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Maine Archive
TOTAL KNOWN PORCELAIN VARIETIES: 22
I: PRE-STATES / CITY & COUNTY PLATES
Unlike most other New England states in which porcelain city plates were
relatively prevalent, Maine is marked by the issuance of but a single variety - an
undated plate from the city of Portland. No other porcelain city plates are known,
and no porcelain pre-states have ever been seen.
PORTLAND
The largest city in Maine and the state's cultural, social and economic capital,
Portland was first settled by the British in 1632 as a fishing and trading
settlement. However, the city has had a long and turbulent history. Between
1675 and 1866, the city was almost completely destroyed four different times -
twice in warfare with local Native Americans, once during the Revolutionary War
and finally in a massive 4th of July fire. But the city survived. After the 1866 fire,
Portland was rebuilt with brick and Victorian style architecture and has stood as
one of the most beautiful cities in New England ever since. At some
undetermined point in the early 20th century, the city issued porcelain license
plates to motorists. These undated plates are clearly early and probably date to
about 1910 or so, when the city's population was nearing 60,000 inhabitants.
Although most perceive these plates to be quite rare, with perhaps a dozen or so
known in collectors' hands, there is a museum in New England with 38 of them on
the wall! The numbers on these plates run from the high 50s up to around #100,
many in pairs, suggesting that the museum somehow got its hands on a trove of
leftover un-issued plates. It is notable that Portland is the only city in Maine
known to have issued porcelain license plates, which is quite typical of New
England's northernmost three states which did not adopt the enthusiasm of their
neighbors to the south in this regard.
II: STATE-ISSUED PASSENGER PLATES
First effective on June 1, 1905, Chapter 147 of Maine Public Law mandated that
automobile owners pay the Secretary of State $2.00 to register their automobiles
with the state. In return, motorists received a pair of first-issue undated
porcelain license plates. These plates were to be placed on the front and back of
the car so that they were plainly visible. These white & red plates were good for
seven years, not expiring until 1911. Altogether, just over 10,000 pairs of first-
issue Maine porcelains were issued during that time.
The years for first-issue plates break down as follows:
Both the Baltimore Enamel & Novelty Company, as well as the Beaver Falls, PA
based Ingram-Richardson Manufacturing Company would produce first-issue
Maine plates. The first plates were made by Baltimore and bore that company's
distinctive hand-pained date coding system on the reverse. At least eleven
different batches of BALTO-made date-coded plates were produced between May
of 1905 and August of 1908. For more about Baltimore Enamel's coding system
and the various batches of first-issue Maine porcelain produced, click HERE.
In about 1909, Baltimore Enamel stopped using their coding system and Maine
first-issues began carrying BALTO's oval maker's mark on the back instead.
Plates with the oval mark are known into the mid-6000s. Finally, beginning in
about 1911, some Maine porcelains began carrying the mark of the Ingram-
Richardson Company, although many others bore blank backs. It is possible that
both BALTO and Ing-Rich were co-producing the plates simultaneously.
Because they were issued for so long - and by two different companies - Maine
specialists have identified more a dozen different variations of first issue plates,
including numerous shades of red and orange, square and rounded corners, and
small and large slots, although none is considered significant enough to the non-
specialist to warrant designation as a distinct type to collect.
1912 brought about the first annual
porcelain issues for Maine. Motorists paid
a registration fee that varied between $5
and $15 depending on the horsepower of
their vehicle. Both the 1912 and 1913
plates were Ing-Rich made and were
manufactured in the same style as the
first-issue plates, but with different color
combinations. Also like the first-issues,
they varied in length depending on the
plate number. In 1914, the state finally
began dating its plates and issued
porcelains through the end of 1915, after
which embossed metal plates were chosen
as the material of choice for Maine license
plates. The 1914 plates were made by Baltimore Enamel, while the 1915s were
made by Ing-Rich. In 1915, just over 21,000 passenger cars were registered in the
state.
III: STATE-ISSUED NON-PASSENGER PLATES
During the porcelain license plate era in Maine, six separate classes of non-
passenger plates were issued. Some of these are quite common, while others
such as the Log Hauler plates are virtually impossible to find.
COMMERCIAL
In 1914, commercial plates were added to the roster of porcelain plates. These
plates carried an “X” prefix and seem to have been the successor to the "T"
prefixed Truck plates that were issued starting in 1913 and may have also
included vehicles that were classed under the "L" plates of 1913 as well. In 1915,
somewhere around 1,200 commercial registrations were issued.
DEALER / MANUFACTURER
Dealer and Manufacturer plates began
with the very first issue, prefixed with a
"B." The 1905 laws stipulated that dealers
had the right to register all vehicles under
their control under a general
distinguishing number, rather than having
to register each vehicle separately. Thus,
dealerships could order as many pairs of
first-issue plates as they needed for a cost
of $10 per set. There were not that many
dealerships operating in the state in the
first-issue era, with fewer than 200 dealer
registrations through the end of 1910. It is
interesting to note that four-character
first-issue dealers are not uniform in
length. Plates with numbers through at
least #B113 measure 6" x 7 1/2" like the three-character plates. However, at that
point the length was increased by two inches. Perhaps this changeover occurred
at plate #B120 when the second slender numeral "1" in the registration number
now became a "2" and space became cramped. The only other notable variation
on first-issue dealers came around plate #B200 when the period after the "B" was
mysteriously dropped.
The years for first-issue dealer plates break down as follows:
The “B” prefix was repeated through 1914, after which it was changed to a “D” for
the final porcelain issue in 1915. Newspaper reports show that 324 dealer
registrations were issued in 1915.
LOG HAULER / TRACTION ENGINE
1912 legislation mandated that traction engines or log haulers pay a registration
fee of $10. However, it is believed that no plates were issued until 1913, when
the rare "L" prefixed porcelains were used. For whatever reason, this class of
vehicle was given a new "Z" prefix beginning in 1914. As a result, the rare 1914 &
1915 Maine "Z" plates are often mistaken as Zone plates, similar to New
Hampshire's Neutral Zone porcelains of the same era.
MOTORCYCLE
Motorcycle plates, differentiated from the
passenger and dealer plates by an “A”
prefix, were also issued on the first-issue
base beginning in 1905. These plates were
issued as singles only and were to be
placed on the rear of the cycle. Just over
150 motorcycle licenses had been issued
by April of 1907, and another 500 were
issued through the end of 1910. When all
was said and done, first-issue cycles
reached approximately 800. Interestingly,
there are two distinct varieties of this
plate. The earliest versions (perhaps all of
the one and two digit plates) have the “A”
followed by the plate number and the state
name “MAINE” across the bottom with a
period after the "E." The later issues,
however, have a square dot between the
“A” and the number, but no dot after the
state name. There are also noticeable
stylistic differences in the style of the
letters and numbers. Note the numeral "1" in the two examples pictured below,
as well as the width and spacing of the "MAINE."
First-issue Maine motorcycle plates break down as follows:
Motorcycle plates continued in porcelain in 1912, but ended there. In January of
1912, the "Manitoba Morning Free Press" announced that the 1912 cycle plates in
Maine were being produced in blue & yellow, the official colors of the Federation
of American Motorcyclists. However, that seems to be purely coincidental, as
blue & yellow was the color of all classes of Maine plates that year. In 1913, while
the passenger, dealer, log hauler, special registration and truck plates were all
still porcelain, the state changed to small brass discs for motorcycles.
SPECIAL
Plates with an "S" prefix first appeared in 1913 and are said to have been used on
vehicles whose registration is changed in mid-year. Notably, the report of the
Automobile Department of the Secretary of State's office in 1913 lists regular
special registrations, along with special registration trucks and special
registration motorcycles, but it is not believed that these sub-classes of the "S"
category ever received their own distinct plates. By 1915, Special registrations
had surpassed 700.
TRUCK
"T" prefixed truck plates are first known from 1913. It is believed that this class of
plate was used on trucks or automobiles used for commercial purposes. In 1912,
motorists using this class of vehicle paid a registration fee of $10, but actual
plates do not seem to have been issued until the following year. These "T" plates
seem to have ceased after one year of issuance and were replaced by the "X"
prefixed commercial plates beginning in 1914.
FURTHER READING
Paul C. Christian, “Maine – Vacationland.” ALPCA Newsletter, 39, 6 (December,
1993), pp. 182-90
Paul C. Christian, “Maine – Vacationland: Part II – Non-Passenger Types.” ALPCA
Newsletter, 40, 2 (April, 1994), pp. 33-49.
Dick Yourga, “Maine – License Plate Centennial, 1905-2005.” PLATES, 51, 1
(February, 2005), pp. 8-10.
The Daily Kennebec Journal (Augusta), March 25, 1905; June 3, 1905; June 13,
1905; September 30, 1905, April 11, 1907; July 18, 1907; August 2, 1907; October 15,
1910; June 17, 1911; July 20, 1911; August 3, 1911; December 13, 1911; August 19,
1913; November 14, 1913;
The Manitoba Morning Free Press (Winnipeg), January 27, 1912
The Portsmouth Herald, October 24, 1916
I: PRE-STATES / CITY & COUNTY PLATES
Unlike most other New England states in which porcelain city plates were
relatively prevalent, Maine is marked by the issuance of but a single variety - an
undated plate from the city of Portland. No other porcelain city plates are known,
and no porcelain pre-states have ever been seen.
PORTLAND
The largest city in Maine and the state's cultural, social and economic capital,
Portland was first settled by the British in 1632 as a fishing and trading
settlement. However, the city has had a long and turbulent history. Between
1675 and 1866, the city was almost completely destroyed four different times -
twice in warfare with local Native Americans, once during the Revolutionary War
and finally in a massive 4th of July fire. But the city survived. After the 1866 fire,
Portland was rebuilt with brick and Victorian style architecture and has stood as
one of the most beautiful cities in New England ever since. At some
undetermined point in the early 20th century, the city issued porcelain license
plates to motorists. These undated plates are clearly early and probably date to
about 1910 or so, when the city's population was nearing 60,000 inhabitants.
Although most perceive these plates to be quite rare, with perhaps a dozen or so
known in collectors' hands, there is a museum in New England with 38 of them on
the wall! The numbers on these plates run from the high 50s up to around #100,
many in pairs, suggesting that the museum somehow got its hands on a trove of
leftover un-issued plates. It is notable that Portland is the only city in Maine
known to have issued porcelain license plates, which is quite typical of New
England's northernmost three states which did not adopt the enthusiasm of their
neighbors to the south in this regard.
II: STATE-ISSUED PASSENGER PLATES
First effective on June 1, 1905, Chapter 147 of Maine Public Law mandated that
automobile owners pay the Secretary of State $2.00 to register their automobiles
with the state. In return, motorists received a pair of first-issue undated
porcelain license plates. These plates were to be placed on the front and back of
the car so that they were plainly visible. These white & red plates were good for
seven years, not expiring until 1911. Altogether, just over 10,000 pairs of first-
issue Maine porcelains were issued during that time.
The years for first-issue plates break down as follows:
Both the Baltimore Enamel & Novelty Company, as well as the Beaver Falls, PA
based Ingram-Richardson Manufacturing Company would produce first-issue
Maine plates. The first plates were made by Baltimore and bore that company's
distinctive hand-pained date coding system on the reverse. At least eleven
different batches of BALTO-made date-coded plates were produced between May
of 1905 and August of 1908. For more about Baltimore Enamel's coding system
and the various batches of first-issue Maine porcelain produced, click HERE.
In about 1909, Baltimore Enamel stopped using their coding system and Maine
first-issues began carrying BALTO's oval maker's mark on the back instead.
Plates with the oval mark are known into the mid-6000s. Finally, beginning in
about 1911, some Maine porcelains began carrying the mark of the Ingram-
Richardson Company, although many others bore blank backs. It is possible that
both BALTO and Ing-Rich were co-producing the plates simultaneously.
Because they were issued for so long - and by two different companies - Maine
specialists have identified more a dozen different variations of first issue plates,
including numerous shades of red and orange, square and rounded corners, and
small and large slots, although none is considered significant enough to the non-
specialist to warrant designation as a distinct type to collect.
1912 brought about the first annual
porcelain issues for Maine. Motorists paid
a registration fee that varied between $5
and $15 depending on the horsepower of
their vehicle. Both the 1912 and 1913
plates were Ing-Rich made and were
manufactured in the same style as the
first-issue plates, but with different color
combinations. Also like the first-issues,
they varied in length depending on the
plate number. In 1914, the state finally
began dating its plates and issued
porcelains through the end of 1915, after
which embossed metal plates were chosen
as the material of choice for Maine license
plates. The 1914 plates were made by Baltimore Enamel, while the 1915s were
made by Ing-Rich. In 1915, just over 21,000 passenger cars were registered in the
state.
III: STATE-ISSUED NON-PASSENGER PLATES
During the porcelain license plate era in Maine, six separate classes of non-
passenger plates were issued. Some of these are quite common, while others
such as the Log Hauler plates are virtually impossible to find.
COMMERCIAL
In 1914, commercial plates were added to the roster of porcelain plates. These
plates carried an “X” prefix and seem to have been the successor to the "T"
prefixed Truck plates that were issued starting in 1913 and may have also
included vehicles that were classed under the "L" plates of 1913 as well. In 1915,
somewhere around 1,200 commercial registrations were issued.
DEALER / MANUFACTURER
Dealer and Manufacturer plates began
with the very first issue, prefixed with a
"B." The 1905 laws stipulated that dealers
had the right to register all vehicles under
their control under a general
distinguishing number, rather than having
to register each vehicle separately. Thus,
dealerships could order as many pairs of
first-issue plates as they needed for a cost
of $10 per set. There were not that many
dealerships operating in the state in the
first-issue era, with fewer than 200 dealer
registrations through the end of 1910. It is
interesting to note that four-character
first-issue dealers are not uniform in
length. Plates with numbers through at
least #B113 measure 6" x 7 1/2" like the three-character plates. However, at that
point the length was increased by two inches. Perhaps this changeover occurred
at plate #B120 when the second slender numeral "1" in the registration number
now became a "2" and space became cramped. The only other notable variation
on first-issue dealers came around plate #B200 when the period after the "B" was
mysteriously dropped.
The years for first-issue dealer plates break down as follows:
The “B” prefix was repeated through 1914, after which it was changed to a “D” for
the final porcelain issue in 1915. Newspaper reports show that 324 dealer
registrations were issued in 1915.
LOG HAULER / TRACTION ENGINE
1912 legislation mandated that traction engines or log haulers pay a registration
fee of $10. However, it is believed that no plates were issued until 1913, when
the rare "L" prefixed porcelains were used. For whatever reason, this class of
vehicle was given a new "Z" prefix beginning in 1914. As a result, the rare 1914 &
1915 Maine "Z" plates are often mistaken as Zone plates, similar to New
Hampshire's Neutral Zone porcelains of the same era.
MOTORCYCLE
Motorcycle plates, differentiated from the
passenger and dealer plates by an “A”
prefix, were also issued on the first-issue
base beginning in 1905. These plates were
issued as singles only and were to be
placed on the rear of the cycle. Just over
150 motorcycle licenses had been issued
by April of 1907, and another 500 were
issued through the end of 1910. When all
was said and done, first-issue cycles
reached approximately 800. Interestingly,
there are two distinct varieties of this
plate. The earliest versions (perhaps all of
the one and two digit plates) have the “A”
followed by the plate number and the state
name “MAINE” across the bottom with a
period after the "E." The later issues,
however, have a square dot between the
“A” and the number, but no dot after the
state name. There are also noticeable
stylistic differences in the style of the
letters and numbers. Note the numeral "1" in the two examples pictured below,
as well as the width and spacing of the "MAINE."
First-issue Maine motorcycle plates break down as follows:
Motorcycle plates continued in porcelain in 1912, but ended there. In January of
1912, the "Manitoba Morning Free Press" announced that the 1912 cycle plates in
Maine were being produced in blue & yellow, the official colors of the Federation
of American Motorcyclists. However, that seems to be purely coincidental, as
blue & yellow was the color of all classes of Maine plates that year. In 1913, while
the passenger, dealer, log hauler, special registration and truck plates were all
still porcelain, the state changed to small brass discs for motorcycles.
SPECIAL
Plates with an "S" prefix first appeared in 1913 and are said to have been used on
vehicles whose registration is changed in mid-year. Notably, the report of the
Automobile Department of the Secretary of State's office in 1913 lists regular
special registrations, along with special registration trucks and special
registration motorcycles, but it is not believed that these sub-classes of the "S"
category ever received their own distinct plates. By 1915, Special registrations
had surpassed 700.
TRUCK
"T" prefixed truck plates are first known from 1913. It is believed that this class of
plate was used on trucks or automobiles used for commercial purposes. In 1912,
motorists using this class of vehicle paid a registration fee of $10, but actual
plates do not seem to have been issued until the following year. These "T" plates
seem to have ceased after one year of issuance and were replaced by the "X"
prefixed commercial plates beginning in 1914.
FURTHER READING
Paul C. Christian, “Maine – Vacationland.” ALPCA Newsletter, 39, 6 (December,
1993), pp. 182-90
Paul C. Christian, “Maine – Vacationland: Part II – Non-Passenger Types.” ALPCA
Newsletter, 40, 2 (April, 1994), pp. 33-49.
Dick Yourga, “Maine – License Plate Centennial, 1905-2005.” PLATES, 51, 1
(February, 2005), pp. 8-10.
The Daily Kennebec Journal (Augusta), March 25, 1905; June 3, 1905; June 13,
1905; September 30, 1905, April 11, 1907; July 18, 1907; August 2, 1907; October 15,
1910; June 17, 1911; July 20, 1911; August 3, 1911; December 13, 1911; August 19,
1913; November 14, 1913;
The Manitoba Morning Free Press (Winnipeg), January 27, 1912
The Portsmouth Herald, October 24, 1916
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| At some point in March of 1906, the Baltimore Enamel & Novelty Company apparently made a mistake and issued some three-digit Maine first-issues in the 800s & 900s on bases one-half inches shorter than the rest and with the state name in small letters followed by a period, which was in keeping with how the word was written on motorcycle issues of the time. Although some of these appear to have been issued, others were corrected in the factory a month later and had the incorrect state name fired over with the properly sized one. |
| FACTOID |
Error Version
Factory Corrected
| From about plate #1500 - #2000, one half of each pair (probably the rear) was manufactured with no slots. All other Maine first-issues carry slots. |
| Maine 1914 |
| Maine 1913 Dealer |
| Maine 1905 Motorcycle |
