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2021-18,1&2, Hubcaps
Pair of Wagon Hubcaps
2021-18,1&2, Hubcaps

Pair of Wagon Hubcaps

Dateca. 1800-1860
OriginAmerica, Virginia, Valley (probably)
MediumIron
DimensionsOverall height: 10 1/4" Diameter: about 7 3/4"
Credit LineMuseum Purchase
Object number2021-18,1&2
DescriptionPair of bowl-shaped wrought hubcaps made with a tubular hook on one end and a long hasp on the other. Only cap #1 retains it's locking hook.
Label TextFew people know that the beloved hubcap, a mainstay of collectible automotive Americana, traces its roots directly back to the wagons of the 18th and 19th centuries. These early hubcaps served the same function as their 20th c. descendants by protecting the vital hardware which kept the wheels firmly attached to their vehicle. If you imagine this pair without their straps and hooks, it is easy to see how similar early hubcaps are to many made from the 1940s through the 1960s.
ProvenanceFrank Zirkle to his son Doug. This is the same family that owned the Minnick-Zirkle freight wagon (1993-7) early in the 20th century, and it is possible this pair of hubcaps is related.