REO / LANSING / USA ( 1906 - 1936 ) later DIAMOND - REO
It is a pleasure to collect REO emblems. There are so much variations as it was a very long lived firm. You still can find never seen before emblems.
The three letters REO are standing for Ransom Ellis Olds, the founder of the Oldsmobile.
But in 1906 he was forced to found a new car manufactory.
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| 1905 REO (16 HP touring car ) brass radiator with engraved letter REO - so far no separat emblem |
In 1910 the first enameled emblem was mounted on the radiator. It was the same year when REO established a second factory in Canada. Only this year the wings are showing down.
So here I present you the ultra rare Canadian wings down emblem:
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| Canadian REO radiator emblem ( the red background is not original ) |
Size
| 6.4 cm x 7.5 cm |
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| Year | 1910
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Here you see the USA REO wings down emblem of 1910. An ultra rare piece.
.JPG) |
| property of the Murray Shears collection |
Size
| 6.4 cm x 7.5 cm |
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| Year | 1910
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| Estimate |
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In 1911 there was a very colorful radiator emblem using transparent green and blue enamel.
5,278 cars were built this year. A very sought after REO emblem. You have to look years for it (as me).
Size
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7.0 cm x 5.8 cm
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Year
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1911
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Estimate
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| backside with makers mark from ROBBINS CO ATTLEBORO |
The next emblem - of a long series - showing the wings upwards - is the 1912 emblem of REO THE FIFTH.
It was a best seller, REO became number 7 of the US automobile industry after FORD, WILLYS-OVERLAND, STUDEBAKER, BUICK, CADILLAC and HUPMOBILE.
So it is not really difficult to find this emblem:
Size
| 6.8 x 7.8 cm |
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| Year | 1912 - 1919 |
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| Estimate |
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| 1913 brochure showing the radiator with emblem |
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| brochure front page |
REO was also very successful in exports, including to the Nordic
countries. Here are two advertisements from the Swedish magazine SVENSK
MOTOR TIDNING:
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1924 Swedish advertisement
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1924 Swedish advertisment
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The next emblem is from the REO, Model T-6, the first REO with a six-cylinder engine, so you can read THE SIX. REO was still in the top 10 of the U.S. car industry so it is quite easy to find a well preserved emblem:
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| REO emblem with maker`s mark: S.D.CHILDS & CO CHICAGO |
Size
| 6.8 x 7.8 cm |
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| Year | 1919- 1926 |
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| Estimate |
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Now we see a REO radiator emblem in smaller size without a model number. It was mounted on a REO truck.
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| no maker´s mark on the reverse |
Size
| 5.6 x 6.8 cm |
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| Year | 1928 |
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| Estimate |
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This is a rare REO (RIO) emblem. They used it when exporting cars to South America. Nice play on words as the pronunciation is the same. The "RIO" was even a trademark, filed in December 1928 by REO.
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| reverse with maker´s mark: THE D. L. AULD CO COLUMBUS O |
Size
| 5.6 cm x6.8 cm |
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| Year | 1928 |
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| Estimate |
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This is the emblem from the first REO Flying Cloud, that appeared in the year 1927.
Size
| 6.0 x 7.5 cm |
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| Year | 1927 |
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| Estimate |
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In 1933 you find this radiator / hood emblem on the REO Flying Cloud:
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| no maker´s mark on the reverse |
Size
| 6.2 x 3.7 cm |
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| Year | 1933 |
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| Estimate |
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From 1910 to 1911 the OWEN Motor Car Company produced a four-cylinder car in Detroit. Most of these cars bore the name OWEN, though a few of the final cars in 1911 were marketed as thr R-O [Kimes, Clark]
Here you see the ultra rare R-O emblem from a car manufactured by REO.
Size
| 5.5 cm |
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| Year | unknown
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| Estimate |
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R.E.O. it is not a boy group..
This is a particularly fine piece because the emblem shows the the truck where it was on. If you look from near you even can see the emblem on the radiator. What a nice idea. This emblem is before polishing.
Size
| 8cm x 6.5 cm |
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| Year | unknown |
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In 1930 REO offered a new series SPEEDWAGON trucks.
There have been half a dozen of different radiator badges.
Size
| 12.0 cm x 8.5 cm |
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| Year | 1930 - 1931 |
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| Estimate |
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| brochure showing the Master Speed Wagon chassis |
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| This REO Speed Wagon emblem was seen in the collection of my friend Joop J. There are other versions in black and red. |
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| as you can see there was also a giant REO Speed - Wagon emblem ( just compare with the regular 1913 emblem ) |
Size
| 16 x 13 cm |
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| Year | ca. 1928- 1929 |
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| Estimate |
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A new series of trucks made its debut in 1934 called REO Gold Crown and REO Silver Crown.
Here you see a very rare GOLD CROWN emblem:
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| emblem made of solid brass |
| Size | 8.0 cm x 6.7 cm |
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| Year | c. 1934 - 1936 |
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| Estimate |
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| next generation of the Speed Wagon |
Size
| 16.7 cm x 4.9 cm |
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| Year | 1930 - 1931 |
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| 1934 REO Flying Cloud hood emblem |
Size
| 14.4 cm x 8.4 cm |
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| Year | 1933 - 1934 |
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| REO FLYING CLOUD car emblem |
Size
| 7.6 cm |
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| Year | 1935 - 1936 |
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| brochure showing proudly the new emblem |
Do you like my REO emblem collection ?
After 1936 REO was no longer in the car industry, but they still produced commercial trucks under the name DIAMOND - REO until the seventies. Today VOLVO owns the rights of the brandname.
For more emblems from other automobiles see top right of this page ( list of car makers ).
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