DOANE

Doane Motor Truck Co. (1916-1946)
Graham-Doane Truck Co. (1946-1948)
San Francisco, California 

This is a Graham-Doane radiator emblem (1946-1948)    mjs
Size: 128mm wide 79mm high    MM: None

The Doane was a low-bed truck especially made for dockside and warehouse work but, in later years, the Doane was also used for furniture removal and plate glass delivery. The first model in 1916 was powered by a 36 hp four-cylinder engine with double chain drive and rated at 6-tons capacity. It was joined in 1918 by a 2-1/2-ton capacity truck and the range was widened to include a 3-ton mod in 1920 and up to 10-3/4-tons in 1924. 

Six-cylinder engines were introduced in 1928 and the range of vehicle sizes and types continued to grow through the 1930's. In 1933, the Doane truck range included Lo Bed and Hi Bed models. In the late 1930's, 4-6 ton, 6-9 ton and 10-12 ton truck models were offered.  

In 1946 the company name was changed to Graham-Doane and a low-bed truck with a six-cylinder Continental engine and Doane rear axle was made in limited numbers until about 1948.

Emblems

From the outset, Doane trucks displayed the "Doane" name cast into the radiator tank top, see examples shown below:

Doane 6-ton truck with cast in rad emblem (1918)  wallpaperup

Close-up showing cast in radiator emblem (1918)

Doane HP 6-ton truck cast in radiator emblem (1918)   ms

Doane stakebed 6-ton truck (1920)     pnwtm

Close-up showing radiator emblem (1920) 

Doane truck radiator (1934)   forums.aaca

The "Doane" name may have also been displayed on side or rear nameplates but I can find no photographic evidence for this. However, the "Doane" name was certainly displayed on the hubcaps, see example shown below:

This is a Doane hubcap (c1920)    dkc

The Doane did not appear to carry a separate radiator emblem until 1946, when the Graham-Doane Low-Truk model displayed a bright blue and red enamel Graham-Doane radiator emblem, see example shown above at the top of this post and again below. This Graham-Doane radiator emblem is very rare.

This is a Graham-Doane radiator emblem (1946-1948)   mjs
Size: 128mm wide 79mm high   MM: None