Confidential - Cadillac 1957 catalog art

[FinCad]

I found today something really interesting from flea market. Files for GM dealers regarding sale and art of new models. Both files have clear confidential header fields.... first one having beautiful catalog art for 1957 Pontiac (confidential until November 9th 1957) and the other for 1957 Cadillac (confidential until November 7th). Inside the files twenty odd super good quality GM stamped photos which you still see time to time on sale and in GM archives. I have also another set of stamped GM picks for 1952 Cadillac which are sent directly to GM Finland for example at 1952. I was really happy to find such a set of files. Are this common still or easy to find ? Value ?

[Quentin Hall]

Great find. I think these might be the media kits that were sent to relevant recipients. An interesting aside is that the first 57 Biarritz is depicted on the golf coarse. This is the car that recently sold for 3/4 of a million $.

[Bill Young]

If You lived in Finland You were almost obligated to buy a Cadillac with Fins.
Just kidding

[Ralph Messina CLC 4937]

Sami,

I agree that it's mostly like the Press Release Kit. November 7th was Cadillac's introduction date. I've accumulated most, but not all, of the photos. Would you please post a picture of the Eldorado Seville photo?

Ralph

[veesixteen]

I assume you are referring to the annual GM "Press Kits" distributed in conjunction with the major annual car shows,  with 5-6 detailed B&W photos plus textual descriptions of each model or detail. I have had a few come through my own collection over the last 50 years. You may still find some, on eBay for example. Some vendors prefer to sell off the photos individually. As far as prices go, I have lost touch; I am guessing that a complete press kit, in the original folder/binder will command a price in excess of $100 (more if the model is rare ... like the 1957 Eldorado Brougham - one of these sold on Ebay, in December 2007, for over $2,000!)   

[FinCad]

Hi Again,

I took a bit messy pictures with mobile phone (and yes will deliver later the proper Seville pic)

It seems that I am having this pink 1957 press kit generally for the year with all docs included in good condition.

Then I attached also "yellowish" file cover and picture kit inside regarding 1957....there is some twenty pictures inside.  What is the English language name for that file binder ? I have tried to surf around the internet, but have not found anything this far.

Cheers
Sami

[Walter Youshock]

Proper term is "Press Kit".  It was an advertising tool assembled by Cadillac and sent to the dealers.  The dealers would use the photos and text in their local newspapers and other media.

Your kit looks,very nice and complete.  Enjoy.

[FinCad]

Thanks !

Does anyone know how many pictures the press kit should include ? 19-20 ?

Please find the sample picture in a form of 1957 Eldorado Seville as requested in one previous reply. Any rough value for this kind of picture kit ? I am not selling...just curious.

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

Excellent materials to have.

Very nice.

[Ralph Messina CLC 4937]

Sami,

Thanks or posting the pic of the Seville.

They were introductory and promotional materials used to create interest in the new models. They were sent to dealers and marketing / advertising functions and were thus plentiful when new. Usually the folder and printed material was the first thing discarded. The individual pics tended to survive longer. The sets were often broken up as they changed hands over time depending which the model the then owner liked. In general these press package had at least one pic of each model â€" nine in ’57 â€" and sometimes multiple views of the models. Given that ’57 was so radically new, I would not be surprised if the ’57 package had 18 to 20  pictures.

How many  complete sets are left is anyone’s guess; but 52 years later “not many “ would be reasonable.. To someone interested in ’57s the package would be worth “a lot”.

HTH,

Ralph

[FinCad]

Thanks,

Now I am having almost all the information I need.
The pictures are 100% without any visible failures.

ps. I bought 10" hile pile of this kind of stuff almost blind and there is similar files for 52 Cadillac as well as for several Olds etc models....I was probably pretty lucky.

[veesixteen]

Now and again, a literature collector can "Strike it Rich", as it were. I picked up for around $5 at the time a "pile" of "oldish" car magazines (mainly from the 80s). Among them was a mint, original factory catalog for the 1938 Cadillac "Sixty" models (in the mint, original envelope). What it was doing there is anybody's guess. It is not a high-priced item by any means ... but it was nevertheless a surprise.

The press kit you found is worth a lot more than that 1938 Cadillac catalog.

[okccadman]

FinCad, any 50 or 58 olds or 58 buick in that group?