This collection commercial images was utilized by the Moon Motor Car Company in a publicity campaign,. Due to the broad theme of the campaign, the images are diverse in subject matter and are likely from multiple sources and photographers. While three images show a car driving on the pastoral roads in the Bay area, the rest of the images emphasize the various activities and locales that California has to offer. There are multiple beach scenes including a striking aerial view of the Long Wharf in Los Angeles, people sunbathing in Long Beach, and the joyous New Year’s Day run by the men of the Olympic Club in San Francisco. Architectural photographs show the ornate arches and lush gardens of Stanford University, the original facade of the Hotel el Paso de Robles before a devastating fire, and the Spanish revival style of one of America’s earliest luxury hotels, the Hotel Del Monte. One photograph by Lee Eugene Vandercook shows the bustling Tokay Carnival of 1907 in Lodi.

Founded by John Moon in 1905 in St. Louis, MO, The Moon Motor Company was known for manufacturing affordable, fully-assembled touring cars during “the dawn of the motoring age.” With an initial prioritization on good engineering, the quality of vehicles paved the way for the company's success, reaching their peak production in the mid-1920s. After Moon’s death in 1919, Moon’s son-in-law and previous vice president of the company, Steward McDonald, aligned the company with more culturally relevant marketing, stylish designs, and celebrity endorsements; the ad campaign for these photographs likely taking place under his direction. The Moon Motor Company shut down in 1930 – just under three decades of operations – due to mismanagement of funds, production losses, and the Great Depression. Their cars remain valuable today to collectors and the legacy of the company is maintained by the Moon Car Club.