The Big Car Database


The Crawford Automobile was a highly regarded small-production car made in Hagerstown, Maryland, throughout the 1910s and early 1920s.

The company also made a sporting version of the Crawford, called the Dagmar, starting in 1922. The last Crawfords were sold in 1923, but the Dagmar continued until 1927.

Brothers Robert and George Crawford organized The Crawford Automobile Co. after a successful bicycle business was sold in 1902. The Crawford Bicycle Co. sold to the American Bicycle Co. who then sold the building and equipment to the Pope Mfg. Co. maker of the Pope-Tribune. The original directors of the Crawford Automobile Co. were the Crawford brothers, George Nelson and Mathias P. Moller who later built the Dagmar.

With proceeds from the Bicycle Company, the Crawford brothers devoted money and time to experimental work on the Crawford automobile. Production of conventional 2 and 4 cylinder Crawfords began in 1905 and only limited numbers were produced up to 1923.

Early Crawfords featured a 2 cylinder water cooled engine that developed 10 horsepower powering the rear wheels via a planetary transmission and chain drive. The body lines were typical of the period.

In 1906 a 4 cylinder 24-28 horsepower engine debuted with a sliding gear transmission and shaft drive. It sold for $2,000.00. In 1907 only 62 Crawfords were produced and they had larger 4 cylinder engines. The following year Robert Crawford resigned and the company was taken over by Mathias P. Moller, who made many changes to the Crawford automobile. Many components were made in house prior to Moller taking over the company. By 1910 components from outside supplies were increasingly used, including Continental six cylinder engines.

In 1909 the following Crawford models were produced - (1) Model F 50 horsepower 7 passenger Touring Car  price $3,200.00 (2) Model D 25 horsepower Runabout price $1,250.00 (3) Model H 25 horsepower light Touring Car price $1,300.00 (4) Model G 40 horsepower light Touring Car price $3,000.00.


The Dagmar was a sports version of the Crawford Automobile, made by the same highly regarded small-production company in Hagerstown, Maryland, throughout the 1910s and early 1920s. This firm was a small car producer, but was also the world's largest builder of pipe organs, the M.P. Moller company. The first Dagmars were made in 1922, and although the last Crawfords were sold in 1923, the Dagmar continued until 1927.



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