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Story: Cars and the motor industry

The Michelin man

Image
The Michelin man

A group from Montgomery’s garage in Nelson poses at an intersection around 1920 with the Michelin man – someone in a suit made of rubber inner tubes. The car is an Overland – an American make. Les Montgomery, who ran the garage, was an agent for Overland and for Michelin tyres.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Frederick Nelson Jones Collection (PAColl-3051)

Reference: 1/2-028989; G

by Frederick Nelson Jones

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Eric Pawson, Cars and the motor industry – Licensing, safety and limits, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/22861/the-michelin-man (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Eric Pawson, published 2 March 2010, updated 1 December 2014.