Phipps Family History: Jay Phipps and the Rise of Luxury Cars on Long Island

In 1907 when John (Jay) Phipps and his family took up residence in Westbury House, the automobile and its ubiquitous role in suburban life had already been foreseen. In a two-page spread in May of that year about the state of automobiles and their industry The New York Times noted:

The enormous growth of the automobile industry in the past ten years has been one of the most amazing commercial developments that the world has ever known. To look back at its origin of the automobile and compare its crudity with the palatial cars of the present day, to recall its limited powers and to look upon the great auto trucks that are doing the deliver work of commerce today is to conjure up the wand of a fairy godmother making coaches and fours out of pumpkins.

…It is estimated that over 250 different makes of automobiles are manufactured in the United States and that 120,000 are in use, New York State alone having over 40,000 registered machines.

Similar to today’s emerging market of EVs, automobile ownership in the 1900s was fueled by those willing to invest in an advancing technology with a high purchase price. Like other wealthy residents of Long Island, most notably William K. Vanderbilt, who championed and financed the Long Island Parkway, Henry Phipps’s three sons, Jay, Henry (Hal), and Howard had the means to own several cars at one time (a price for one of their cars would typically be north of $75,000 in today’s dollars). In accordance with New York State law at that time, newspapers and magazines regularly published lists of autos registered in the state.

In a span of three years these listings indicated that Jay owned: two Fords (1908), a Cadillac (1909); a Harrold (1910), and two new cars built by the White Automobile Company (1911). Listings also show that Jay’s brothers also owned several vehicles; Henry “Hal” Carnegie: Panard (1902), Mercedes (1905), Selden (1909), E.M.F. (1909), Hupmobile (1910) Pierce (1911); Howard: Buick (1909). Cadillac (1914), Pierce-Arrow (1914).

Customers who had the resources, like Jay and Hal, would also purchase bespoke luxury cars that were constructed for their specifications. These coachbuilders would combine the best chassis and bodies from separate manufacturers and create the ultimate luxury vehicles. The John S. Phipps archives at Old Westbury Gardens contains proposals from Hooper & Co., a London-based company that specialized in such automobiles.

For Jay: a 1911a two-seater (plus driver) Hooper inter-driven Cariolet (i.e. a convertible) and an internal-driven limousine—in addition to the written specifications Hooper also provided photographs for review (approximately $56,000 in 2024). Jay had previously purchased from Hooper in 1910 a Napier Limousine-Landaulette—a similar model was used in episodes of Downton Abbey.

For Hal: a 1920 proposal for a new “Hooper” enclosed drive Saloon Limousine with a Rolls Royce Chassis (approximately $80,000 in 2024). Hal purchased one in 1921 from Hooper.

There are also 1904 invoices from Thrupp & Maberly another London-based coachbuilder for repairs to a Thrupp vehicle owned by Jay.  

The archives contain very few photographs of autos from the 1900s-1920s, however, photos of life at Westbury House in the 1930s and 1940s contain some interesting vehicles. Responding to our request for assistance, contributors to the Vanderbilt Cup Races’ blog identified some of the vehicles. 

Later this year, Howard Kroplick, president of the Long Island Motor Parkway Preservation Society and co-president of the Roslyn Landmark Society, will offer a presentation at the Gardens about the early automobile years on Long Island.

~Paul Hunchak, Director of Public Programs and Visitor Services