When Photography Really Was: Plate #3

Many years ago I worked in a small neighborhood professional darkroom. We did all sorts of custom jobs for individuals and commercial clients. One of our specialties was handling old photographs.

One day a young girl came in with Grandma in tow. The desk person, Harriet, asked how she could help. The girl said, "Show her, Grandma." Whereupon Grandma handed over a small box of family glass plate negatives in various sizes. Harriet ran back to the darkroom to find me. The girl asked, "Can you do anything with these?" Absolutely.

These are straight contact prints from nine of those plates, made with Grandma's permission, that I was allowed to keep for myself. I thought it might be fun for everyone to see these. If you can fill in any additional details regarding locations, aircraft, cars, or anything else, please do. Especially possible original dates or time frames.

These contact prints date from around 1985. The photographs themselves seem to date from possibly the early 1900s. I know nothing more about their provenance other than that Grandma was a very nice lady.
This is a 3-1/2 x 5-3/4 inch plate.

I am dying to know what make and model and year this new car is! Does anybody know? The only identifying marks are the lettering on the spare tire cover. It says "AUBURN 115" and nothing else.

This thing is hot. And a convertible no less. Somebody was awfully proud of their vehicle. I wonder if this isn't the same area photographed as the four people posing with the three vehicles? The buildings and the trees appears similar to me.
 
Looks very much like an Auburn 8-88. Google images of that. Also, check out the Auburn-Cord-Dusenberg museum in Auburn, IN. Lots of beautiful cars.I love these old plates. Thanks for sharing them.
 

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