MATHIS / FRANCE

SA MATHIS  / STRASBOURG / FRANCE  (1910 - 1950) 

Emile Mathis was an Alsatian automobile manufacturer who started out as a car dealer in Strasbourg in 1898 and became the general agent for “DE DIETRICH” in 1901. He was in contact with the young Ettore Bugatti, and in 1904 they agreed to develop and build a vehicle together: the HERMES SIMPLEX.

The partnership had already ended by 1906, and Emile Mathis did not begin producing vehicles under his own name until 1910.  In 1934, a joint venture was formed with FORD SAF, and vehicles were produced under the MATFORD name; starting in 1935, this included 8-cylinder vehicles and, later, trucks as well (see MATFORD).

 Car production came to an end in 1950. The plant was later taken over by Citroën.

 The first MATHIS vehicle even had two emblems, one on top of the radiator and the other on the radiator core:

 

 

Size	7.3 cm x 8.1 cm
Year	1910 - 1920
Estimate

 

 

backside without makers mark ( as usual in Germany and FRance )

 

The oldest MATHIS advertisement I was able to find is this one from 1911, which is still in German. It clearly shows the emblem pictured above and the one shown below.

 

 

Size	10.4 cm
Year	1910- 1920
Estimate

 

 

1924 advertisement for MATHIS in Cyclecars, Motos et voitures

 

 

What a magnificent photograph, taken in Berlin, Germany, likely in the early 1920s, showing that MATHIS was competing with BUGATTI ( photo collection T.H. Ulrich )

MATHIS, too, could not escape the prevailing trend and began offering its vehicles with pointed radiators in 1925. Note, once again, the second emblem mounted on top of the radiator.

 

 

 

 

 And here it is, the second emblem on top:

 

Size	5.7 cm x 6.1 cm
Year	1924- 1925
Estimate

 

 

backside without makers mark

 

The best-known and perhaps most beautiful MATHIS emblem is the following one, which is enameled in blue and white:

Note the ribbed ring around the emblem

 

Size	with ring  5.5 cm
Year	1928
Estimate

 

The MATHIS Type 123 also featured a hood ornament depicting a flame, which was presumably meant to symbolize the car's fiery spirit.

 

two stars for this quite simple mascot

 

Size	6.6 cm x 7.5 cm
Year	1928 - 1929
Estimate

 

 

1929 ad in Automobile et Tourisme  showing a MATHIS with mascot

 

 You can see the hood ornament much more clearly in this photo:

MATHIS Type EMY SIX, still with flat radiator

 

 

there was also this version with a flat, chromed ring. I suspect it´s a newer version

 

 The MATHIS EMY 6 model was developed during the collaboration between MATHIS and FORD and had a v-shaped radiator:

 

 

 

Size	4.9 cm x 6.3 cm
Year	1930
Estimate

 

 

 

 

ROCHET SCHNEIDER; DE DION BOUTON and MATHIS radiator for sale in Reims / France in 2022

 

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

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For more information about the collobaration with MATFORD please click here!