RAATZ, THEODOR / GERMANY

 

THEODOR RAATZ / BERLIN / GERMANY   ( 1924 - 1925 )

Was it just an ( unsuccessful ) carrossier or was it also an ( unsuccessful ) car manufacturer ? That is the question.
Theodor Raatz is not listed as a car manufacturer in GEORGANO. But that doesn't necessarily mean anything, because a number of manufacturers who can be proven to have existed are missing in this encyclopaedia, even though it is the most comprehensive printed encyclopaedia.

 

Size	8.0  cm
Year	1924 - 1925
Estimate

backside without makers mark ( as often  in Germany )

 

In any case, I have only found two references to this company so far: an advertisement from 1924 and another from 1925 (both in the magazine "MOTOR" by G.  Braunbeck ) and of course my emblem !

In February 1924, Th. RAATZ advertised as a workshop and dealer, not as a manufacturer.

In 1924, Th. Raatz definitely only advertised as a coachbuilder ( see ad above) , but in 1925 one could also read in the advertisement that this company manufactured chassis. And anyone who made chassis and tailored a body to it only had to buy the mechanics and they were already an automobile manufacturer.  Many manufacturers in the 1920s operated in this way.

Around a year and a half later, Th. Raatz also advertised as a coachbuilder and chassis manufacturer, i.e. as an automobile manufacturer.

emblem in as-found condition

and after cleaning

the restoration begins: the mold was bent back into shape and white enamel color was applied

final result with dark green letters

What is missing are contemporary photos of  Th. Raatz vehicles from 1925, which would be the ultimate proof for my theory that this was an (unsuccessful) vehicle manufacturer.

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

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RALLY / FRANCE

 RALLY / COLOMBES near Paris  / FRANCE  ( 1921 - 1933 )

 First of all, I'm astonished that there was only one automobile company that used the term "Rally" or "Rallye". This word from the world of sport, especially motor racing, is virtually predestined for a brand name. Or do you know of another brand with this name?

In 1920, "AUTOMOBILES RALLY" in Colombes, Seine, near Paris / France, began manufacturing sporty cyclecars. This company was able to survive longer than other French sports car manufacturers, probably because they were solid and sometimes prestigious vehicles. Initially, particularly light cyclecars were produced, which were equipped with the American V-twin cylinder with 989 cc from Harley-Davidson. 

Later, built-in engines from the manufacturers CHAPUIS - DORNIER, CIME, SCAP and others were used. RALLY  racing cars were tailored to wealthy sports drivers and were therefore never cheap. The most successful year was 1924, when 324 cars were produced.  Production ceased in 1933.

 

Size	3.8 cm x 5.0 cm
Year	1921 - 1923
Estimate

no makers mark ( sorry, this emblem is not for sale )

Size	5.9 cm
Year	1923 - 1928
Estimate

no makers mark ( as usual in France)

1923 ad:  RALLY used a CHAPUIS - DORNIER engine

A little cosmopolitan flair is a must: now you can read PARIS on the emblem.

Size	12.0 cm x 3.8 cm
Year	1930 -
Estimate

repro made with the original dies ( série de la Boutique de l´Atomobile)

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

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AUSTRO DAIMLER / AUSTRIA

 

AUSTRO DAIMLER / WIEN / AUSTRIA ( 1899 - 1936 )

The history of the car brand “AUSTRO - DAIMLER” began with the Austrian company “Östrerreichische Daimler Motoren AG”, which had its headquarters in Vienna / Neustadt.  The separation from the German Daimler company took place in 1911. 1928 saw the merger of AUSTRO - Daimler and PUCH. Around 1936, STEYR also joined the joint venture. Automobile production was ceased in 1936.

emblem still made for the Österreichische DAIMLER MOTOREN A.G.

 

 

  The name “AUSTRO DAIMLER” was used from 1910 onwards.

  Emperor Franz Joseph I also allowed the company to use the imperial double-headed eagle as its      emblem in 1911. So the next emblem shown here probably dates from around 1911 to 1914.

Early AUSTRO DAIMLER emblem. Made of a flat brass plate, so that the contours have partially disappeared over the years.

 Giant, flat emblem from before 1914:

probably a repro, but impressively attractive

Size	17.0 cm x 10.8 cm
Year	c. 1912
Estimate

Even before WWI, Austro Daimler built its vehicles with v - shaped radiators:

1914 advertisment showing a car with  v - shaped radiator

Size	15.8 cm x 6.8 cm
Year	1914 - 1930
Estimate

backside without makers mark

1923 advertiment showing the Austrian eagle on a v - shaped radiator

contemporary photo showing the emblem above and a proud girl (photo collection Michael Schlenger / Vorkriegsklassiker )

From 1930, a flat, newly designed emblem was used again, which also featured the two letters AD for Austro Daimler:

Size	10.2 cm x 4.4 cm
Year	1930 - 1936
Estimate

backside without makers mark

1934 AUSTRO DAIMLER with emblem showed above and mascot ( photo collection Vorkriegsklassiker Michael Schlenger )

There were two different types of radiator mascots:

very simple mascot

 

But there was also a much more elaborated radiator mascot:

Size	9.5 cm
Year	1930-
Estimate

AD only:  quite a simple hub cap for such a luxurious vehicle

Size	6.5  cm
Year	c. 1920
Estimate

 

AUSTRO DAIMLER  also manufactured aircraft engines and advertised their successes in automobile magazines:

1914 advertisment

Last not least here is a wonderful enameled emblem which I could not discover on historical photos. I guess that it is a motormeter emblem.

Size	5.6 cm
Year	unknown
Estimate

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

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BENZ / GERMANY

 

BENZ / MANNHEIM / GERMANY ( 1886 - 1926 , later MERCEDES BENZ )

The German automobile pioneers Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz laid the foundations for motorized transport. On July 3, 1886, BENZ presented what was probably the world's first automobile to an astonished public.

 And here comes a rare prewar emblem from Germany`s most famous car producer BENZ before it became MERCEDES - BENZ in 1926.

BENZ radiator emblem

 

But the first BENZ cars had no emblem:

1896 BENZ VELO  (collection Christoph Schmidt )

The first advertisements were also rather boring, in particular no automobile was depicted:

1907 advertisment in an Austrian magazine

In 1910 the famous BENZ emblem was patented:

first use claimed for 1909

Photo of the BENZ stand at the 1907 Paris Motor Show. Emblems are not visible on the cars.

 

One of the most wanted emblems for collectors:

BENZ radiator emblem

Size	7.3 cm
Year	1909 - 26
Estimate

 

 

flat backside of the emblem shown above but with makers mark from CH. LAUER NÜRNBERG

 There were variations of this famous emblem:

 

backside of an original emblem, but no makers mark

 

BENZ also sold automobiles in Italy:

 

1912 advertisment for the Italian Market

 

some emblems were enameled in blue

1914 BENZ radiator with exceptional shell, on top with emblem

Also from 1914 onwards, BENZ fitted the v - shaped radiator, which had become fashionable, to its vehicles:

the auxiliary headlights do not stand at an angle by mistake because they were intended to illuminate the curves ( and co-steering headlights had not yet been invented ) .

Size	7.3 cm
Year	1914 - 20
Estimate

backside without makers mark

1921 exposition showing the new BENZ with v - shaped radiator

1924 color ad: the whole family loves the BENZ

I found several ads at once, which I do not want to withhold from you because of their beauty, celebrating the merger of BENZ and DAIMLER.

In the first advertisements after the merger of Benz and Daimler, both previous emblems were still visible:

 

1926 advertisment still with two emblems

1926 advertisment

 

In 1906 Carl Benz left the company he had founded und built automobiles under the trade mark BENZ und SÖHNE. For BENZ und SÖHNE emblems click here.

 

For other  emblems  see older posts or top right of this page ( list of car makers ).

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