PAN

Pan Motor Co. (1919-1921)
St. Cloud, Minnesota 

This is a Pan radiator emblem (1919-1921)     mjs
Size: 66mm high 58mm wide  MM: None

Sam Pandolfo was a teacher, who became an insurance agent. Pandolfo later decided to enter the automobile business based on his experience of driving many different motor cars in his days as a travelling insurance agent. He designed a car of his own, to be called the Pan, which he believed better suited the needs of a traveler than other cars on the market. The Pan car design had fold-down seats for sleeping, a compartment for tools and extra gasoline, a place for food and drink, and clearance under the car for improved driving on badly made and bumpy roads, as well as other home comforts.

Pandolfo was a great salesman and having printed a lavish catalog, he travelled widely convincing business people and others to invest in his company by buying stock, which they did to the tune of $9,500,000. He had some of his cars built using available parts by the Wayne Motor Works to demonstrate his design ahead of going into production. He came to St. Cloud, Minnesota in 1917, set up his Pan Motor Company and started to build a factory. Pandolfo also used part of the cash he raised to build a small, pleasant township for his factory workers, known as Pan Town, with architect designed houses, running water and sewerage disposal lines.

The Pan factory was ready in 1919 but before production began Sam Pandolfo and other Pan officials were indicted by the Federal Government for fraud and found guilty. Pandolfo appealed his conviction while Pan production proceeded at a reduced pace due to lack of funds. The Pan officials were acquitted but Pandolfo got a ten year prison term, although he was released after serving just two and a half years. 

Production of the Pan had continued for a while in order to help pay the company debts but the bad publicity had killed the Pan and the company was in receivership by 1922 after building only 737 cars. 

Even though the affair was a great scandal, Sam Pandolfo was so well liked in St. Cloud that he received a hero’s welcome after his release from prison. 

Emblems

The pre-production Pan cars were displayed at auto shows and other publicity events to help create interest and find investors, see the following advertisement showing a Pan radiator with an emblem and a motometer:

Advertisement for the Pan car (1918) pantowners

The Pan carried a blue, white and red enamel Pan radiator emblem designed like a cooking pan with a Pan car at the top, see example shown at the top of this post and again below. This Pan radiator emblem is extremely rare.

This is a Pan radiator emblem (1919-1921)   mjs
Size: 66mm high 58mm wide   MM: None

Emblem collectors should beware as there is a slightly larger and slightly more crudely made Pan emblem, which has often been referred to as a reproduction Pan radiator emblem. This may be correct but I believe it is more likely to be the emblem for a Pan tractor, see original photo of a Pan tractor shown below:

This is a Pan tractor on display at a trade fair (c1919)  minnpost

This is the blue, red and white painted Pan emblem shown below:

This is believed to be a Pan tractor emblem (c1919)   dkc
Size: 73mm high 67mm wide      MM: None

The Pan motometer shown on the 1918 advertisement earlier above has an unusual design and is inscribed with the "Pandolfo" name rather than "Pan". This Pandolfo motometer is clearly illustrated alongside the Pan radiator emblem on Pan Motor Company stock certificates, see example shown below:

Pan stock certificate showing emblem & moto meter (1919) pinterest

Close up of Pan motometer

The Pandolfo motometer is seen on illustrations of the first Pan cars in Pan brochures, see example shown below:

Pan Tourist Sleeper Model brochure illustration (c1918)   pcc

Close up showing the Pan radiator emblem & Pandolfo motometer

An example of the Pandolfo motometer is seen on a restored 1919 Pan Model A, see below. However, it is not confirmed if this motometer was originally mounted on the 1919 Pan or was added during restoration:

Pandolfo Motometer     twoguysandaride

The same Pandolfo design is seen on the following most interesting blue, black and red enamel Pandolfo emblem:

This is a Pandolfo emblem (date unknown)     sam
Size:    MM: Unknown

It is not known where this emblem was mounted or, as seems likely, if this Pandolfo emblem was a prototype radiator emblem made before the decision to use the Pan radiator emblem shown at the top of this post. I have never seen another Pandolfo emblem making this an ultra rare emblem. If you have further details of the use of this Pandolfo emblem, please let me know, in order to update this post.

 

S & M

S & M Motor Co. (1913)
Detroit, Michigan

This is an S & M hub emblem (1913)      mjs
Size: 69mm diameter

The S & M Motor Company was set up in Detroit by Edward Stroebel and Walter Martin from New York. 

The S & M was a big 48 hp six-cylinder assembled motor car built using standard components, including wire wheels. The S & M was announced as a car for the New York market in September 1912 but production did not start until late in 1913 and by January 1914 the company was bankrupt. Total production of the S & M was only 40 cars.

Emblems

The S & M was a very short lived and very rare motor car. The following S & M advertisement includes a photo of an S & M car, which appears to have an oval shaped radiator emblem:

This is an S & M advertisement (1913)    cartype

Close-up showing S & M radiator emblem (1913)

The S & M advertisement includes an oval shaped S & M logo, which is likely to represent the radiator emblem, although I cannot confirm this, see below:

This may be the S & M radiator emblem design (1913)

The S & M had wire wheels, which displayed an S & M hub emblem, see example shown above at the top of this post.  This S & M hub emblem is extremely rare.

If you have details of an S & M radiator emblem, please let me know, in order to update this post.

ROCK FALLS

Rock Falls Manufacturing Co. (1909-1925)

Sterling, Illinois

This is a Rock Falls radiator emblem (dates unknown)      mjs
Size: 44mm wide 42mm high   MM: Unknown (poss None)

The Rock Falls Manufacturing Company had been a builder of custom bodies for carriages since 1878, particularly for the funeral trade. Motorized hearses were built from 1909 but a passenger car was introduced in 1919.

The Rock Falls was an assembled 52 hp six-cylinder car using standard components but was unusual in having its gasoline tank mounted on the side of the chassis with the filler cap under the driver's feet. This oddity was dropped soon after. In the 1920's the Rock Falls grew to a 73 hp six-cylinder model. Most Rock Falls cars were produced for the funeral trade but a few were offered as large limousines or sedans for private use. Total Rock Falls production is not known but about 50 units were built each year. The company was out of business in 1925.

Emblems

The Rock Falls carried a pressed metal radiator emblem, see example above. The Rock Falls radiator emblem is likely to have been used before the introduction of the Rock Falls passenger car but is, nevertheless, very rare.

The Rock Falls radiator emblem can be found finished in nickel plate, see example below:

This is a nickel plated Rock Falls radiator emblem (dates unknown)   sam
Size: 44mm wide 42mm high    MM: Unknown

There is also a much rarer version of the Rock Falls radiator emblem finished in black and white enamel, possibly for use on the larger, more expensive funeral car models, although I cannot confirm this, see example below:

This is a Rock Falls radiator emblem (dates unknown)    sam
Size: 44mm wide 42mm high   MM: Unknown

SPLIT HICKORY

Ohio Carriage Manufacturing Co. (1907-1908)

Cincinnati & Columbus, Ohio

This is a Split Hickory nameplate (1907-1908)     mjs
Size: 78mm wide 18mm high

The Ohio Carriage Manufacturing Company was a well established manufacturer of horsedrawn carriages based in Columbus, Ohio using the Split Hickory trade mark.

In 1907 and 1908 the company also made a few, possibly no more than seven or eight, single-cylinder and two-cylinder gasoline powered carriages each being different from the other. One such Ohio Carriage motor vehicle is extant in Pasadena, California (as of 2013).

Emblem

The Ohio Carriage motor vehicles displayed the Split Hickory nameplates shown above attached to the rear of the vehicle.

GARDNER

Gardner Motor Co. (1919-1932)
St. Louis, Missouri

This is a Gardner radiator emblem (1919-1920)     mjs
Size: 96mm wide 44mm high     MM: None

Russell E. Gardner started to build Banner buggies and then assembled Chevrolet cars in St. Louis. Russell Gardner eventually controlled all Chevrolet trade in the Mississippi River states and made a fortune. After the First World War, Russell Gardner and his sons established the Gardner Motor Company to build the Gardner motor car. The first Gardner was introduced in late 1919 as a 1920 model and was an assembled 35 hp four-cylinder model offered in touring, roadster and sedan body styles.

The Gardner was a good car and sold well from the start. In late 1924, Cannon Ball Baker drove a Gardner from New York to Los Angeles in a new record time. In 1925, six-cylinder and eight-cylinder models joined the Gardner line and the four-cylinder model was dropped by 1926 with eight-cylinder models only offered in 1928 and 1929.

But Gardner had been losing money since 1928 and the stock market crash in 1929 hit the Gardner business. Sales fell and Garner returned to lower priced six-cylinder models in 1930 and 1931. Gardner had entered the commercial vehicle market in 1927 and built ambulances and funeral cars. Gardner passenger car production ceased in 1931. The final Gardner was a funeral car built in 1932 and then it was all over. 

Emblems

Advertisements for the first Gardner cars produced in late 1919 for the 1920 model year showed a representation of a radiator emblem, see example shown below:

Gardner ad showing rad emblem (1919) ma

This is the red and white enamel Gardner radiator shown above at the top of this post. This Gardner radiator emblem is scarce.

This first Gardner radiator emblem is found in two slightly different varieties, seen in the size of the "Gardner" letters, apparently resulting from the use of two different emblem dies, most likely produced by two separate emblem makers, see examples shown below:

Two varieties of the first Gardner radiator emblem (1919-1920) cbc

The thicker sized letter variety has a stamped back side, the thinner letter size variety has a flat back side.

The following red and white enamel Gardner radiator emblem was the second Gardner radiator emblem used from 1921 to 1923. This Gardner radiator emblem is scarce.

This is a Gardner radiator emblem (1921-1923)    mjs
Size: 96mm wide 44mm high    MM: None

As for the first Gardner radiator emblem, there are two varieties of lettering on this second Gardner radiator emblem, again resulting from the use of different emblem dies, see examples shown below:

Two varieties of the 2nd Gardner radiator emblem (1921-1923) cbc

For this emblem, each letter size variety can be found with both stamped backs and flat back. This fact suggests that the letter size may have been requested by Gardner rather than simply be the result of different emblem maker's dies.

The following black and white enamel Gardner radiator emblem was used from sometime in 1923 to 1925. This Gardner radiator emblem is scarce.

This is a Gardner radiator emblem (1923-1925)    mjs
Size: 96mm wide 44mm high    MM: Unknown

The following blue and white enamel Gardner radiator appears to have been used on Gardner Radio Special models briefly in late 1923 or 1924. This Gardner radiator emblem is very rare.

This is a Gardner radiator emblem (c1924)     mjs
Size: 96mm wide 44mm high     MM: Unknown

There was a change in Gardner radiator emblem design from 1925 to a large letter "G" incorporating a coat of arms with standing griffin bearers and a shield with a chevron design, see black Gardner radiator emblem shown below.  

This is a Gardner radiator emblem (1925-1927)     mjs
Size: 45mm wide 45mm high    MM: Unknown

There was a change in the Gardner radiator design in 1927 to a round emblem containing the same details as the previous radiator emblem, see gold finished black enamel Gardner radiator emblem shown below:

This is a Gardner radiator emblem (1927-1928)    mjs
Size: 48mm diameter    MM: Unknown

There was a similar black emblem on the hubcaps, see examples shown below:

This shows the Gardner hubcap (1929)   conceptcarz

This is a Gardner hub emblem (1927-1931)    mjs
Size: 43mm diameter    MM: None

The following photo shows a small Gardner emblem mounted on the dashboard from 1928 to 1930:

This shows the Gardner dashboard emblem (1928-1930)  conceptcarz

The Gardner radiator emblem received some color in the center shield in 1929, see the following gold finished, black and red enamel Gardner radiator emblem shown below. This gold finished Garner radiator emblem is rare.

This is a Gardner radiator emblem (1929-1930)    sam
Size: 48mm diameter    MM: Unknown

The majority of examples of this black and red Gardner radiator emblem design had a silver color finish, see example shown below.  This Gardner radiator emblem was used on all models from 1930 to 1931, except for 1930 front drive prototype models, which appear not to have had an emblem:

This is a Gardner radiator emblem (1929-1931)    mjs
Size: 48mm diameter    MM: Unknown

The following photo shows a Gardner tail light bracket emblem used in 1929:

This shows a Gardner tail light bracket emblem (1929)   conceptcarz

The following photo shows the Gardner tail light bracket emblem used in 1930:

This shows a Gardner tail light bracket emblem (1930)  classicdriver

This is a Gardner tail light bracket emblem (1930)   mjs
Size: 152mm wide 22mm high   MM: None

The following photo shows a Gardner crank hole cover emblem mounted used on most Gardner models from 1930 to 1931:

This shows the Gardner crank hole cover emblem (1930-1931) classicdriver 

Gardner cars from 1930 had an external horn mounted on the center of the headlight bar, with a chrome cover incorporating a griffin motif, see example shown below:

This shows the Gardner external horn cover (1930-1931) conceptcarz

The following metal Gardner Eight emblem is interesting. It shows a clock with the hands at about 3.40pm and inscribed around the border "The Car of the Hour" and "Sperl Square Los Angeles". This Gardner emblem appears to be a hub emblem and was possibly used by a Los Angeles Gardner agency for a sales event.

This appears to be a Gardner hub emblem (date unknown)  eBay
Size: Unknown

PAN AMERICAN

Pan-American Motors Corp. (1917-1922)
Decatur, Illinois 

This is a Pan American radiator emblem (1917-1922)    mjs
Size: 90mm wide 53mm high    MM: Unknown

The Pan-American Motors Corporation was established in Chicago in January 1917 and the car was initially called the Chicago Light Six. Pan-American moved to Decatur by December 1917 and the car became the Pan-American. 

The Pan-American was an assembled automobile initially using a 50 hp six-cylinder engine. A lower-priced 17 hp four-cylinder companion car was offered for the 1919 and 1920 model years but few were built. Commercial vehicles were also built from 1917 to 1919. 

There were management problems and in 1921 the company treasurer absconded with some of the company funds. The company also suffered the effects of the post First World War depression and late in 1921 the company decided to phase-out production. The Pan-American was finished in 1922.

Emblems

It is not known, if there was an emblem for the Chicago Light Six, built in Chicago before the move to Decatur. If such an emblem could be found, it would be extremely rare.

The Pan-American car produced in Decatur from December 1917 carried an interesting radiator emblem, which appears in Pan-American advertisements from 1917, see example shown below:

Pan-American ad showing rad emblem (1917) ms

This emblem is the maroon, blue and white enamel Pan-American radiator emblem depicting the Americas and an American shield under an eagle, see example shown above at the top of this post and again below. This Pan-American radiator emblem is very rare.

This is a Pan-American radiator emblem (1917-1922)  mjs
Size: 90mm wide 53mm high    MM: Unknown

Emblem collectors should beware as there are reproduction Pan-American radiator emblems, which lack the in-depth detail of the original emblem, especially on the eagle, see example shown below: 

This is a reproduction radiator emblem    ms

The Pan-American hubcaps carried a round hub emblem with a miniature version of the radiator emblem in the center, see example shown below:

This is a Pan-American hubcap (1917-1922)    dkc
Size: 46mm diameter (hub emblem) 

This hub emblem was originally finished with maroon enamel in the center, see example Pan-American hub emblem shown below. This Pan-American hub emblem is rare.

This is a Pan-American hub emblem (1917-1922)   mjs
Size: 45mm diameter    MM: Unknown

There is also a version of this hub emblem finished in red, blue and white enamel, see example shown below. This Pan-American hub emblem is very rare.

This is a Pan-American hub emblem (date uncertain)   mjs
Size: 45mm diameter   MM: Unknown

The following is a Pan-American wire-wheel hubcap showing a larger hub emblem:

Pan-American wire-wheel hubcap (1917-1922) hubcapcollector

The following is an example of the maroon painted Pan-American wire-wheel hub emblem shown above. This Pan-American hub emblem is rare.

This is a Pan-American wire-wheel hub emblem (1917-1922) mjs
Size: 69mm diameter    MM: None

MOYER

H A Moyer (1911-1915)
Syracuse, New York 

This is a Moyer radiator emblem (1911-1915)    mjs
Size: 63mm wide 29mm high    MM: None

Harvey Allen Moyer established himself as a wagon builder in 1875. He built an experimental automobile in 1908 but real production of the Moyer began in time for the 1911 model year. 

The Moyer was a big car and was very well built. The first Moyer was a 29 hp four-cylinder model offered in runabout and touring body styles. This was followed in 1912 by a 38 hp six-cylinder model, which was increased in size to a 49 hp six-cylinder model in 1913. 

Financial problems led Moyer to discontinue his automobile business in 1915 after the production of about 400 cars.

Emblems

There are very few original period photos of Moyer cars clearly showing the radiator. A 1911 Moyer photo does show the radiator but the top of the radiator is obscured by the license tag. However, an original photo from c1912 of a Moyer under construction in the factory clearly shows a radiator emblem, which suggests that an emblem was likely to have been used from the start of production in 1911, see below:

Moyer factory photo showing rad emblem (c1912) william creswell

Close up showing radiator emblem

This is the red, white and blue enamel Moyer radiator emblem shown above at the top of this post. This Moyer radiator emblem is very rare.

The "Moyer" name was also displayed on the hubcaps, see examples shown below:

This is a Moyer hubcap (c1911-1912)     moroz

This is a Moyer hubcap (c1913-1915)   dkc

The following is a Moyer hub emblem, which is also very rare:

This is a Moyer hub emblem (c1913-1915)    mjs
Size: 49mm diameter   MM: None

Some surviving Moyer cars also display the "Moyer" name on a brass radiator script, see example shown below. However, I have not seen an original period photo of a Moyer car showing the radiator script, so I cannot confirm that these scripts were attached at the time of manufacture. 

Moyer Model C Roadster with radiator emblem & script (1914) ms

Moyer radiator script (1914)    ms