STEIGER / GERMANY

 STEIGER / BURGRIEDEN / GERMANY  ( 1920 - 1926 )

 

As early as 1913, Walter Steiger, a native of Switzerland, founded a machine factory in Burgrieden under the name “Walter Steiger & Co.” In 1920, he began manufacturing automobiles.  Paul Henze, who had also worked at NAG and SIMPSON, designed several STEIGER cars. From 1923 to 1925, vehicles of this brand were successfully entered in races. Due to a slump in orders, this company was also unable to avoid bankruptcy, and the firm was liquidated in 1926.
 

 

The capricorn on the emblem was likely chosen to symbolize that this vehicle can climb any hill.

Size	6.7 cm
Year	1920 - 1926
Estimate

 

For a long time, I wondered where this emblem was mounted on the vehicle, because the V - shaped radiators never showed an emblem, only script.

And here’s the solution: the emblem was attached to the top of the radiator cap. I received this wonderful photo from STEIGER’s number one man, Mr. Michael Schick. For more details, click here:

By the way, Volvo and Scania also had an enamel emblem on the top of their radiator caps for a while. You can see it here !

 

 

one of the very first STEIGER advertisements in MOTOR November 1919

 

STEIGER emblem in as found condition

 

 This mascot was also mounted on these veheicles:

 

Size	7.5 cm x 8.4 cm
Year	1920 - 1926
Estimate

 

 The figure was created only as a relief:

 

Excerpt from a list of German automobile manufacturers in 1924, showing three STEIGER photos, published in the magazine MOTOR by Braunbeck 

In addition to STEIGER, there are  more nearly forgotten manufacturers: SELVE, PLUTO NSU

 

 

STEIGER ran a lot of ads. Here’s my favorite one. It’s from 1925 and shows a wonderfully sleek yet speedy STEIGER with the hood ornament in the background.

 

In 1926, Walter Steiger returned to Switzerland and launched the new “STEIGER-MARTINI” in collaboration with MARTINI, though it was not a success.

 

 

The MARTINI emblem simply features a different name. The Capricorn remains as the heraldic animal, and the number of letters has also stayed the same.

my MARTINI exposition

For more information about the Suisse MARTINI please click here!
 

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