1934 Chenard et Walcker Aiglon Berline

French mid-to-upper-midrange automobile maker Chenard et Walcker (Wikipedia entry here) had strong sales around the mid-1920s, but was on the path to extinction by 1934, the year of this post's featured car.

This was still the era where most car bodies were framed using wood, then clad by metal or sometimes fabric.  That meant development costs were comparatively less than the all-steel bodies that began to appear in the mid-1930s, allowing marginally-funded car makers such as Chenard et Walcker to keep up with styling fashions.

The car pictured below is a four-cylinder Chenard et Walcker Aiglon (Eaglet) offered for sale.  It's the bottom-of-the-line of the Aiglon-Aigle (Eagle) range, others having six and eight cylinder motors.   List price in 1934 was FF 30,000.

The photo source claims this is a 1934 model, but the design of the front bumper suggests that it might actually be a 1935.  That is, '35 Chenard et Walkers had a space for the front license plate between the bumper segments, as does the car pictured below.  On the other hand, 1935 bumper segments were shaped differently.  My go-to references (Toutes les voitures françsises by René Bellu - a year-by year series from Automobilia) did not provide an answer.

Gallery

Model year 1934 in France and America was when somewhat-streamlined designs began to appear.  Firms not building such cars as the Chrysler Airflow were adding features suggesting streamlining.  For example, C&W's Aiglon front fenders were no longer "spoon" like, but curved farther down in front while sporting modest valances on the sides. These images are of a for-sale car.

The windshield is ever-so-slightly rakes back, as is the B-pillar.  Perhaps that was to provide a rakish touch.  C-W's featured several hood air vent styles.  This one is distinctive.  The trunk is large, creating a bustle-back appearance.

Rear styling is cleanly done, the passenger compartment greenhouse being rounded rather than severely boxy, as was the norm two or three years earlier.  The spare tire seems to supplement those wispy bumperettes for rear protection..

Chenard et Walker grilles in those days featured an interior chromed form echoing the grille frame shape.  The grille itself is dished in a "shovel nose" style popular at the time.

The dashboard - instrument panel is spartan aside for some wood trim.  Chenard et Walker was transitioning from righthand to lefthand steering in the mid-1930s.  Here the steering wheel is on the right.