DONNET ZEDEL / FRANCE

 DONNET ZEDEL ( 1924 - 1933 )

The company "Societé Francaises des Automobiles Zedel" , which was formerly closely associated with the Swiss company "Zürcher & Lüthi", built automobiles with the name "ZEDEL" in Pontarlier, Doubs / France as well as in Switzerland. Production started in 1906. In 1923 the company merged with DONNET.

The production of the French "DONNET - ZEDEL" began  in 1924. The company built a series of well-selling four-cylinder cars. From 1926 the firm came to concentrate upon a 2,5 liter six-cylinder, which becam a popular car.  In 1931, an attempt was made to bring out a front-wheel drive  car, but it did not go into production. In 1934, SIMCA took over the factory facilities. 

 Here you can see the last emblem of the Zedel company, which was already producing in France before it became the DONNET ZEDEL brand:

 

Automobiles ZEDEL emblem with the two letters Z and L in a circle

 

Size	4.0 cm x 6.1 cm
Year	1920 - 1923
Estimate

1908 british advertisment showing the two letters Z L

early ZEDEL radiator ( 1912 )

In 1923 ZEDEL merged with Donnet and production was transferred to Nanterre, and the cars sold under the name DONNET ZEDEL.

Here you can see the first DZ emblem, which was still completely designed in the style of Zedel:

 

still the letters Z and L in a circle

 

Size	4.0 x  6.1 cm
Year	1923 - 1926
Estimate

In 1926 a completly new designed emblem was seen on the radiator:

the company was well known enough and therefore was content with a simple letter D in the emblem.

Size	4.0 x  6.1 cm
Year	1926 - 1928
Estimate

backside without makers mark

Already in 1928 there was the next change in design. Now you could read again the full company name DONNET in an octagon:

Size	4.6 x  4.6 cm
Year	1928 - 1933
Estimate

1928 brochure showing proudly the new emblem

DONNET radiator of my collection

In 1932, there was even a kind of mascot on the vehicle, a tail adorned with a dark blue emblem in front:

mascot of the 1932 DONNET 11CV

Size	4.6 cm x 4.6 cm (emblem only)
Year	1932
Estimate for the entire mascot

emblem of the mascot

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

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AVIONS VOISIN / FRANCE

 AVIONS VOISINS (Societé des aéroplanes G. Voisin,   1919- 1939)

Gabriel Voisin was born in 1890 and earned his first merits in the emerging aeronautical manufacturing already in 1905. During the First World War he very successfully designed his own aircraft and sold them to the French Army. After the First World War, he turned to civilian production and designed and produced automobiles, using his knowledge from aircraft production. In particular, it was extremely important to him to save as much as possible on vehicle weight, that´s  why he used a lot of aluminum.

Even the company's first vehicle, the VOISIN 18CV, a racing car, had the famous Egyptian-looking emblem on top of the radiator.

This emblem was used on every vehicle until the beginning of the Second World War.

 

Size	14.0 cm x 6.0cm
Year	1920 - 1939
Estimate

 

Gabriel Voisin was strongly influenced by the sensational excavations and finds in Egypt, which fascinated the whole world at that time. He chose the Egyptian lucky beetle, the scarab, as his emblem. This had already been provided with wings at the time of the pharaohs as the following picture shows:

 

detail of the necklace of Tutankhamun compared with the Voisin emblem.

 

 In the 1980s, the emblem was reproduced by the French company ""La Boutique de l`Automobiliste" using the original tools. However, the difference becomes apparent on the back. The repro has a mounting pin in the middle of the emblem, while the original was soldered on the left and right outside.

 

on top: repro                   down: original

 

 

 

original:  no mounting pin, but old solder on the wings

the vehicles were so stylish that they were even featured on the cover of the fashion magazine VOGUE in 1925.

Gabriel Vosin was an eccentric person. The highlight was in 1931 when he even offered a 12-cylinder:

A rectangular emblem was never seen on a car, but there are rectangular brooches on the market

Voisin also sold cars to England as evidenced by this ad, which indicates its origins as an aircraft manufacturer in the picture and proudly displays the emblem.

Size	16.5 cm x 3.4 cm
Year	c. 1925
Estimate

On the case on the running board you find the emblem shown above

 (photo collection Stefan Ittner)

Most vehicles also had a radiator mascot; this was made of aluminum and represents a "cocotte".

     The word "cocotte" means chicken or slang for harlot. It is said that the mascots were made from                         aluminium scraps.

A highlight of any automobilia collection, an original enameled dealer ship sign showing the emblem and an early Avions Voisin vehicle

On the left side of the photo you can see hanging on the wall of the  sign (photo collection Stefan Ittner ).

After the Second World War, G. Voisin designed a small car that had nothing  to do with his representative pre-war vehicles, the new "Biscuter". Approximately 5,000 of these vehicles were produced and sold in Spain from 1951 to 1958.

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

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S.T.E.L.A. / FRANCE

S.T.E.L.A. / FRANCE ( 1941 - 1944  ) 

Hubert Pascal founded the company in Villeurbanne in 1941 and began producing automobiles. The brand name was S.T.E.L.A.  resp. Stéla.  Automobile production ended in 1944. It is said that commercial vehicles were still being produced until 1948. S.T.E.L.A. stands for Service de la Traction Électrique Légere à Accumulateur.

The company produced only electric cars, as gasoline was scarce in France during World War II. Among other things, there was the RCA model, a four-door, five-seater sedan.

Years ago I found this emblem and thought it might belong to a Swiss automobile brand. But the Swiss one is written STELLA and not S.T.E.L.A. . 

Size	8.3 cm x 3.3 cm
Year	1925 - 1928
Estimate

In  Georgano´s automobile   encyclopedia, there is  no car maker that spells S.T.E.L.A. .That is why it took me a long time to be able to assign the emblem with 100% certainty. I then found the assignment and the proof in the advertisement shown below:

The first car had a quasi-primitive design with straight sheet metal on the flanks and fenders.

Obviously, this design was then still too primitive, because in 1942 there was a much more pleasing car:

       If you look closely, you can also see the emblem on the hood (photo: source  dewiki.de)

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

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SHERIDAN / USA

 

SHERIDAN / USA   ( 1920 - 1921 )

When William C. Durant was still president of General Motors ( G.M. ), he asked D.A. Burke to develop a new vehicle. The result was so satisfactory that a production was decided. W.C. Durant left G.M.a short time later, bought the former Inter-State Automobile Company plants where the Sheridan car had been built, and shortly thereafter began production of DURANT vehicles on site. 

In the short period from 1920 to 1921 about 800 vehicles were built, so the emblem is very rare.

Size	4.4 cm x 7.0 cm
Year	1920  - 1921
Estimate

backside without makers mark

As the emblem is rare and expensive, Harry Pulfer ordered a reproduction emblem made in Hong Kong in the nineteensixties.    However, the repro is easily recognizable:

- the backside of the repro is flat and the base is not nickel plated

- the lines in the emblem are continuous in the repro, while in the original strokes and dots alternate

- the letters SHERIDAN down in the emblem are written too small 

- the original  base is nickel plated and not

             left:    flat repro                right: original                           

1921 advertisment showing the car and the emblem

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

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SEABROOK / UK

 

SEABROOK / UK  ( 1920 - 1928 )

SEABROOK Bros. ltd. Company was founded by the brothers Percy Seabrook and Herbert Seabrook  in London back in 1895. At first, parts for bicycle production were manufactured there. From 1911, the company also imported American-made vehicles like REGAL and the NAPOLEON truck. In 1920 the first own vehicle was produced. This vehicle initially had a self-developed and built engine. But already in 1921 they installed a Dorman engine. From 1923 they used Meadow engines.

Production ceased  as early as 1926 and the business was sold to Frank Burgess, who probably produced some more vehicles.

 In 9 years they built 300 vehicles only, so the emblem is a hard to find item.

Size	c. 9.5 cm x 4.5 cm
Year	1920  - 1928
Estimate

flat backside without makers mark

1923 advertisment with SEABROOK name written in the  style of the emblem

1924 advertisment showing the radiator and the emblem

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

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ALBA / FRANCE

 

 ALBA / FRANCE ( 1913 - 1928 )

The ALBA automobile factory was founded in Suresnes, near Paris in 1913.

 This French brand is not to be confused with the Italian brand from Trieste, which built automobiles from 1906 to 1908.

The french company manufactured mid-size vehicles.  Propulsion was provided by various 4-cylinder engines purchased  e.g. from S.C.A.P. .  In 15 years they built less than 400 cars.  Otherwise, not much is known about this brand.

The first ALBA vehicles had round brass emblem that was mounted to the radiator core:

photo from https:/ /commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7439680

The one and only enameled radiator emblem was used the last two or three years only:

in my opinion a simlpy designed emblem

Size	5.2 cm
Year	1926 - 1928
Estimate

backside without makers mark

The name ALBA is often used, not only in the automotive industry, but also in sports or other companies. Finally with this ad I managed to prove: the ALBA emblem shown here is from the French car manufacturer:

the name ALBA

my collage of ads with the emblem.

There was another ALBA automobile company in Italy ( respect. Austria ) in 1906 to 1908 which had nothing to do with the french ALBA shown above. In any case they had the more beautiful emblem:

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

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