[Man standing behind early automobile]

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A man stands behind the automobile in this picture, so the machine itself, rather than a street or a crowd, is the focus. The record dates the photograph to the 1890s, though that date comes from an unverified caption card. Motor vehicles were scarce and often hand-built then, with steam, electric, and gasoline engines all competing for buyers. Images like this one document the automobile's earliest years, when builders and owners were still working out what the machine would become.

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