Mar 3, 2019

MINERVA / BELGIUM

 MINERVA / BELGIUM ( 1899 - 1939 )


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

Size
 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"

Size
 6.3 cm 
Year
1924
Estimate



There are much more MINERVA emblems:

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

Size
 6.3 cm 
Year
unknown
Estimate




all MINERVA emblems were fixed to the radiator with straps


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

MINERVA goddess looking to the right

Size
 6.3 cm 
Year
 1929
Estimate




1929 MINERVA  emblem with contemporary ad

Did you know that there was  an oval emblem ?




Size
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


 

original MINERVA spare wheel emblem made with green enamel


 

One of the most beautiful enameled emblems was used on a motometer. What a nice piece of art !


Backside of the above shown emblem ( no makers mark )


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

Dimensions17.0 x  10.5 cm
Year1953 - 1956
Estimate


 

Impressive MINERVA and MINERVA related emblem collection

 

Minerva was so successful for some years that the company was able to buy other companies, such as AUTO TRACTION, where the emblem then indicated that it was a Minerva product. For information about AUTO TRACTION click here .

 

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

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