Jan 10, 2021

PHÄNOMEN / GERMANY

The PHÄNOMEN - Werke were founded in Zittau / Saxony / Germany in 1888 by Gustav Hiller and began producing bicycles in 1898 and motorcycles in 1903.
In 1907, the company released the Phänomobil model, which closely resembled Cyclon's Cyklonette. This was no surprise, as two engineers who had developed the Cyclonette had moved to Phänomen. From 1912 to 1927, Phänomen also built larger passenger cars of conventional design. From 1927, only light trucks with air-cooled engines were built.  In 1945, the plants were expropriated without compensation and were then called ROBUR.

1913 advertisment showing the three - wheeler PHÄNOMOBIL ( down left )


British brochure for the PHÄNOMOBIL (here written: Phanomobiles) showing the V2-cylinder engine



ultra rare PHÄNOMOBIL emblem


Size 8.8  cm
Yearunknown

Estimate



PHÄNOMOBIL with 2-cylinder engine ( 1912 - 1922) photo collection Klaas Dierks


The first enameled radiator emblem on a conventional car had capital letters only:


the two holes are original to fix the emblem


Size  9.1 cm
Year1916

Estimate


backside without makers mark



Photo from the Michael Schlenger collection showing the emblem ( more Phänomen pictures here )


After WWI the design of the emblem was changed. Now you find an emblem in the form of a rhombus on a v - shaped radiator:

photo collection Klaas Dierks

 

 

another contemporary photo showing a PHÄNOMEN with v -shaped radiator

 

In 1924 the time was over for the vee  - shaped radiators and the PHÄNOMEN emblem became flat:


Size7.5 cm x 3.5 cm
Year1926 - 1930
Estimate


There was also a version with two holes to fix the emblem at the radiator:



In 1927 PHÄNOMEN specialized in light trucks using a simplified emblem:


Sizec.7.0 cm x 4.0 cm
Year1927 - 1939
Estimate


1928 brochure where you can read: the truck that does not need care !



1928 advertisment showing the new light truck 4 RL and the new "Kübelwagen"


radiator shell of the light truck 4 RL with blue / white emblem


close up of the truck emblem

 

As far as I know, the emblem was made of aluminum from 1940 onwards to save material:

PHÄNOMEN type GRANIT emblem made of aluminium  

 Size
  7.6 cm x  3.6 cm

Year
1940
Estimate


The following emblem is a mystery. I have never seen this emblem on an automobile.

Who knows more ?


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

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1 comment:

  1. Never seen the Phanombil emblems before. Very good presentation.
    Now I know what I need.

    ReplyDelete