SHAD-WYCK

Shadburne Brothers Co.

Frankfort, Indiana (1917-1918)

Chicago, Illinois (1920-1923)

This is a Shad-Wyck radiator emblem (date unknown but possibly 1920-1923)   mjs
Size: 78mm wide 73mm high overall   62mm diameter center    MM: None

The Shad-Wyck name had an obvious association with the Shadburne brothers who decided to build this car but it was probably meant to sound like the well-known Chadwick car. Wade H Shadburne had been selling cars in Chicago since 1908 and in 1915 he was joined by his brother Leonard to take up the Moon car distributorship. Then in 1917 the Shadburne brothers announced that they had bought the Dixie Flyer and Bour-Davis car companies and a factory in Frankfort, Indiana in which to continue to build these cars along with a new Shad-Wyck car. The Dixie Flyer sale did not happen but the Shadburne brothers did build a few Bour-Davis cars at Frankfort in 1918 (see Bour-Davis).

The Shad-Wyck 6 DeLuxe was advertised in motoring magazines but the photo used in a Shad-Wyck advertisement in July 1917 was of a Roamer car. There is no confirmed record of a Shad-Wyck car being built at Frankfort and the factory was closed in February 1918. The Shadburne brothers moved back to Chicago where, in the early 1920's, they announced their plan to build a Shad-Wyck touring model powered by a six-cylinder Rochester-Duesenberg engine. The new Shad-Wyck was promoted up to 1923 but there is no record of the car being built. 

However, radiator emblems were made for the Shad-Wyck Six for both Frankfort and Chicago but whether a prototype Shad-Wyck car was ever made or the emblems were attached to another car is not confirmed. At least one automotive reference notes that some Bour-Davis cars built at Frankfort were rebadged as Shad-Wyck and that some Shad-Wyck cars may actually have been built after the Shadburne brothers moved back to Chicago.

Emblems

The Shad-Wyck radiator emblem shown below was clearly made for the Shad-Wyck intended to be built in the Frankfort factory in Indiana. This emblem came from the John Webster emblem collection and is an unused, new old stock emblem and is ultra rare.

This is a Shad-Wyck radiator emblem (1917-1918)     mjs
Size: 78mm wide 73mm high overall   62mm diameter center    MM: None

The Shad-Wyck emblem at the top of this post is the same design as the emblem shown above except for the lack of a reference to Frankfort, Indiana. I guess that this emblem was intended to be used for the Shad-Wyck to be built in Chicago following the Shadburne brothers departure from Frankfort. This Shad-Wyck radiator emblem is ultra rare.

This particular Shad-Wyck emblem came from the S. Ray Miller collection and had been used. The photo below shows this emblem before restoration:

This is the Shad-Wyck radiator emblem shown at the top of this post before restoration 

It is interesting to note that the Shadburne brothers had two sets of radiator emblems designed and manufactured but there is no confirmed evidence that a Shad-Wyck car was ever built. The fact that the emblem shown above had been used suggests that at least a prototype Shad-Wyck car may have been produced in Chicago, although this is not confirmed.

HERFF-BROOKS

Herff-Brooks Corp. (1914-1916)
Indianapolis, Indiana

This is a Herff-Brooks radiator emblem (c1915-1916)   mjs
Size: 57mm wide 53mm high    MM: Unknown

The Herff-Brooks Corporation was organized in 1913 to handle the national sales of the Marathon car  (see Marathon). When Marathon found itself in trouble, Herff-Brooks arranged to manufacture some models of the Marathon at the Wayne Works in Richmond, Indiana. Herff-Brooks then transferred about 200 Marathon men, machinery and available parts to the Wayne Works and proceeded to produce their own car, called the Herff-Brooks. 

The Herff-Brooks automobile appeared in early 1914 as four- and six-cylinder models in the medium-price range and was available in roadster and touring body styles. But Herff-Brooks soon had the problems that had affected Marathon. There was intense competition in the automobile industry and, although chassis changes and price-reductions for 1916 models were reported in mid 1915, Herff-Brooks gave up by the end of 1916.

Emblems

The first Herff-Brooks automobile in 1914 carried a shield shaped radiator emblem with a "Herff-Brooks" name-band running from top left to bottom right, see original photo shown below:

This is a Herff-Brooks automobile with rad emblem (1914)  tha

Close-up showing the radiator emblem (1914)

This is the red, white and blue enamel Herff-Brooks radiator emblem shown below. This Herff-Brooks radiator emblem is extremely rare.

This is a Herff-Brooks radiator emblem (1914)    cwc
Size: 56mm wide 48mm high   MM: Bastian Bros

There was a change in the Herff-Brooks radiator emblem, possibly for cars produced in 1915 for the 1916 model year, to an emblem framed by back-to-back eagles. This is the red, white and blue enamel Herff-Brooks radiator emblem shown above at the top of this post and again below. This Herff-Brooks radiator emblem is extremely rare.

This is a Herff-Brooks radiator emblem (c1915-1916)    mjs
Size: 57mm wide 53mm high    MM: Unknown

It is possible that this red Herff-Brooks radiator emblem was used on the six-cylinder Herff-Brooks models but I cannot confirm this. This possibility is suggested by the fact that there is also a blue version of this emblem, which may have been used for the four-cylinder Herff-Brooks models, although, again, I cannot confirm this. 

The blue version of the emblem is the blue and white enamel Herff-Brooks radiator emblem shown below. This Herff-Brooks radiator emblem is also extremely rare.

This is a Herff-Brooks radiator emblem (c1915-1916)   sam
Size: 57mm wide 53mm high      MM: Unknown

Emblem collectors should beware, as there are reproduction Herff-Brooks emblems. These reproduction emblems lack the in-depth detail of the original emblems, have shiny flat backs and no maker's mark, see example shown below:

This is a reproduction Herff-Brooks radiator emblem   cwc

This is a reproduction Herff-Brooks radiator emblem    kmc

WINTON

Winton Motor Carriage Co. (1896-1915)
Winton Motor Car Co. (1915-1924)
Cleveland, Ohio 

This is a Winton Six radiator emblem (1914-1915)    mjs
Size: 53mm diameter  MM: Robbins

Alexander Winton emigrated from Scotland to America in 1884 and established the Winton Bicycle Company in Cleveland in 1891. In 1896 Winton built an experimental single-cylinder automobile and in March 1897 he organized the Winton Motor Carriage Company. The second Winton was a 10 hp two-cylinder model, which Alexander Winton drove at a speed of 33.64mph around the Glenville horse-racing track, an incredible speed at the time. In the summer of 1897 in another two-cylinder Winton together with William Hatcher he drove from Cleveland to New York City, another astonishing feat at the time.

The first Winton was sold in March 1898 and by the end of 1898 a total of 22 Winton cars had been sold and 100 cars were sold in 1899. In the spring of 1899 Alexander Winton had driven another Winton to New York City, this time with a newspaper reporter, Charles Shanks. This event gave wide publicity to Winton and popularized the word "automobile" for the horseless carriage, which had previously been called "autobain" and "motorcycle".

In October 1901 Winton was beaten in a car race by Henry Ford at Grosse Pointe race track but Winton then built his famous Bullet racers. In January 1904, Barney Oldfield drove Bullet 2 at Daytona Beach and broke the record for a mile at 83.7mph. In 1903 Dr Nelson Jackson and Sewell Croker drove a Winton across America from San Francisco to New York. Winton sales increased from 700 in 1901 to 1,100 by 1907. Winton introduced four-cylinder models in 1905 with sizes from 16/20 hp to 40/50 hp and after 1907 all Wintons were six-cylinder models.

Winton is credited with building the first truck in America, a light delivery van that was completed in 1898. A small number of commercial vehicles were built by Winton up to 1906 using passenger car chassis. 

In 1915 the company was reorganized as the Winton Motor Car Company and a lower priced six was introduced. Winton production for 1916 was 2,458 cars. Winton was very busy supplying the US military with heavy equipment and some load carriers during the First World War and was in good shape after the war.

But Winton cars were too expensive for the market. Sales fell and by 1922 the company was in financial difficulties and in 1923 Alexander Winton liquidated the company at great cost to himself. It was all over for Winton by 1924.

Emblems

The first Winton motor cars from 1898 displayed the "Winton" name on cast metal sill plates, see example shown below:

This is a Winton sill plate (1899)    laam

There appears to have been a change in the Winton sill plate design by 1903, see example shown below:

This is a Winton sill plate (1903)    cccmlc

The following 1904 Winton advertisement uses a shield surmounted by a crown to extol the quality of manufacture used by Winton.

Winton advertisement (1904)   ms

The same shield and crown was used for a Winton combined serial plate and patent plate, see examples shown below: 

This shows a Winton serial/patent plate (1904)   laam

This is the red and black painted brass Winton combined serial/patent plate shown below. This Winton serial/patent plate is rare.

This is a Winton serial/patent plate (c1905)    mjs
Size: 78mm high 53mm wide

The "Winton" name was also displayed on the hubcaps, se example shown below:

This is a Winton hubcap (1904)     laam

The following photo shows a surviving Winton car displaying the "Winton" name on a brass script attached to the radiator. Although this script is seen on other surviving Winton cars, original period photos of Winton cars do not show any radiator script in 1906 but it is possible that a radiator script was used on some Winton cars as an after market accessory. It is also possible that these radiator scripts were added later during restoration.

Winton car showing radiator script (1906) carphoto

In 1909, the Winton had a brass radiator emblem mounted in the front of the radiator tank top, see example photos shown below:

Winton cars at the New York Auto Show (1909)    dpl

This is a Winton radiator with emblem (c1909)    hcg

Close-up showing radiator emblem (c1909)     hcg

This is a Winton radiator emblem (1909-1911)    sam

The following, poor quality but, original period photo shows a Winton car taken during the 1909 Munsey Reliability Run with the radiator emblem shown above and a "Winton" script attached low down on the radiator core:

Winton car showing a radiator script (1909)    dpl

The same "Winton" radiator script is seen in the following photo of a surviving 1909 Winton Model 17:

Winton Model 17 showing radiator script (1909)  conceptcarz

This is the brass "Winton" radiator script shown below. I do not know for how long this radiator script was a factory product. Surviving Winton cars are seen to carry this radiator script up to the mid-1920's but these are likely to be later additions attached during restoration. Original Winton radiator scripts are scarce.

This is a Winton radiator script (1909-c1912)     mjs
Size: 304mm wide 80mm high

From about 1911, the Winton carried a round radiator emblem. However, there are several different radiator emblems, which are difficult to date, due to the lack of original period photos and the use of incorrect emblems during the restoration of some surviving Winton cars. 

The dates I have used in the following examples are speculative and based on examples of surviving Winton cars. If you have details of the correct dates of use, please let me know, in order to update this post.

The following is a photo of a surviving 1912 Winton Six with a radiator emblem:

This is a Winton Six with a radiator emblem (1912)  bonhams

This emblem is the blue, pale blue and white enamel Winton Six radiator emblem shown below. This Winton Six radiator emblem is very rare.

This is a Winton Six radiator emblem (c1912)  ebay
Size: 48mm diameter   MM: Unknown

The following Winton Six radiator emblem uses a different style of lettering for the "Winton" name. This Winton Six radiator emblem is also very rare. 

This is a Winton Six radiator emblem (c1911-1912)   mjs
Size: 54mm diameter    MM: Unknown

The following is a Winton Six hubcap showing the same design as the radiator emblem:

This is a Winton Six hubcap (1912)    bonhams

The following is a photo of a surviving 1915 Winton Six with a different radiator emblem:

Winton Six with a radiator emblem (1915)  northeastwheelsevents

This emblem is the green and white enamel Winton Six radiator emblem shown below. This Witon Six radiator emblem is very rare.

This is a Winton Six radiator emblem (1914-1915)    mjs
Size: 53mm diameter    MM: Robbins

The following photo shows another radiator emblem on a surviving 1917 Winton Six:

This is a Winton Six emblem (1917)    hatm

This is the blue and white enamel Winton Six radiator emblem. This Winton Six radiator emblem is very rare.

This is a Winton Six radiator emblem (c1917-1922)    ms
Size: Unknown    MM: Unknown

A smaller version of this Winton Six emblem is found on the hubcaps, see example shown below:

This is a Winton Six hub emblem (c1919)     ms

From around 1916, the Winton Six-33 carried a round, plated brass radiator emblem, sometimes finished in black, see example shown below:

This is a Winton Six radiator emblem (1916)    rmsothebys

The Winton six carrying the above radiator emblem had wire wheels with the following hub emblem:

This is a Winton Six wire-wheel hub emblem (1916)  rmsothebys

Where wire-wheels were not used, the Winton Six hub emblem was the same as the radiator emblem, see example shown below:

This is a Winton Six hubcap (1917)    conceptcarz

The following are examples of different nickel plated Winton Six radiator emblems from the period from about 1916 to 1924. These Winton six radiator emblems are rare, although the first example below is unique, as it is from the 1922 Winton Six touring car used by President Harding when he visited Alaska in 1923:

This is the President Harding Winton Six radiator emblem (1922)  mjs
Size: 47mm diameter   MM: Unknown

This is a Winton Six radiator emblem (date uncertain)  mjs
Size: 47mm diameter    MM: Unknown

This is a Winton Six radiator emblem (date uncertain)  mjs
Size: 41mm diameter   MM: D L Auld

This is a Winton Six radiator emblem (date uncertain)  mjs
Size: 38mm diameter   MM: D L Auld

This is a Winton Six radiator emblem (date uncertain)   mjs
Size: 38mm diameter    MM: Unknown

The following emblem is a mystery. It appears to be very similar to a Winton Six radiator emblem but what is the "DAW"? If you can identify this emblem, please let me know, in order to update this post.

This is a mystery emblem       mjs
Size: 47mm diameter   MM: Unknown

 

NEW ERA (1)

New Era Engineering Co. (1916)

Joliet, Illinois

This is a New Era radiator emblem (1916)     mjs
Size: 86mm wide 36mm high   MM: Unknown

The New Era Engineering Company was established in 1915 by Forrest J. Alvin, who recruited W. O. Dayton to design and engineer the New Era.

The New Era was a 16 hp four-cylinder motor car, offered in touring and roadster body styles, and was ready by 1916. However, the New Era venture was unsuccessful and it was all over by July 1916. Very few New Era cars were built.

Emblem

The New Era radiator emblem shown above has been used and has original solder on the back. This New Era radiator emblem is extremely rare.

BUSH

Bush Motor Co. (1916-1925)

Chicago, Illinois

This is a Bush radiator emblem (dates unknown)     mjs
Size: 53mm diameter    MM: Unknown

The Bush was a mail order motor car. It was a relatively ordinary assembled car, which grew from a 20 hp four-cylinder touring car in 1916 to a 45 hp six-cylinder model by 1924.

John H.Bush advertised the Bush in popular magazines and sent out brochures. Payment was required in advance of an order, which was then placed with one of several motor car manufacturing companies, which had agreed to build the Bush. These companies included Crow-Elkhart, Norwalk and Piedmont. When an order and a check had been received from John H Bush, the manufacturing company would attach a Bush emblem to the next car on the assembly line, and ship it directly to the customer.

Over time, the several car manufacturers making Bush cars went out of business. Bush failed to find replacement manufacturers to support his business and it was all over by 1925.

Emblems

The black and white enamel Bush radiator emblem shown above is extremely rare.

The following blue and white Bush radiator emblem appears to be a variation of the emblem shown at the top of this post. This Bush radiator emblem is also extremely rare.

This is a Bush radiator emblem (dates unknown)    sam
Size: 53mm diameter    MM: Unknown

The following Bush radiator emblem appears to have been used on a higher quality, more expensive model, which was built by the Piedmont Motor Car Company, as shown further below, but I am unaware of the details. This Bush radiator emblem is also extremely rare.

This is a Bush DeLuxe radiator emblem (date unknown)    sam
Size: 57mm diameter    MM: Unknown

The following photo shows a restored Bush De Luxe car built by the Piedmont Motor Car Company. The radiator emblem can just be seen.

This shows the radiator of a Bush De Luxe   hugh hemphill

I am unable to confirm the precise dates of use of the Bush emblems shown here. If you have details of specific dates, please let me know, in order to update this post.

DOUGLAS

Douglas Motor Corp. (1918-1919)

Omaha, Nebraska 

This is a Douglas emblem (1918-1919)      sam
Size: 55mm diameter     MM: Unknown

The Douglas Motor Corporation was established in 1918 to take over from the Drummond Motor Company 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

The Douglas automobile carried a round radiator emblem, see the pink and black enamel Douglas example shown below. This Douglas radiator emblem is very rare.

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

There are plain metal versions of the Douglas emblem, see example shown above at the top of this post. This is a Douglas hub emblem, see Douglas hubcap shown below. These Douglas hub emblems are rare.

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

There are also examples of the Douglas emblem painted in a variety of colors. For such a short lived automobile and such a low production total, it is unlikely that these painted Douglas emblems were used as production emblems. More likely, they were hub emblems painted to provide more interest in the emblem, although it is possible that some painted Douglas emblems were used for light duty Douglas commercial vehicles but I cannot confirm this.

The following are examples of painted Douglas emblems:

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

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

This is a Douglas radiator emblem (1918-1919)    mjs
Size: 55mm diameter   MM: None