With a storied history and humble beginnings building bird cages, the Pierce-Arrow marque of Buffalo, New York would reach success through manufacturing luxury automobiles.

By the early 20th century, being seen in a Pierce-Arrow was a status symbol, with many Hollywood stars, business executives, and royalty alike owning one.

Most notably, the William Howard Taft administration ordered two for official state functions in 1909, making it the first official vehicle to be used by a US president.

Guiding its work was a relentless pursuit of luxury that Pierce-Arrow never compromised.

The onset of the Great Depression prompted many of its competitors to introduce lower and mid-level offerings to gain or maintain market share while battling with grueling economic conditions.

This strategy, however, was not in the plans for Pierce-Arrow, as Buffalo’s grand automaker continued to focus efforts on serving the same ritzy clientele to which it had catered for the past 30 years.

Although thi...