.

  Action taken

  Hol-Tan announced that it would abandon the Fiat business and concentrate on American cars.

  Aftermath

  The company developed a Moon-based automobile sold under the Hol-Tan name.

  Source

1. 1Hol-Tanen.wikipedia.org