Packard Cable Spool Appraisal

Vintage Packard Automotive Cable Spool

This is a vintage industrial cardboard spool containing automotive electrical wiring produced by the United Motors Service Division in Oshawa, Ontario. The spool features a bold blue, gold, and yellow circular label with the prominent 'Packard' script logo at the top. Technical specifications printed on the face identify it as Trade No. 53C, Gauge Size 14, and note a total length of 100 feet. The cable is designated for 'Starting, Ignition, Lighting' applications, marketed as 'The Standard Wiring Equipment of the Automotive Industry'. Physically, the spool is constructed from heavy-duty pressed cardboard with a central spindle hole. The condition shows significant signs of age and utility; there is visible edge wear, scuffing, and minor delamination of the cardboard edges. Surface staining and a light patina are present on the label, which is common for mid-20th-century automotive shop supplies. The typeface and branding suggest a manufacturing period likely between the 1940s and 1960s. Despite the surface wear, the graphics remain legible and vibrant, making it a desirable piece of automobilia for collectors of vintage garage equipment and Packard brand history.