In continuation of last year’s engaging presentation, Evan will focus on the “Golden Age” of pre-War automobile development from 1901-1908. He will also explore the impact that technical development in cars during this period had on the maritime world. Evan will be bringing a partially-restored ALCO for display – an extremely rare example of early Rhode Island automobile manufacturing. You can learn more about the history of ALCO’s auto line at RhodeTour.org. This amazing artifact will be on display for the evening of the lecture only! Lecture attendees will be invited to view the items in the Hall of Boats during a reception with Evan following the talk.

Evan Ide is an automotive historian, author, and restorer specializing in automobiles built prior to WWII. He joined RM Sotheby’s in 2024, bringing over two decades of expertise in early automobiles. Evan is the founder of Historic Vehicle Services, a Massachusetts-based restoration shop known for restoring unique, ultra-rare automobiles, including many award-winning vehicles at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

Previously, Evan served as Curator of the Larz Anderson Auto Museum, where he published two books, Packard Motor Car Company and Larz Anderson Park. He also contributed to The Stewardship of Historically Significant Automobiles, the first book on automotive preservation.

Evan lectures internationally at venues such as the Royal Automobile Club in London and the Audrain Automobile Museum in Rhode Island. He is an advisor to the Louwman Museum in The Hague and a recurring contributor to the TV show Chasing Classic Cars. An avid collector himself, Evan’s personal collection focuses on pre-war vehicles.