GOBRON / FRANCE

 

GOBRON - BRILLIE / FRANCE  ( 1901 - 1930 )

As early as 1898, Eugène Brillié and Gustav Gobron joined forces to create the GOBRON - BRILLIE brand and produce automobiles. Their specialty was a two-cylinder engine, but in which ran four pistons. An invention that did not catch on. As early as 1903 the partners split up again, but keeping the name GOBRON -  BRILLIE until 1910, and only after that, until the end in 1930, the vehicles bore  the name GOBRON only.

When the company was still  called GOBRON-BRILLIE, the emblem had an oval shape.

1907 GOBRON BRILLIE with oval emblem

From 1911 the emblem became round and showed a kind of gear in a circle:

Size	7.7  cm
Year	1911- 1920
Estimate

the only original enameled GOBRON emblem I have ever seen 

Size	6.5 cm
Year	1920 - 1924
Estimate

GOBRON radiator with long filler neck

There was also a reproduction of the emblem, where however the enamel was not transparent:

repro emblem

Overview of French radiators from 1906:

second row in the middle (number 29) the GOBRON radiator

contemporary advertisment showing the emblem top right

GOBRON radiator of my collection

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

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BENZ SÖHNE / GERMANY

BENZ SÖHNE / GERMANY  ( 1906  - 1926 ) 

In 1906 when Carl Benz left the BENZ & Cie Company he had founded,  he started a new factory together with his sons Richard and Eugen. The start was very difficult. Only prototypes were built until 1908.   Car production  was always small and ceased in 1926.
It seems that only two BENZ and SÖHNE cars survives today.

original BENZ and Sons emblem ( N.O.S. ,- found in the basement of the ancient factory in Ladenburg / Germany in 2004 ) a real highlight of every collection

Size	7.4 cm
Year	1906 - 1914
Estimate

reverse without makers mark

1909 advertisment showing the emblem

 

 

            contemporary photo showing the radiator with emblem and script  ( photo collection Dietrich Conrad, for more information about BENZ und Söhne click here)

 

 

In 1913 Carl Benz worked on his own sleeve valves engine. He had no ambition and no money to pay licence fees to Charles Yale Knight who patented the sleeve valves engine in the USA in 1906.
The Benz sleeve valves engine was developed to the stage of a regular production so Car Benz even ordered emblems for this type. You can see the emblem on the next picture. I don´t know why but then he decided to stop this project. To my knowledge there was never a regular production. So you can imagine how rare this emblem is.
I ´m sure it was intended to be mounted on the firewall or on the engine itself as the name BENZ  is not written on the emblem.

Size	6.0 cm
Year	1913
Estimate

reverse without makers mark

In 1914 and later an  emblem made in the same style with the sun and rays was used on top of the raditor of a 1914 BENZ, type 10/26 and again in 1924.

a very sought - after emblem

Size	7.4 cm
Year	1914 - 1924
Estimate

backside without makers mark

1924 BENZ SÖHNE automobile seen in the CARL BENZ museum in Ladenburg / Germany 

January 1913: first draft of the emblem shown above

1924 hubcap showing the emblem

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

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FONCK / FRANCE

 

AUTOMOBILES RENE FONCK  ( 1920 -1924 )

René Fonck  ( *1894  +1953) was the most famous fighter pilot of the French Air Force during the First World War. It is said that he alone shot down 60 (or more ) enemy planes, which would be almost half of the total number. After the end of the First World War, he too looked for a new field of activity and entered automobile production. He was also politically active.

contemporary postcard showing the young René Fonck

The company "Automobiles FONCK" was founded to produce luxury cars in the style and at the price level of Hispano Suiza. It is unclear whether he lent his famous name to the company, whether he was the owner or an involved  constructor only,  as his financial resources were unlikely to have been sufficient to purchase a factory and start production. 

unusual radiator emblem in the style of a military badge of honor.

Size	c 3.0 cm x 8.5 cm
Year	1920 - 1924
Estimate

The company has existed for a maximum of 4 years. During this time, a maximum of 11 vehicles were created. It is not known that any vehicle still exists today.

Like the HISPANO SUIZA the FONCK cars sported a stork mascot, therefore also the picture on the brochure.

one of the rare contemporary photos

picture from a sales brochure

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

NICLAUSSE / FRANCE

 

NICLAUSSE / LYON / FRANCE  (1906 - 1918)

 In 1890 the brothers Jules and Albert Niclausse registered a patent for a "multitubular steam generator with independent removable and balanced tubes", which will make their fortune.

In order to diversify their products, they also turned to automotive manufacturing.

In 1906, when Sigmund Gerster, a Swiss engineer, was hired, the first NICLAUSSE cars were designed and produced.

At the Paris show in December 1906, a chassis and a complete car were presented. The NICLAUSSE catalog proposed three types of engines. All these cars had big four cylinder engines. Production remains low, estimated at fifty chassis for 1908. Sigmund Gerster leaves NICLAUSSE in 1910 and becomes an engineer at Chapuis-Dornier in 1913. As a result, there will be no more new NICLAUSSES models.

After the First World War, production is also not resumed. It is estimated that perhaps a total of 300 vehicles were built, two of which still exist today ( and my radiator of course ).

What an original emblem, made of copper. It shows the Gallic rooster sitting on the steering wheel. In the background, top left the emble is repeated in a reduced size. Also, in the center left, the car itself driving over clouds in front of a bright sun.

Size	7.8 cm x 8.1 cm
Year	1906 - 1918
Estimate

Note the outline of the emblem. It has the outline of the complete radiator, but upside down.

Originally the radiator was not  nickel-plated, nor did it show its brass. It was painted in green color with black trim. Remains of it have been preserved on this radiator.

1912 Paris  Salon de l` Automobile

an imposing appearence, even without headlights

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

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OTAV / ITALY

 

OTAV / MILANO / ITALY  (1905 - 1908 )

Max Türkheimer , a German industrialist was a manufacturer of bicycles. In 1905 he decided  to built automobiles. He created the OFFICINE TÜRKHEIMER AUTOMOBILI VELOCIPEDI ( therefore the name OTAV ) in Milano / Italy.  His first car had  a small 1-cylinder engine ( 4 HP, later 5,5 HP ). As early as 1906 a 4-cylinder motor car with 24 HP was added.

 About 200 examples were produced in about three years. In 1908, following a crisis in the industry, the factory  closed down. Deported to Auschwitz Max Türkheimer died in 1944. To my knowledge, two vehicles have survived, one in England and one in Paraguay.

very colorful emblem showing a sun in the background

Size	5.4 cm x 5.4 cm
Year	1905 - 1908
Estimate

OTAV advertisment showing the sun of the emblem and the name with the special letter V

two of the small OTAV cars, photographed in Milano

share of the company, bottom right showing the 4-cylinder car

 

 

 

 

 

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

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MANNESMANN / GERMANY

MANNESMANN / Germany  ( 1913 - 1928 )

The German  MANNESMANN - MULAG  ( = MOTOREN UND LASTWAGEN AG ) started truck production in Aachen one year before WW I in 1913. The monthly output was about 80 - 100 vehicles.
They designed one of the most craziest radiator emblems in truck history:
you see two  men with a rope in their hands standing with both feet firmly on the globe. On the right side you see the truck where this emblem was mounted. Make  your own sense of it........
Nevertheless it is one of my all time favorites.

Size	10.2 cm x 7.5 cm
Year	1913 - 1919
Estimate

reverse without makers mark

before restoration

contemporary ad with emblem

on top you see an original MANNESMANN brooche

this emblem was patented in 1917

advertisment showing the truck and the emblem

The MANNESMANN company tried to  enter the privat car business in 1923 without success.
About 2,000 cars were built at the factory in Remscheid. MANNESMANN stopped the production in 1928. Not a single car survived.
The emblem is super rare. You have to look years for it.

before restoration

don´t give up,  quite every emblem is restorable

Size	14.5 cm x 3.3 cm
Year	1923 - 1928
Estimate

backside without makers mark

1923 advertisment. You see details of the emblem in the background !

When starting production in 1923 they used for a short time a vee - shaped radiator:

photo from  vorkriegs-klassiker-rundschau.blog

photo from  vorkriegs-klassiker-rundschau.blog showing the radiator with emblem and mascot

 

 

brochure with printed emblem and original emblem

 

 

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

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