In 1907 George Hanson opened a bicycle store in Griffin , Georgia, and soon began selling Franklin automobiles. Ten years later the HANSON Motor Company was founded by George W. Hanson and M. Ferguson in Atlanta / Georgia in December 1917. In the early twenties, he approached the idea of making a small, low-priced car for the South. With the help of Don Ferguson he began designing in February 1917 the first Hanson car, a 5-passenger tourer with a Continental 7R six-cylinder engine.
"Tested and proved in the South" was his slogan, although the factory was in Detroit, the company´s registered office was in Atlanta.
In 1925 Hanson closed the business. It is believed that a total of 1,800 vehicles were produced and most of them were sold in Atlanta and other parts of Georgia.
Size
| 7.0 cm x 5.3 cm
|
|---|---|
Year
|
1918 - 1925
|
Estimate
|  |
 |
| backside without makers mark |
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| "TESTED AND PROVED IN THE SOUTH" 1920 advertisment |
The HANSON emblem has an unusual shape with an unusual outline. Therefore, I asked myself the question, what it shows or means. It does not show a map of Georgia or Atlanta as I first thought. The solution came closer when I included in my thoughts that the vehicle was built specifically for the South. And what is typical for the southern states ? The cotton production ! The emblem shows a cotton flower:
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| left: cotton flower right: HANSON emblem |
For more emblems see older posts or top right ( list of car makers ).
When using a smartphone please use the button webview.
There is a good quality reproduction of the Hanson emblem, pictured above. Original Hanson emblems are distinguishable from copies by close examination of the lower part of the emblem. The bottom of the original is textured, including the stem. Copies are not textured and have a raised rim around the edge. An original can be viewed https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_840399
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