The above photo is of a one-of-a-kind model from the 1930s of a Fisher marque coach, kept safe and sound at the General Motors Heritage Center. It is one of the finest surviving examples of its kind.
The model was constructed as part of the Fisher Body Craftsman’s Guild, which was a program from the 1930s all the way through the 1960s. Simply put, it was a competition for high school students, with the potential to earn some high-value scholarships. As part of the competition, students had to construct a model of an existing coach (like the one pictured), and later, a concept car of the student’s own design.
The Fisher Body Craftsman’s Guild swelled to become one of the largest such competitions in the world. Many participants went on to illustrious careers in automotive design and engineering, such as Virgil M. Exner, who did design work for Ford, Renault, and a variety of concept cars, and Charles M. Jordan, who served as Vice President of Design at General Motors for several years.
The model is impossibly intricate for something built to such a small scale. We think it’s rather beautiful.
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Our family has an original coach from the 30s. My uncle Ed Chateau entered the contest in his early years. The workmanship is amazing. Is there a museum that might like a donation. Unlike some of the coaches, some of the details were made by hand. Please contact me [email protected].