LAFAYETTE / USA

The LAFAYETTE Motors Company of Mars Hill / Indianapolis was founded in October of 1919 presenting the first car in 1921. Later they moved to Milwaukee. The man behind this company was Charles W. Nash, the automobile King of Kenosha.                                                                                                                                                                        The LAFAYETTE company was active in the luxury car field offering  a V 8-cylinder automobile in the 5,000 $ range. Sales were always disappointing. In four years less than 2,000 cars were sold, so the LAFAYETTE emblem is quite rare.

The emblem surround is made of German silver ! The head of General LaFayette is covered with transparent acrylic glass making a three dimensional look.

Emblem showing General Marie Joseph Paul Yves Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de LaFayette 

Dimension	5.0 cm x   6.0 cm
Year	1921 - 1924
Estimate

flat backside without makers mark

enameled hubcap insert

1921 advertisment showing the car and the emblem

Charles W. Nash resurrected the LaFayette name in 1934, but this time for a lower priced Nash.
As these Nash LaFayette cars used the same portrait of General LaFayette I´m showing here all emblems with the name LaFayette written on it.

grille emblem made of two pieces plus base

Dimension	4.9cm x 11.7 cm with base
Year	1935
Estimate

Nearly the same emblem. But the emblem is made of one piece ( plus base)

emblem mounted on the grille

Portrait under acrylic glass

Dimension	3.7 cm x 6.3 cm
Year	unknown
Estimate

In 1936 the emblem became more simple:

Dimension	3.7 cm x 6.0 cm
Year	1936 - 1937
Estimate

Finally the Nash LaFAYETTE emblem became completly flat:

Dimension	3.2 cm x 6.0cm
Year	1937
Estimate

My LaFAYETTE and Nash emblem collection

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