Jack - Michelin

Antique Michelin & Cie car jack, model “Forest”, rated 1,000 kg on the plate. It is a vintage garage and motoring collectible from the early days of the motor car, when Michelin supplied accessories and tools along with its tyres.

The jack has a cast, domed base with a flange foot, a stepped telescopic body, and a lifting column topped with a lipped saddle cap. A brass maker’s plate is riveted to the body. It reads “MICHELIN & Cie, Clermont-Fd”, “FOREST 1,000 KGS” and “Emploie la clé” in a stamped bezel, followed by “Mode d’emploi” with the operating instructions in French, and finishes with “Fabriqué en France – Made in France”. The drive socket is on the side of the dome.

The jack comes with its original-style long crank handle. It has a cranked grip, a long extension rod and an articulated joint, so the jack could be worked from some distance, for example from the side of the car without crouching beside the wheel.

Michelin & Cie is one of the most collected names in motoring memorabilia. Its pre-war accessories, signs and tools are sought after by collectors of automobilia, garage décor and early motorsport history.

Condition

Jack: Used, with strong age and honest patina. There is surface rust and pitting, and the old finish is worn back to bare metal in places, mainly on the upper body and around the foot. There is dirt and grease in the recesses. The body, base, lifting column and saddle cap are all present. It has not been cleaned or restored.

Brass plate: Present and original, but dented and creased across the middle. This affects some of the instruction text, which is partly illegible. The Michelin name, “Forest 1,000 kgs” and “Made in France” are legible. There is a rivet on each side.

Crank handle: Present, with wear and light rust and some loss of plating. The joint and extension rod are complete.

The Jack is functional in the sense that the crank does move it up and down, however, I have not applied weight on it.