Middleby Auto Company

The Middleby Auto Company (1908–1913) was a brass era American automobile manufacturer, based in Reading, Pennsylvania.^[1][2]

Middleby Auto Company

Industry	Automobile manufacturer
Founded	1908; 117 years ago (1908)
Founder	Joseph Middleby or Charles M. Middleby
Defunct	1913; 112 years ago (1913)
Fate	Closed and sold
Headquarters	Reading, Pennsylvania
Products	Automobiles
Brands	Middleby, Reading

Middleby roadster, 1909

History

The company was founded by Joseph Middleby, who purchased the Duryea Power Company factory.^[2] Some Middlebys were sold as Readings.^[1][2]

Middleby's first 1908 Model A automobile was a runabout with a 108-inch wheelbase and 30 x 3+1⁄2-inch tires, a four-cylinder, air-cooled engine, with a sliding-gear shaft-drive transmission with three speeds forward and one reverse. Standard equipment included two gas lamps, two side oil lamps, one rear lamp, tools, and a French horn. Its price was $850, equivalent to $29,747 in 2024.^[2]

Model B was a touring car, based on the same chassis, and priced at $1,000. By 1910 the company had sold about 400 automobiles. After 1911, the wheel base increased to 120 inches, with 36-inch wheels and a 4-cylinder water-cooled engine.^[2] Middleby automobiles were produced in six models: a Runabout for $850, single rumble for $1,000, surrey for $1,000, double rumble for $1,100, touring car for $1,200, and Toy Tonneau for $1,200, equivalent to $40,496 in 2024.^[1][3]

Two automobile reference books show Charles M. Middleby as company owner. His relationship to the plant property owner, Joseph Middleby, is not known. Joseph Middleby died in 1911, and the company was operated by his executors until closed and sold in 1913.^[4][5][6]

Middleby Advertisements

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  1908 Middleby Runabout
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  1908 Middleby Advertisement
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  1913 Middleby Advertisement

Reading

Between 1910 and 1913, an up-market Middleby was market as the Reading. It had a larger four-cylinder engine, was a foot longer in wheelbase, and was priced several hundred dollars more. Charles M. Middleby decided that his top-of-the-line car should carry his own name, a bigger and pricier Middleby was introduced for 1911. Both marques ended in 1913.^[2]