A Devil's Advocate in Vicksburg
By Keith Marvin
"VICKSBURG: THE DISCOVERY", Roger's feature story in the April number of TAGS'n'STUFF, describes what appears to have been a major discovery in license plate history. The chronicle describing five undated porcelain plates of Vicksburg, Mississippi, sheds a singular focus and a new light on the plate history of the Magnolia State. The plates, numbered V99, V329, V337, V372 and V374, were found in a collection of refuse which included a number of bottles which, from existing labels, imply that the cache dated from 1905-1910 era. They are white on dark blue.
Speaking from a personal observation, this appears to be a fabulous find. That they represent bona fide license plates of the early 1900's there can be little doubt. Perhaps I may play devil's advocate for a moment to look at them a bit more closely. An explanation of a devil's advocate might be in order.
In a religious parlance, the Devil's Advocate is a member of the College of Cardinals at the Vatican whose unenviable task is the presentation of arguments against the pro-canonization of a saint, specifically to pit proven miracles of the candidate from humbug. This is a delicate task and in a sense I approach this sort of analysis with a modicum of trepidation.
But there are some questions surrounding these plates which hopefully will have eventual answers and I toss them out for any thoughts readers may have.
1. If the plates were intended for use over more than one year, when were they initially used? I strongly doubt whether this would of preceded 1908 when a mere 650 vehicles plied the streets and rudimentary highways in the state. The figure wouldn't reach 2,000 until 1912, the first year the state's first license plates were issued.
2. Assuming (and I am assuming), that some sort of registrations may have existed in other municipalities, what might they have been, say in Biloxi, Gulfport, Jackson, Meridian, Natchez and Tupelo? I have heard rumors of such plates, but have never seen one. Have you?
3. It would seem to me that such a number as V374 would have been unrealistically high for Vicksburg then; perhaps there was an overrun by the manufacturer. Even if the series commenced with V1, could it have reached V99, the lowest number of the five plates? Probably.
4. It would be logical that such a matter as motor vehicle registrations would of been recorded as a matter of law and as such would of been chronicled in the files of the city clerk.
5. As a long shot, during the year or years these plates were presumably in use, there would of been numerous shutterbugs in and around the city who doubtlessly snapped their Kodaks to add photos of their new cars into family albums. If this sounds feasible, there exists a major drawback as the plates were more than likely issued singly for the rear of a car. Who ever snapped a picture from that angle? Few if anyone!
6. Another consideration: Were the plates ever placed in use? It is probable that they were. It is possible that they weren't.
7. I'm certain that the 'V' prefix on them was not intended to represent a registration for a visitor. (Such a series was used in Colorado.)
It is fortunate that these were porcelain plates instead of less durable steel or aluminum ones. Porcelains have been survivors in many cases whereas the lesser rugged plates became history because they were prone to rust or corrode rapidly when not otherwise protected from the elements. In this regard Mississippi illustrates a ready example.
I acquired my 1912 Mississippi plate from an estate in Greenville back in 1946 (and for which I paid $2.00 after haggling over the price.) The plate (Number 912) was in fairly good shape except for flaky white paint and in 1946, as I recall, it was the only 12 Mississippi plate in existence.
Actually, a 1911 Mississippi dated porcelain is known, a neat trick as no state plates were issued prior to 1912. I have also seen another pre-'12 Mississippi marker - this one with two or three aluminum, house numbers and the abbreviation 'MISS' at their right on a black stitched leather pad. How come?
My theory is that both of them were local city or county registrations, the motorist having ordered them to assigned numbers but using the state name instead of the city or county which assigned them. This practice is not unknown. A dated 1910 Alabama porcelain is further evidence of this. Montreal city porcelains of 1904, '05 and '06 carried a 'Q' prefix and other examples are known from Oklahoma, Texas, etc. A dated New Brunswick porcelain plate for 1910 is another example of this as New Brunswick's first dated plates didn't appear until 1911.
The variety of these unusual plates which surface from time to time is a wondrous thing and is perfectly illustrated with the discovery of these five Vicksburgs. There remains much more to be learned from their collective existence, their dates of use and the possibility of future findings.
The Vicksburg porcelains as a group illustrates the ruggedness of their construction and an apt example of an old adage, "the survivor of the fittest."
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: My thanks to Rich Dragon, Len Harris, Roger Haynes and Chuck Westphal for their help in preparation of this article.
Bibliography: "Plaques d'Immatriculation de Montreal?" by Keith Marvin. L'AUTO ANCIENNE, Montreal, Quebec, September 1995.
Treasure is where you find it,,, get busy. Ed.