FAFNIR / GERMANY

 FAFNIR / AACHEN / GERMANY  ( 1908 - 1926 )

“Aachener Stahlwarenfabrik AG” initially manufactured engines for other vehicle manufacturers such as REX SIMPLEX, CITO, and many others. In 1908, they decided to begin manufacturing their own vehicles, which were marketed under the name FAFNIR. The brand name FAFNIR refers to the treasure-guarding dragon slain by Siegfried (also known as Sigurd). In 1926, automobile production was discontinued for economic reasons.

 Here I can present the first FAFNIR emblem, a pure brass emblem, showing the dragon and  bearing the three letters ASA:

three letters: ASA = Aachener Stahlwaren AG

 

Size	c. 8.0 cm
Year	1911- 1914
Estimate

 

 

To my knowledge the first enameled emblem appeared in 1920. Now the letters ASA are missing; instead, the brand name FAFNIR is displayed on it.

 

Size	c. 7.5cm x 4.5 cm
Year	c. 1920 - 1924
Estimate

 

Are you having trouble identifying the  vehicle on the next photo?

For the vehicles built by FAFNIR after World War I, it’s quite simple. They feature a pointed triangle on the side of the hood that serves as a handle. It’s a design feature found on no other manufacturer’s vehicles.

 

Look at the blue circle indicating the unique hood handle 

 

 

 

rare brass hubcap with emblem

 

Size	7.2 cm x 7.2 cm
Year	1925- 1926
Estimate

 

 

Here one of the rare period photos showing the last FAFNIR type 476  with the emblem of the advertisement:

 

photo courtesy: Vorkriegsklassiker.com

In the following photo, you can see a FAFNIR on a promotional tour in Brazil, in 1914, specially fitted with oversized script on the radiator:

Only very few FAFNIR  vehicles have survived. But there was a drawing of a FAFNIR script, which was made by the Swedish boy Gustaf Moeller back in the 1920s. Gustaf lived near the ferry port in Helsingborg / Sweden and drew the emblems of the waiting cars there. What a great hobby that still helps and delights us a hundred years later.

 

For more information about automobiles with FAFNIR engines please click here for REX SIMPLEX or CITO. 

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DELAGE / FRANCE

DELAGE / LEVALLOIS - PERET / COURBEVOIE / FRANCE  ( 1906 - 1953 ).

DELAGE  is a French automobile company, founded by Louis Delage. The first model, the type A appeared in 1906.

DELAGE was intensively and successfully involved in motorsports, where it enjoyed considerable success, thereby boosting sales considerably. DELAGE production ended in 1953.

Here I can show you the first enameled  emblem that was used on the DELAGE type H and R in 1909 / 1910: 

This early DELAGE emblem was mounted with a wide, nickel-plated frame

 

Size	8.2 cm x 5.6 cm
Year	1911- 1912
Estimate

 

The DELAGE emblem retained its color and shape until the brand was discontinued in 1953:

Size	6.4 cm
Year	1918 - 1939
Estimate

 

 

backside without makers mark

 

With a few exceptions, DELAGE always used a blue oval as its emblem and varied the letters only minimally.

 

one variation: DELAGE emblem with embossed letters

Size	6.4 cm
Year	c. 1920
Estimate

 

 

1922 advertisment with badge

Unfornately, this emblem never found its way on the radiator

 

 

This version was never available on any vehicle either

 

 It took me years to identify this emblem. It's an emblem for DELAGE type DR 70  from the 1929.

Size	6.4 cm x 6.4 cm
Year	1929
Estimate

 

 

 

 

unrestored 1929 DELAGE DR 70 seen in a French collection featuring the previously mysterious emblem

 

The only DELAGE emblem that stands out from the rest is the rectangular emblem shown below. It was used on the DELAGE Type GL in 1924

the letters LD stand for Louis Delage

 

Size	3.8 cm x 7.2 cm
Year	1924
Estimate

 

 

It's obviously an original used in 1924

 

 The Boutique de l´Automobilste even produced a reproduction in the nineteenseventies:

repro made by: La Boutique de l`Automobiliste

Laurent Tapie, son of French entrepreneur and politician Bernard Tapie, presented a super sports car at the Miami Grand Prix in Florida in 2022  that was intended to revive the DELAGE brand. Around 30 models were built, naturally featuring a plastic emblem.

 

 

 

 

 

my DELAGE exposition

 For more emblems see older posts or top right ( list of car makers ).

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GORDON-KEEBLE / UK

 

GORDON - KEEBLE / SLOUGH / SOUTHAMPTON / / UK  ( 1963 - 1967 )

In 1959, John S. Gordon and Jim Keeble founded the company “GORDON AUTOMOBILE Co. Ltd.” in Slough, England. The goal was to produce a very fast sedan with Italian design from Giurgiaro, built by Bertone and equipped with  a powerful American engine. In fact, a partnership was formed with Chevrolet, from whom they could source a V-8 engine. Reportedly, the GORDON-KEEBLE was—for a time—one of the fastest production cars in the world. 

The British are known for their sense of humor, so they aptly decided to feature an animal on the emblem that is famous for its leisurely pace: the tortoise. However, the car was far too expensive to produce to be profitable. As a result, only exactly 100 vehicles were built, which is what makes the emblem so rare.

 

Here you can see the British sense of humor: a tortoise on one of the fastest cars of its time.

 

Size	7.8 cm
Year	1964 - 1967
Estimate

 

 

backside without makers mark

 

 

one of the rare survivors seen in Bremen / Germany in 2018

 

look at the tortoise top left on the photo

 

 

badge from the GORDON  - KEEBLE Owner club

For more emblems with an animal  logo please click here for the French Peugeot ( lion ) or the German MAJA (  bee! ) or Lorraine Dietrich ( stork ) or the Italian Bianchi ( eagle ) or the American KAISER ( buffalo ) and a lot more.

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HELIOS / GERMANY

 

HELIOS / COLOGNE / GERMANY ( 1923- 1926 )

On July 30, 1923, HELIOS AUTOMOBILBAU AG was founded in Cologne-Ehrenfeld to manufacture a vehicle based on the manufacturing system commonly used in the American automotive industry. The brand name HELIOS refers to the sun god in Greek mythology. The company initially produced a small car with 2/8 HP. Distribution was handled by the GDA (Gemeinschaft Deutscher Automobilfabriken = Association of German Automobile Manufacturers) to round out its product range at the lower end. At the beginning of 1926, HELIOS went bankrupt and was taken over in May 1926 by Delfosse Motorenfabrik, which unsuccessfully offered an improved HELIOS small car with a 4/20 hp engine.

This time, I'll start by showing the emblem as it was found. It lay in the ground for around 80 years before being discovered by a metal detectorist:

emblem as found before the cleanup

 

It's amazing how well the emblem has survived 80 years in the soil.

 

Size	6.5cm
Year	1924 - 1926
Estimate

 

 

backside without makers mark

 

 

 

As described in the introduction, the car was distributed by GDA and promoted in this 1924 advertisement . I have created a small exhibition of the emblems used.

 

However, it is evident that the vehicle was also sold by a CITROEN dealer in Düsseldorf, as can be seen in this period photo

 

 

With a little imagination, you can even identify the emblem.

 

 

There was also a commercial vehicle version.

 

 

This draft shows how simple the vehicle's design was.

 

 

bottom left: the HELIOS

 

 

1926 advertisement from Delfosse Motorenfabrik after they took over HELIOS

For more emblems from the GDA please click here for NAG or BRENNABOR or HANSA or HANSA LLOYD or HAWA.

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