Pierce-Arrow was an American automotive manufacturer that traced its roots to 1865. Originally established as a manufacturer of household goods, Heinz, Pierce, and Munschauer was renamed The George N. Pierce Company in 1872. Under this new name, the company began to produce bicycles before eventualy venturing into automotive production in 1901 with the Pierce Motorette. In 1903, the company introduced the Arrow, a successful model that encouraged Pierce to create the Great Arrow, a luxury car that established that brand as a highly reputable automaker. In 1909, the Pierce family left the company and it was renamed Pierce-Arrow and introduced models such as the Model 48 and Model 66. For a brief period Pierce also manufacturer a range of Motorcycles, before fully focusing their attentions on automobiles. The company went on to establish themselves as one of America's premiere luxury carmakers, with cars such as the Model 33 and Model 36 leading the way. Pierce-Arrow was purchased by Studebaker in 1928, who helped fund the development of the Pierce-Arrow Eight and Pierce-Arrow Twelve, which are two of the company's best known models. One of Pierce-Arrow's most notable cars was the Silver Arrow, a concept car created in 1933 that caused a stir with its futuristic styling. Eventually, after years of struggles caused in part by the Great Depression, Pierce-Arrow declared bankruptcy in 1938 before being dissolved.