HERTZ

Walden W. Shaw Livery Co. (1924-1927)
Chicago, Illinois

This is a Hertz radiator emblem (1924-1927)    mjs
Size: 67mm high 66mm wide   MM: Fox

John Hertz had been hired by Walden W Shaw to help develop the Walden W Shaw Livery Company business and by 1921 Hertz was in control of the company, which by then was producing the Ambassador car, a successor to the Shaw automobile (see Shaw). 

John Hertz was interested in the idea of leasing cars as well as selling cars and, in 1923, he bought the Chicago car rental company founded by Walter L Jacobs. In October 1924 John Hertz abandoned the 75 hp Ambassador and decided to offer a 25 hp six-cylinder version in either sedan or touring form and to make the car available for sale or for lease.

He renamed the car the Hertz and continued it in production into 1927. Then Hertz decided that leasing the cars was a much better business prospect than making them. The Hertz car was discontinued late in 1927 and thereafter John Hertz offered his "drive it yourself" service using cars produced by other manufacturers. The Hertz car rental firm continues to this day (as of 2020).

Emblems

The following Hertz automobile rental guide and directory shows the Hertz radiator emblem:

Hertz Rental Guide (1926) ms

The red, white and black enamel Hertz radiator emblem shown above at the top of this post is extremely rare.

The following is a red, white and blue enamel version of this Hertz radiator emblem. This Hertz radiator emblem is also extremely rare.

This is a Hertz radiator emblem (1924-1927)    kmc
Size: poss 66mm high 66mm wide   MM: Unknown (poss Fox)

There is also a plain metal version of this Hertz radiator emblem, which is sometimes found painted, see examples shown below. These Hertz radiator emblems are very rare.

This is a Hertz radiator emblem (1924-1927)     sam
Size: 67mm high 66mm wide   MM: Unknown (poss Fox)

This is a Hertz radiator emblem (1924-1927)    mjs
Size: 67mm high 66mm wide   MM: Fox

The following is a different, slightly smaller blue painted Hertz radiator emblem. This Hertz radiator emblem is very rare.

This is a Hertz radiator emblem (1924-1927)    kmc
Size: 64mm high 64mm wide    MM: Unknown

Emblem collectors should beware, as there are reproduction Hertz emblems with shiny flat backs and lacking in front face detail. 

The following Hertz "Drivurself System" radiator emblem also appears to be a reproduction emblem. If there is an original version of this Hertz emblem, it would be extremely rare.

This is a reproduction Hertz emblem  ms

SHAW

W W Shaw Livery Co. (1913-1914; 1918-1921)
Chicago, Illinois

This is a Shaw radiator emblem (1918-1921)    sam
Size: 67mm high 58mm wide    MM: Unknown (some Noble)

The Walden W Shaw Livery Company started in the automobile business in 1908 by selling passenger cars. Walden Shaw hired John Hertz, initially as a salesman, but then to help organize and run the company. Initially John Hertz bought second-hand automobiles to sell and raise capital and to turn into taxis. By 1910 Hertz had raised enough capital to buy nine new Thomas cars, paint them yellow and put them out as taxicabs. By 1913 the company was building its own taxi chassis and in 1915 the Yellow Cab Manufacturing Company was formed to deal with the taxicab business. In 1918 Shaw built a prototype 2-ton truck but production did not proceed.

Shaw then decided to build a passenger car. The four-cylinder Shaw was introduced in February 1920. But very quickly Shaw decided to change the name of the car to Colonial. Then there was a complete change of engine size and by July 1920 the Shaw/Colonial was powered by a twelve-cylinder engine. All this was to try to improve sales but it did not work. Very few Shaw cars were sold and by February 1921 John Hertz was in full charge of the company and the same car was now called the Ambassador. John Hertz then went on to build the Hertz car (see Hertz). Some records suggest that no more than twelve Shaw cars were made.

Emblem

The Shaw taxicab business had a logo, see Shaw Taxicab advertisement from 1914 shown below. This Shaw logo was displayed using decals on the side doors of their taxicabs and may have been used as a radiator emblem, although I cannot confirm this. 

Shaw Taxicab ad with logo (1914)

Close-up showing the Shaw Taxicab logo (1914) 

The Shaw motor car emblem used the same garter design seen in the Shaw taxicab logo. see the black and white enamel Shaw radiator emblem shown above at the top of this post. This Shaw radiator emblem is extremely rare. 

Emblem collectors should beware, as there are reproduction Shaw radiator emblems with flat shiny backs and no makers mark. Most reproduction Shaw emblems can be recognized by the lack of symmetry in the design of the emblem and sometimes the color. Original Shaw emblems are finished in black and white enamel, the following unbalanced reproduction Shaw emblem is finished in dark green and white enamel:

This is a reproduction Shaw emblem   ms

GRAY

Gray Motor Corp. (1922-1926)
Detroit, Michigan

This is a Gray radiator emblem (1923-1925)      mjs
Size: 71mm wide 44mm high     MM: Fox

The Gray was a low priced, 20 hp four-cylinder car intended to compete with the Model T Ford. A stock Gray touring car was driven from San Francisco to New York in the autumn of 1922 averaging 33.8 miles per gallon of fuel, thereby setting a new gasoline mileage record. The Gray was advertised as the "Aristocrat of Small Cars" and offered the buyer "world record economy". Gray predicted annual sales of around 250,000 but this never happened. A total of 1,772 Grays were built by the end of 1923.

The Gray became larger and more expensive over the next two years but it was all over by 1926 after a total production of just under 15,000 cars. Two commercial versions were made of the Gray car, a 1/2-ton van and a 1-ton van, both using the same engine as the passenger car.

Emblems

The Gray radiator had a shield shaped recess to accommodate the radiator emblem. The following blue enamel Gray radiator emblem was the first Gray emblem and was used from 1922 to 1923. This Gray radiator emblem is rare.

This is a Gray radiator emblem (1922-1923)    mjs
Size: 70mm wide 45mm high    MM: Bastian Bros

The shape of the Gray emblem remained the same but the color was changed to the white and blue enamel Gray radiator emblem shown above at the top of this post and again below from 1923 to 1925. This Gray radiator emblem is scarce.

This is a Gray radiator emblem (1923-1925)     mjs
Size: 71mm wide 44mm high    MM: Fox

The following is a larger version of the Gray radiator emblem shown above. This may possibly have been used on one of the Gray commercial vehicles but I cannot confirm this. This larger Gray radiator emblem is rare.

This is a Gray radiator emblem (poss 1923-1925)    kmc
Size: 89mm wide 44mm high    MM: Bastian Bros

The following blue and white enamel Gray radiator emblem is believed to have been used for 1925-1926 but I cannot confirm this. This Gray radiator emblem is scarce.

This is a Gray radiator emblem (poss 1925-1926)     mjs
Size: 70mm wide 45mm high     MM: Bastian Bros

The following photo of a Gray radiator emblem appears to show a transparent blue enamel version of the previous Gray emblem. If this is an original Gray radiator emblem with transparent blue enamel and no "Motor Corporation Detroit" inscription, it would be very rare. However, this may be a much smaller emblem and not used as a radiator emblem.

This appears to be a Gray radiator emblem (dates unknown)  flickr
Size: Unknown   MM: Unknown

The following poor quality photo appears to show a Gray emblem with the advertising slogan "Aristocrat Of Small Cars" in place of "Motor Corporation Detroit". If this is an original Gray radiator emblem, it would be extremely rare.

This appears to be a Gray radiator emblem (dates unknown)  ms
Size: Unknown    MM: Unknown

The following small oval shaped Gray emblems are a completely different design and may have no connection with the Gray Motor Corporation. Gray also made marine engines and possibly these are marine engine emblems. If you can identify these Gray emblems, please let me know, in order to update this post.

This is a Gray emblem (dates unknown)    mjs
Size: 66mm wide 25mm high    MM: Bastian Bros

This is a Gray emblem (dates unknown)    mjs
Size: 66mm wide 25mm high    MM: Bastian Bros

RUGGLES

Ruggles Motor Truck Co. (1921-1928)
Saginaw, Michigan
Ruggles Motor Truck Co. Ltd. (1921-1926)
London, Ontario

This is a Ruggles radiator emblem (1921)    mjs
Size: 63mm diameter    MM: American Badge

Frank W. Ruggles was president of the Republic Motor Truck Company from 1917 to 1920.  He moved to Saginaw, Michigan in 1921 and established the Ruggles Motor Truck Company. 

The first Ruggles trucks in 1921 were the 1-ton Model 20 and the 2-ton Model 40. In 1922 Ruggles also began to build sightseeing, char-a-banc type passenger buses. Other models were added later in the range of 3/4-ton to 3-ton trucks and 16- to 29-passenger bus chassis. In 1925 Ruggles also began to build fire engines, ambulances and police patrol vehicles.

But the company was losing money by 1926 and, despite reducing the range of products offered, production of Ruggles vehicles ceased altogether in 1928. Ruggles also had a Canadian plant in London, Ontario which assembled trucks from 1921 to 1926.

Emblems

Ruggles trucks produced in Saginaw, Michigan carried a round, white and black enamel radiator emblem depicting a wheel with spokes. It is believed that the Ruggles Saginaw truck emblem shown above, and again below, was a prototype emblem. This Ruggles radiator emblem is extremely rare.

This is believed to be a prototype Ruggles radiator emblem (1921)  mjs
Size: 63mm diameter   MM: American Badge

There is another version of this Ruggles radiator emblem finished in blue and white enamel and with the fixing holes filled and finished in blue enamel, see example shown below. This Ruggles emblem is also much larger in diameter than the other round Ruggles emblems. It is believed that this is another prototype emblem and is also extremely rare.

This is believed to be a prototype Ruggles radiator emblem (1921)  cwc
Size: 72mm diameter    MM: American Badge

The Ruggles radiator emblems shown above have "Ruggles Motor Truck Co." inscribed around the upper border of the emblem but this inscription is not symmetrical and has an empty space after the final "Co.". 

It is not clear why the emblem was made like this, but it may be related to the red and white enamel radiator emblem with a sunburst central design made for Ruggles trucks assembled in London, Ontario, see example shown below. This Canadian Ruggles radiator emblem is very rare.

This is a Ruggles Canada radiator emblem (1921-1926)   mjs
Size: 63mm diameter   MM: Whitehead & Hoag

Comparing the Canadian emblem shown above with the Saginaw emblems shown earlier. it can be seen that the space after the final "Co."in the Saginaw emblem is used to place "Ltd" in the Canada emblem. 

This suggests that perhaps there may have been an intention by the emblem maker to use part of the emblem die for both emblems. However, this is unlikely, as there are so many other differences in the detailed design of the two emblems. More likely, it was an error by the draftsman designing the Saginaw emblem, which was later rejected after prototype emblems had been produced. 

The corrected black and white Ruggles Saginaw radiator emblem has the "Ruggles Motor Truck Co." set symmetrically around the upper border of the emblem, see example shown below. This Ruggles radiator emblem is very rare.

This is a Ruggles radiator emblem (1921-1924)     mjs
Size: 63mm diameter    MM: poss American Badge

Ruggles truck advertisements from 1921-1923 refer to "The World's Greatest Truck" and show a very similar radiator emblem to that above but it is inscribed "Saginaw, Mich. U.S.A." along the bottom border, suggesting that this emblem was intended for Ruggles trucks built for export, see example shown below:

This is a Ruggles advertisement (1921)  ma

Close-up showing Ruggles export emblem (1921-1924)

I have not seen this Ruggles export emblem but it is likely such an emblem was used. If you have a photo of this Ruggles export emblem, please let me know, in order to update this post. If this Ruggles export radiator emblem can be found, it would be extremely rare.

In 1924, the Ruggles truck emblem design was changed to the large oval-shaped, black enamel radiator emblem shown below. This Ruggles radiator emblem is scarce.

This is a Ruggles radiator emblem (1924-1928)    mjs
Size: 130mm wide 66mm high    MM: None

I do not know, if there was a similar Ruggles radiator emblem made for the trucks assembled in London, Ontario from 1924 to 1926. It is possible that the round Canadian Ruggles emblem continued in use during this period.

Some Ruggles truck models from 1924, using the oval radiator emblem shown above, also displayed the "Ruggles" name on a black painted nameplate attached to the rear or side frame members of the truck, see example below:

This is a Ruggles truck showing side frame nameplate (c1927) invisionic

This is a Ruggles truck nameplate (1924-1928)    dkc
Size: 370mm wide 95mm high   MM: Unknown 

The following photo from a 1926 advertisement shows a Ruggles Fast Freight six-cylinder van displaying the large black oval radiator emblem together with a "Ruggles" radiator script:

This is a Ruggles Fast Freight van with radiator script (1926) americanikons

Close-up showing Ruggles radiator emblem and script (1926) 

STODDARD-DAYTON

Dayton Motor Car Co. (1904-1910)
Stoddard-Dayton Div., U S Motor Co. (1910-1913)
Dayton, Ohio

This is a Stoddard-Dayton Thirty radiator emblem (1911-1913)  mjs
Size: 62mm diameter    MM: Whitehead & Hoag

The Stoddard family business had been manufacturing farm implements for many years and in the mid-1890's Charles Stoddard began to experiment with an automobile. A pilot model was ready by the summer of 1904 and production began soon after. The Dayton Motor Car Company was incorporated in December 1904. The first Stoddard-Dayton was a 26 hp four-cylinder side entrance touring car and was available for 1904 and 1905. The Stoddard-Dayton was a well made, large and luxurious automobile. "As Good as it Looks" was the company slogan in 1905.

The Stoddard-Dayton was a success with 125 units built in 1905, 385 in 1906 and 2,000 in 1907. A 50/60 hp six-cylinder model appeared for one year in 1908 alongside a range of four-cylinder models. Stoddard-Dayton gained a reputation for winning track races and hill climbs and in 1909 a Stoddard-Dayton won the first race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with an average speed of 57.3mph. Stoddard-Dayton was also the pace car at the first Indy 500 race in 1911. In 1909 the Courier Car Company was established to manufacture a less expensive car called the Courier as a separate marque (see Courier (1)).

Stoddard made a fatal mistake in 1910 when it agreed to become the Stoddard-Dayton Division of the United States Motor Company being put together by Benjamin Briscoe. In 1911 Stoddard-Dayton acquired a license to use the Knight sleeve valve engine and introduced a Knight-engined 70 hp six-cylinder model in 1912. Stoddard-Dayton also entered the commercial vehicle market with 1-ton and 2-ton trucks offered in 1911 and a light delivery van and truck continuing into 1912. 

Benjamin Briscoe's U S Motors conglomerate collapsed taking down Stoddard-Dayton and all the other companies in the group except for Maxwell. The last Stoddard-Dayton cars appeared in 1913.

Emblems

The Stoddard family business had made agricultural equipment, including horse drawn hay rakes and baling forks before moving on to build motor cars, see advertisement shown below for the "Tiger" rake in the 1890's:

Stoddard Tiger rake advertisement (1890's)

Even though the Stoddards understood the importance of advertising their products, the first Stoddard-Dayton motor cars in 1904-1905 did not carry an emblem or any external identification at all. However, it is likely that they did display the "Stoddard-Dayton" name on a small maker's nameplate or serial plate attached to the body of the car.

The following Stoddard-Dayton advertisement from 1905 shows a photo of a Stoddard-Dayton car with no emblems or radiator scripts. 

Stoddard-Dayton advertisement (1905) earlyamericanautomobiles

The more usual Gothic style of "Stoddard-Dayton" script logo appeared in 1906 and was use in later advertisements, see example shown below:

Stoddard-Dayton ad with Gothic script logo (c1906)  ms 

This Gothic style script is frequently seen on brass radiator scripts on restored surviving Stoddard-Dayton cars but it is rarely seen in original period photos of Stoddard-Dayton cars. In fact, relatively few original photos of Stoddard-Dayton cars show any radiator script at all. This suggests that Stoddard-Dayton radiator scripts were not factory fitted but were available as optional accessories.

This view is supported by Stoddard-Dayton advertisements, which do not show radiator scripts, see example from 1907 shown below:

Stoddard-Dayton ad with no rad script (1907) ms

Original period photos of Stoddard-Dayton cars also do not show any clearly visible external identification before 1908, see examples shown below:

This is a Stoddard-Dayton on the Glidden Tour (1906)   dpl

This is a Stoddard-Dayton with no emblems or scripts (1907) dpl 

The first Stoddard-Dayton radiator scripts seen on original period photos are in 1908, see example shown below:

This is a Stoddard-Dayton on the Glidden Tour (1908)   dpl

Close-up showing Stoddard-Dayton radiator script (1908) 

The following photo of early race car driver, Fred Wiseman, in a Stoddard-Dayton race car in 1909 is an exception in showing the Gothic style radiator script:

Fred Wiseman driving a Stoddard-Dayton racer (1909) santarosahistory

The "Stoddard-Dayton" name was also displayed on cast brass sill plates, foot pedals, serial plates and hubcaps, see examples shown below:

This is a Stoddard-Dayton sill plate (c1908)    mjs
Size: 247mm wide 32mm high

Stoddard-Dayton Model K foot pedals with "SD" monogram (1907) cartype

This is a Stoddard-Dayton Model 9K serial plate (1909)  mjs
Size: 70mm wide 32mm high

This is a Stoddard-Dayton hubcap (c1908)    mjs

The most frequently seen radiator script in original Stoddard-Dayton photos is seen below on a 1910 photo of a Stoddard-Dayton, which also carries a radiator emblem:

Stoddard-Daytn showing radiator script and emblem (1910)  dpl

Close-up showing radiator script & emblem (1910) 

The following Stoddard-Dayton radiator script is similar in style to that seen in the photo above:

This is a Stoddard-Dayton radiator script (c1909)   cartype

The following show some of the several other radiator scripts seen on surviving Stoddard-Dayton cars. It is likely that these scripts are mostly reproduction scripts made to decorate restored Stoddard-Dayton cars. 

Stoddard-Dayton radiator script (c1910)   conceptcarz

Stoddard-Dayton radiator script (1911)    imsm 

Stoddard-Dayton radiator script (1910)   bonhams

Stoddard-Dayton radiator script (date unknown)     cartype

Stoddard-Dayton radiator script (c1911) macsmotorcitygarage

The very different "Stoddard-Dayton" script shown immediately above is also seen in a 1911 Stoddard-Dayton advertisement, see below:

Stoddard-Dayton advertisement (1911)   ms

The first Stoddard-Dayton radiator emblem appeared in late 1909 for the 1910 model year. This emblem is seen in the original 1910 photo shown earlier above. This is the white enamel Stoddard-Dayton radiator emblem shown below:

This is a Stoddard-Dayton radiator emblem (1910)    scam

The following Stoddard-Dayton radiator emblem is original but has been restored with paint. Original Stoddard-Dayton radiator emblems are very rare.

This is a Stoddard-Dayton radiator emblem (1909-1913)   mjs
Size: 65mm diameter    MM: Unknown

Emblem collectors should beware as there are reproduction Stoddard-Dayton radiator emblems, which have flat shiny backs with a threaded stud and no maker's mark. Original Stoddard-Dayton radiator emblems that I have seen do not have threaded studs but, apart from this, reproduction Stoddard-Dayton radiator emblems are difficult to identify, see example shown below:

This is a reproduction Stoddard-Dayton emblem   ms

Original period photos of Stoddard-Dayton cars at auto shows in 1910 and 1911 show cars with the radiator emblem but without any radiator script, which again indicates that the Stoddard-Dayton radiator scripts were not attached at the factory, see example below:

Stoddard-Dayton cars at a trade show without radiator scripts (1910)  dpl

The following is a Stoddard-Dayton hubcap of the period:

This is a Stoddard-Dayton hubcap (c1910)    dkc

Stoddard-Dayton also used radiator emblems showing model designations for some models, see examples shown below. 

The following white enamel "Stoddard-Twenty" radiator emblem is extremely rare:

This is a Stoddard-20 radiator emblem (c1911-1912)    mjs
Size: 62mm diameter   MM: Robbins

The following is a Stoddard-Twenty hubcap:

This is a Stoddard-Twenty hubcap (1911-1913)    dkc 

The following white enamel "Stoddard-Thirty" radiator emblem shown above at the top of this post and again below is extremely rare:

This is a Stoddard-30 radiator emblem (c1912-1913)    mjs
Size: 62mm diameter   MM: Whitehead & Hoag

The following is a different Stoddard-Thirty emblem, but I cannot confirm that this is an original emblem. If it is an original Stoddard-Thirty radiator emblem it would also be extremely rare.

This appears to be a Stoddard-Thirty radiator emblem (c1912-1913) kmc
Size: Unknown     MM: Unknown 

The following is a Stoddard-Forty emblem but I cannot confirm that this is an original emblem. If it is an original Stoddard-Forty radiator emblem, it would be extremely rare. 

This appears to be a Stoddard-Forty radiator emblem (c1911)  kmc
Size: 63mm diameter    MM: Unknown

The following shows the radiator of a surviving Stoddard Special model introduced in 1912. This radiator carries a Stoddard-Dayton radiator emblem and a Stoddard-Dayton Special radiator script:

This is a Stoddard-Dayton Special radiator (1912)   flickr

The Stoddard-Dayton radiator emblem shown above appears to be finished in pale blue enamel but I do not know, if this is correct. It may be a result of the lighting affecting the photo. If the original Stoddard-Dayton Special radiator emblem was indeed pale blue, this emblem would be extremely rare. 

The Stoddard Knight also appeared in 1912 and carried a Stoddard Knight radiator emblem, similar to the white enamel Stoddard Knight emblem shown below. The emblem shown below has a threaded stud on the back and is believed to be a reproduction emblem. Original Stoddard Knight radiator emblems are very rare.

This may be a reproduction Stoddard Knight radiator emblem (1912-1913)  mjs
Size: 63mm diameter    MM: None