PERFEX

The Perfex Co. (1912-1916)

Los Angeles, California

This is a Perfex radiator emblem (dates uncertain, poss c1913-1916)     sam
Size: 56mm diameter   MM: Unknown

The Perfex was designed by James R Fouch and the first car appeared in June 1912. The Perfex was a 22.5 hp four-cylinder roadster powered by a G.B.&S engine with selective sliding gear transmission. Twelve units were built in 1912 and production continued through 1913. Total Perfex motor car production was about 125 units.

A Perfex Model 19 1/2-ton truck was introduced in July 1913 and a decision was made at the end of that year to produce trucks only. Perfex trucks continued to be produced until 1916.

Emblems

The following poor quality photo appears in the Standard Catalog of American Cars and is noted as being a 1913 Perfex passenger car. The photo shows a small "Perfex" script attached to the radiator core. An original "Perfex" radiator script would be extremely rare. There is some photo distortion on the radiator tank top and the existence of a radiator emblem is unclear.  

This is a Perfex roadster (1913)     wlb

The round, white, blue and red enamel Perfex radiator emblem shown above at the top of this post may have been used for last Perfex passenger cars in 1913 and for the Perfex truck, although I cannot confirm this. This Perfex radiator emblem is extremely rare.

The following radiator with the "Perfex" name embossed into the top face of a radiator might at first sight be assumed to be from a Perfex car. But it is not. 

This is a Perfex radiator      ms

This is a radiator made by the Perfex Radiator Company of Racine, Wisconsin, which specialized in making replacement radiators for the Model T Ford. 

BABCOCK ELECTRIC

Babcock Electric Carriage Co. (1906-1912)
Buffalo, New York

Babcock Electric radiator script (1910)    dpl
Size: Unknown

Frank A. Babcock had been building the Buffalo Electric car since 1901 at the Buffalo Electric Carriage Company plant in Buffalo, New York (see Buffalo Electric). 

In 1906, he took his electric car powered by batteries that he had made himself on a run from New York to Philadelphia on a single battery charge and claimed this as a world record. He then set up the Babcock Electric Carriage Company and used the Buffalo Electric Carriage Company plant to go into production with his Babcock Electric.

Babcock did not achieve the success he had hoped for and, in 1912, he teamed up with the Clark Motor Company and the Buffalo Automobile Station Company to form the Buffalo Electric Vehicle Company to build a new Buffalo Electric car.

Emblem

The Babcock Electric was offered in a wide range of body styles, including some models with hoods, but most did not have a false radiator, see example shown below in a 1907 advertisement:

Babcock Electric Model 6 ad (1907)    eBay

These Babcock Electric models did not carry an emblem but would have displayed the "Babcock" name on a small maker's serial plate attached to the body or on the dash. Later models also displayed the "Babcock" name on the hubcap, see example below:

This is a Babcock Electric hubcap   dkc

However, Babcock Electric did produce some models with a hood and a false radiator to appear more like a gasoline motor car, for example see the car on the left side in the following 1909 Babcock Electric trade show photo:

Babcock Electric cars at trade show (1909)   dpl

I can find no photos showing the front of this 1909 Babcock Electric, so I cannot confirm if an emblem was displayed.

However, some original photos from 1910 showing the Babcock Electric with a hood and false radiator are seen to display a very large "Babcock" script mounted on the radiator grille, see examples shown below:

Babcock Electric with radiator script (1910)  dpl

Babcock Electric with radiator script (1910)   dpl

It is possible that this large "Babcock" radiator script continued to be used on some Babcock Electric models through 1912 but I cannot confirm to confirm this.  

The following illustration from a 1911 Babcock Electric brochure shows the Model 16 touring car with a false radiator displaying a smaller and different "Babcock" radiator script, although the detail of the script is unclear:

Babcock Electric Model 16 (1911-1912) econogics 

Detail showing smaller radiator script

WING

Wing Motors Corp. (1922)

Binghamton, New York

This is a Wing radiator emblem (1922)      jwc
Size: Unknown    MM: Unknown

The Wing Motors Corporation was established to produce the Wing automobile, which had been designed by Earl G Gunn, former Packard chief engineer. 

The Wing was a conventional, assembled 55 hp six-cylinder five-passenger touring car with the distinguishing feature of a special front suspension with two springs placed between the front wheels in line with the axle instead of in line with the chassis. However, although some pilot models were built, production did not proceed.

Emblem

The red, white, blue and black enamel Wing radiator emblem shown above at the top of this post is believed to be a Wing automobile radiator emblem. If this is indeed a Wing radiator emblem, it would be extremely rare and possibly ultra rare.

The only other possibility is the Wing marque used for export models of the Geronimo automobile. This would also be an extremely rare emblem.

If you have further or better details regarding this Wing emblem, please let me know, in order to update this post. 

KIBLINGER

W. H. Kiblinger Co. (1907-1909)
Auburn, Indiana

This is a reproduction Kiblinger script (c1907)    natam
Size: Unknown

The W. H. Kiblinger Company had built horse-drawn carriages and had experimented with motorized carriages before moving into automobile manufacturing in 1907. 

The Kiblinger was a high-wheeler runabout based on the Kiblinger carriage and was offered as the "lowest priced successful automobile on the road". At $250 for a well-made sturdy runabout it was good value. But the people building the Success high-wheeler in St. Louis sued Kiblinger for patent infringement. The Kiblinger business was sold and production continued using a modified Kiblinger called a McIntyre (see McIntyre). Total production of the Kiblinger was 613 cars.

Emblems

There are very few illustrations of Kiblinger motor vehicles and most surviving Kiblinger motor cars have been heavily restored. 

It is likely that the Kiblinger did not carry any emblem but would have displayed the "Kiblinger" name on a small maker's tag or nameplate attached to the rear of the vehicle in common with earlier horse-drawn Kiblinger carriages, or on a Kiblinger serial plate attached to the side of the vehicle or under the driver's seat, see examples shown below. Original Kiblinger tags and serial plates are rare.

This is a Kiblinger maker's tag (c1907)    mjs
Size: 74mm wide 17mm high

This is a Kiblinger serial plate (c1909)    sam
Size: 128mm wide 30mm high

The brass Kiblinger script shown above at the top of this post is displayed on the front of the dash on a surviving two-cylinder Kiblinger, see below. This Kiblinger script appears to be a reproduction and was likely to have been fitted at the time of an earlier restoration. I cannot confirm that the design of this script is original.

Kiblinger with dash mounted script (1907)    natam

The following photo shows another restored, surviving Kiblinger, which displays the "Kiblinger" name on wooden panels attached to the sides of the vehicle. It is possible that this Kiblinger originally had side panels displaying the "Kiblinger" name using colored decals but this cannot yet be confirmed.

Kiblinger Model D with body side name panels (1907) rmsothebys

DIAMOND REO

Diamond Reo Trucks Div of White Motor Corp. (1967-1971)
Lansing, Michigan
Diamond Reo Trucks Inc. (1971-1974)
Lansing, Michigan
Osterlund Inc. (1975-c1995)

Diamond Vehicle Solutions LLC (c1995-2010)
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

This is a Diamond Reo radiator emblem (1967-1972)  mjs
Size: 217mm wide 136mm high    MM: RPC

Diamond T and Reo were absorbed by White in the late 1950's but Diamond T (see Diamond T) and Reo trucks (see Reo Truck) continued in production as separate Divisions of White Motor Corporation. In 1967, Diamond T and Reo trucks were consolidated to form the Diamond Reo Division of White Motor Corporation and all future trucks were named Diamond Reo.

Diamond Reo production in 1967 consisted of thirty models of trucks that had been built by Diamond T and Reo in 1966. New model designations were devised for Diamond Reo trucks and new designs were introduced over the following years.

In 1971, Diamond Reo was bought by Francis L. Cappaert of Birmingham, Alabama, Diamond Reo Trucks Incorporated was established and Diamond Reo plant production was increased. A prototype Diamond Reo Raider model designated C-119 was shown in 1973 with production planned for later in 1974. Diamond Reo also introduced the Rogue CF-60 truck series in 1974. Despite these new model introductions and its excellent reputation, Diamond Reo was bankrupt by the end of 1974. Diamond Reo trucks still on the production line were completed during bankruptcy but further truck production ceased in 1976. Diamond Reo was sold to Consolidated International of Columbus, Ohio and completed trucks were sold.  

In 1977, Diamond Reo was acquired by Loyal Osterlund and Ray Houseal and production was resumed in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Osterlund resurrected the CS-116 Giant model line in 1977 and new features were introduced. By 1985, the Harrisburg plant had been expanded but production did not exceed two units per day. Diamond Reo trucks continued to be built on a limited production basis through the 1980's. New models were introduced but the Giant name was dropped in 1989. 

Diamond Reo trucks continued under Diamond Vehicle Solutions LLC from the mid 1990's. By the early 2000's, Diamond Reo was producing the T-Line series of trucks, which were only partly built in-house. Diamond Reo truck production ceased in 2010, although parts manufacture continued until 2013. 

Emblems

The Diamond Reo was introduced in 1967 with a brand new emblem for trucks with a hood, see the Diamond Reo advertisement shown below:

Diamond Reo ad showing the radiator emblem (1967)  ebay

This is the red painted emblem with a chrome finished diamond above a gold crown shown above at the top of this post and again below. This Diamond Reo radiator emblem is scarce.

This is a Diamond Reo radiator emblem (1967-1972)  mjs
Size: 217mm wide 136mm high    MM: RPC

A later Diamond Reo advertisement refers to "The diamond of quality the gold crown of value", see below:

Diamond Reo ad showing emblem (1972) ebay

The Diamond Reo truck advertisements above show that some Diamond Reo truck models with engines under the hood also carried the same emblem on the hood sides, while other models had "Diamond Reo" displayed using hood side nameplates.

Early Diamond Reo cab over engine models did not carry the new radiator emblem but displayed the "Diamond Reo" name above the radiator, see examples shown below: 

Diamond Reo COE model with front nameplate (1967) ebay

Diamond Reo COE model with front nameplate (1972) ebay 

The following 1973-1974 Diamond Reo Apollo-92 Truck Dealer's Sales Brochure cover sheet shows a new Diamond Reo logo, which was used for a new Diamond Reo truck radiator emblem, although the truck illustrated was clearly built before the change in radiator emblem as it still carries the earlier Diamond Reo radiator emblem:

Diamond Reo brochure showing new emblem (1973) ebay

The new Diamond Reo emblem is seen on the radiator and hood sides in the following photo of a 1973 Diamond Reo Model C-116:

Diamond Reo C-116 truck (1973)    j wells s

This is the red painted, chrome finished Diamond Reo emblem with a diamond mounted over a stylized crown shown below. This Diamond Reo emblem is scarce. I have seen this emblem on a 2000 Diamond Reo truck and assume it may have continued in use to the end of production in 2010 but I cannot confirm this.

This is a Diamond Reo radiator emblem (1973-c2010)    mjs
Size: 152mm wide 105mm high     MM: PMC

The Diamond Reo C-116 Raider truck introduced in 1974 carried this radiator emblem but had a very large radiator and grille and was also given a column of seven chrome diamonds in the center of the radiator grille, see below:

Diamond Reo C-116 Raider with seven central diamonds (1974)
r e olds transportation museum

The following dealer sales brochure for the 1974 Diamond Reo Royalle II cabover diesel tractor shows a similar design but with a smaller radiator displaying five chrome diamonds in the center of the grille. This photo also shows that, unlike earlier Diamond Reo cab over trucks, some new cab over Diamond Reo models had a radiator with an emblem mounted in the top center of the radiator :

Diamond Reo Royalle II with five central diamonds (1974)  ebay

The following Diamond Reo nameplate may have been used as a hood side nameplate or an above the radiator nameplate on a cab over engine model. This Diamond Reo nameplate is scarce.

This is a Diamond Reo hood side nameplate (date unknown)  lktec
Size: 510mm wide overall 52mm high   MM: Unknown

DOUGLAS

Douglas Motor Corp. (1918-1919)

Omaha, Nebraska 

This is believed to be a Douglas radiator emblem (1918-1919)    tcc
Size:63mm wide 61mm high    MM: Unknown

The Douglas Motor Corporation was established in 1918 to take over from the Drummond Motor Company (see Drummond) and the Drummond V-8 was up-dated to become the new 75 hp Douglas V-8 automobile. Touring models, a roadster and a Speedster Special were offered but it did not work out and Douglas automobile production ceased in 1919 after building only 334 units.

The company also built a range of motor trucks, which were more successful. The Douglas truck continued in production until 1935 (see Douglas Truck).

Emblems

I can find no original period photos or illustrations of Douglas motor cars, so there is some speculation regarding the radiator emblems used on these cars.

The blue, red and green enamel Douglas emblem shown above at the top of this post is believed to be a Douglas motor car radiator emblem. It is one of only two examples known at this time. Original Douglas radiator emblems with this design are extremely rare. 

Emblem collectors should beware as Pulfer made reproduction Douglas emblems with this design. 

The following polished metal Douglas emblem with inlaid black enamel has the same basic design as the previous Douglas emblem but is smaller and is set in a circular base, which overlaps the central rectangular name panel. This Douglas emblem is the only example known to date and is extremely rare. This Douglas emblem may have been a radiator emblem, possibly for a light duty Douglas truck.

This may be a Douglas radiator emblem (1918-1919)  sam
Size: 56mm diameter    MM: Unknown  

The following Douglas emblem is a quite different design with a rectangular name panel finished in black enamel with raised "DOUGLAS" letters over-painted in white. This is the only known example of this Douglas emblem and is extremely rare. This emblem may have been a radiator emblem, possibly for a light duty Douglas truck. 

This is a Douglas emblem (1918-1919)    sam
Size: 56mm diameter    MM: Unknown

Several examples have been found of the following metal Douglas emblem, which has a rectangular name panel with a double border and raised letters:

This is a Douglas hub emblem (1918-1919)   sam
Size: 56mm diameter   MM: Unknown

These plain metal Douglas emblems are hub emblems, see Douglas hubcap shown below. These Douglas hubcap emblems are rare.

This is a Douglas hubcap with hub emblem (1918-1919)  dkc

There are examples of the same Douglas hub emblem painted in a variety of colors. It is unlikely that these painted Douglas emblems were used as production emblems. More likely, they are hub emblems painted by emblem collectors to provide more interest in the emblem.

The following are examples of painted Douglas hub emblems:

This is a painted Douglas hub emblem (1918-1919)    khc
Size: 57mm diameter   MM: None

This is a painted Douglas hub emblem (1918-1919)    mjs
Size: 56mm diameter   MM: None

If you have better details or photos of any Douglas automobile radiator emblems, please let me know, in order to update this post.

HAMBLET

Hamblet Machine Co. (c1909)
Lawrence, Massachusetts

This is the Hamblet radiator emblem (poss c1909)    ms
Size: 46mm wide 15mm high    MM: Unknown

George W. Hamblet built himself a fine motor car in around 1909, including an air-cooled engine, with bodywork provided by the Amesbury Metal Body Company. The car did not go into production. 

In 1912, the engine was replaced with a 40 hp six-cylinder Palmer & Singer T-head engine with a Stevens-Duryea radiator. The Hamblet remains extant.

Emblem

The current painted brass Hamblet radiator emblem shown above at the top of this post and again later below may have been mounted on the original c1909 radiator but I cannot confirm this. 

The Hamblet motor car with the 1912 Stevens-Duryea radiator and Hamblet radiator emblem is shown below:

Hamblet motor car    ms

Hamblet radiator (1912)   ms

This is the Hamblet radiator emblem (poss c1909)   ms
Size: 46mm wide 15mm high    MM: Unknown

The following shows the Hamblet No.1 serial plate:

This is the Hamblet serial plate (c1909)   ms