VERMOREL / France

The "Etablissements Vermorel" started already car production in 1900. The first car, with a two-cylinder 10hp  engine won a Gold medal at the exposition in Lyon. A serial production was established in 1908 / 1909.  The first Vermorel car with an oval brass radiator  emblem was seen in 1910. Car production ceased in 1930. In thirty years 7,800 cars were built.

The first VERMOREL cars had an oval brass emblem

The first enameled radiator emblem was seen on the radiator in 1909. May be the brass and the enameled emblem were produced parallel to each other.
On the badge you find the  drawing of the car itself.  What a nice idea ( even if the same idea can be seen on radiator emblems from   REO,    ELGIN    MARION,   KISSEL  and some more.
This emblem is a highly sought - after item for any collector.

emblem with original fixing ring that was soldered on the radiator

Dimension	7.0 cm
Year	1909 - 1920
Estimate

the emblem was printed on the brochure

In the mid - twenties VERMOREL cars had a radiator without emblem, the script was judged to be sufficient

For the last VERMOREL car,  the type AD, the  emblem was modernized, now showing the signature of the founder, Victor Vermorel. Only few cars were built so this is another very hard to find item.

again I had to buy the whole radiator to get the emblem

Dimension	8.3 cm x 4.7
Year	1928 - 1930
Estimate

For more emblems see older posts or top right ( list of carmakers )

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SERVICE Motor Truck Co

Is there a better name for a truck company ?  The SERVICE Motor Car Co. of Wabash / Indiana started in 1911 offering delivery models with a 22.5 hp 4-cylinder engines, friction transmission and chain drive. In 1914 it became the Service Motor Truck Co. and soon they expanded their range. In 1927 the company was acquired by Relay Motors. The last SERVICE truck was built in 1932.

From 1920 on the  Pyramid was their symbol

Dimension	9.1 cm x 5.7
Year	1920 - 1932
Estimate

there are original emblems with and without makers mark

1920 advertisment: bottom left you can read:  With the Red Pyramid on the radiator

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

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SPYKER / Netherland

The Dutch SPYKER was in the carriage business before they started to build their own car.
In 1900 they presented a car with an  2-cylinder 20hp engine which followed the very latest Mercedes lines. In 1903 they showed the world´s first 6-cylinder car. All SPYKER cars used advanced technology. The famous round radiator appeared in 1905. After WWI SPYKER even used Maybach engines. Car production ceased in 1925.
Their latin slogan was: NULLA TENACI VIA EST INVIA.
That means: for the obstinate [driver of a SPYKER ]  no way is impossible !

1912  SPYKER radiator with two SPYKER scripts

nickel -plated emblem with latin slogan

Dimension	ca 12.0 cm x 8.0 cm
Year	1919 - 1925
Estimate

extremly rare enameled SPYKER badge

Dimension	ca. 12.0 cm x  8.0 cm
Year	1919 - 1920
Estimate

May be this emblem lost the enamel

SPIKER  radiator with fancy  shell

doors of the ancient factory

on the doors again the slogan: NULLA TENACI INVIA EST VIA

1910 SPYKER poster

For more emblems see older posts or top right ( list of carmakers )

When using a smartphone please use the button web version !

O.D. Ostner / Germany

Mr. Willy Ostner from Dresden / East Germany ( therefore: O.D. ) started   producing heavy motorcycles in 1921.  In the beginning 1930 he offered his first three-wheeler for commercial use.
He was quite successful. In three years he sold around 1,300 units. Later he tried to sell three-wheelers for private use.

He used a wonderful emblem showing the head of an attractive lady.

Dimension	6.5 cm
Year	1932 - 1933
Estimate

the engine was mounted on  the frontwheel, the fuel tank with the emblem on top

as it is a tank emblem there is a left and a right looking version ( the same emblem was mounted on the motorcycle).

there are emblems with and without makers mark

In 1938 there was a large brass emblem

Dimension	20.0 cm x 3.5 cm
Year	1938
Estimate

detail of the O.D. REX front emblem, mounted on the REX 4 truck

For more emblems see older posts or top right ( list of carmakers )

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STEARNS - KNIGHT / USA

Frank B. Stearns built his first car in 1899, when he was only 17.  In 1911 the Stearns Company adopted the Daimler Knight sleeve-valve engine. The STEARNS - KNIGHT had a position as a high-priced prestige car. In 1925  WILLYS OVERLAND bought the company.  Production numbers are well documented. Their best year was 1916 when they sold 3,718 cars. Production ceased in 1929 after a total production of more than 50,000 cars in 29 years.

To my knowledge the first enameled radiator emblem was used in 1926:

Dimension	3.8 cm x 5.8 cm
Year	1926 - 1928
Estimate

backside of two original emblems:                                   left without  makers  mark                                                                                                                           right: with makers mark from THE G.FOX CO.

A short time later you find the same oval emblem but on the bottom you read STEARNS -KNIGHT:

All American cars using the license of a Knight engine had to add the  name "KNIGHT", therefore WILLYS KNIGHT, MOLINE KNIGHT,                HANDLEY KNIGHT,  R & V KNIGHT, FEDERAL KNIGHT, YELLOW KNIGHT and much more

Dimension	4.2 cm x 5.3 cm
Year	1928 - 1929
Estimate

STEARNS - KNIGHT backside without makers mark

Guess, which one is the KNIGHT emblem ?

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

MINERVA / BELGIUM

MINERVA was Belgium´s pioneer make, with Knight sleeve valve engines after 1909. The factory attained high retail sales with fast  tourers (Charles S. Rolls was the London agent) as well with rather more formal cars for the nobility  before World War I.
In the twenties MINERVA produced a wide range of humble Fours for the mass market, but a return to the upper class with the AK 5.9-litre and AL 6.6 litre  meant that MINERVA succumbed to harsh depression winds and closes down car production in 1939.
Trucks were made until 1948 and the Land Rover was produced under license until 1956.
It is a pleasure to collect MINERVA emblems as you can find so much variations.
Here you see the well know MINERVA emblem made with white and red enamel showing the roman goddess  of wisdom, called Minerva.

 The MINEREVA goddess is looking to the right

Dimension	6.3 cm
Year	1911 - 1929
Estimate

1925 advertisment showing the well known emblem

MINERVA automobile seen in Brussels at the Autoworld museum

1913 advertisment showing the radiator with emblem

MINERVA goddess looking to the left saying " Anvers Belgique"  

Here you can read: " Antwerp Belgium"

Dimension	6.3 cm
Year	1924
Estimate

There are much more MINERVA emblems:

Godess looking to the right. You can read ANTWERP. BELGIUM

Dimension	6.3 cm
Year	unknown
Estimate

all MINERVA emblems were fixed at the radiator with straps

This is the one year only 1929 blue emblem. It  is much rarer.

MINERVA goddess looking to the right

Dimension	6.3 cm
Year	1929
Estimate

MINERVA 1929 emblem with contemporary ad

Did you know that there was  an oval emblem ?

Dimension	7.0 cm x  5.5 cm
Year	1933 - 1937
Estimate

1931 MINERVA emblem with traces of black enamel:

1931 radiator emblem  seen in Brussels at the Autoworld Museum

radiator emblem without enamel  seen in Brussels at the Autoworld Museum

another rare  Minerva emblem

1921 advertisment with Minerva head looking to the right

MINERVA head looking to the left

Last not least there was a prototype emblem for the MINERVA SS with a twelve cylinder valveless engine.
This protype emblem is made by Harry Pulfer who reproduced in the Nineteensixties a lot of extraordinairy emblems. The MINERVA 12 cylinder  car never went in production.

prototype emblem  by Harry Pulfer: two dice symbolizing 12 cylinders;  SS stands for Sans Soupapes= valveless engine

After WWII from 1953 to 1956 the company produced a version of the Land Rover under license for the Belgian army

large aluminium radiator emblem

Dimensions	17.0 x  10.5 cm
Year	1953 - 1956
Estimate

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