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Paris Nouveau no. 2264 – Les Femmes Cocher

Source:
www.delcampe.net (Item no. 04321880). Click here to view source.

Les Femmes Cocher / 23

Mme. Dufaut / 4

Picture (left): In the driver's seat – Mme. Dufaut.

Another photo taken in front of 38 rue Claude-Bernard. Mme. Dufaut looks like she is feeling chilly. The blanket around her hips and legs has a stencilled number on it, indicating that it is a company blanket for which Mme. Dufaut has probably paid a deposit.

The cab number, 9483, appears on a what looks like a removeable metal license plate above the "Taximetre" sign. Such a plate could be quickly transferred from one cab to another as necessary (e.g., if a cab had to be pulled out of service for repairs).

But in actual fact the need for these plates may have disappeared by 1907 since cab numbers were also painted on the glass sides of carriage lamps. In some of the postcard photos the license plate seems to be missing, suggesting that it was no longer required for displaying cab numbers.