LYONS-KNIGHT

Lyons-Atlas Co. (1913-1915)
Indianapolis, Indiana

This is a Lyons-Knight radiator emblem (1913-1915)   sam
Size: 80mm wide 64mm high    MM: Unknown

James, William and George Lyons bought the Atlas Engine Works, makers of two-stroke gasoline engines and diesel stationary units in Indianapolis, and set up the Lyons-Atlas Company in late 1912. James and William Lyons had previously been associated with the Atlas Engine Works and the introduction of a line of Knight sleeve valve engines. 

The Lyons-Atlas Company announced plans to build complete automobiles, as well as Knight engines. The Lyons brothers were joined by Harry Knox, who had been producing the Atlas-Knight motor car in Springfield, Massachusetts. The 50 hp Lyons-Knight was introduced in late 1913 and was offered as a four-cylinder model and a six-cylinder model, which was dropped for 1915. The Lyons-Knight venture ended in August 1915.

Emblem

Lyons-Knight advertisements include the Lyons-Knight logo and the slogan "The Car of Silence", see example shown below:

Lyons-Knight ad showing logo (1913)  wiki

The Lyons-Knight logo was incorporated in the white and blue enamel radiator emblem, see example shown above at the top of this post. This Lyons-Knight radiator emblem is extremely rare.

Emblem collectors should beware as there is a Pulfer reproduction Lyons-Knight radiator emblem, see example shown below. The reproduction emblem is slightly smaller than the original Lyons-Knight radiator emblem and is finished in different colors. The reproduction emblem lacks the in-depth detail of the original emblems, has a shiny flat back and no maker's mark.

This is a Pulfer reproduction Lyons-Knight radiator emblem mjs
Size: 77mm wide 58mm high

SEARS

Sears, Roebuck and Co. (1908-1912)
Chicago, Illinois

This is a Sears Model P nameplate/serial plate (1912)    mjs
Size: 152mm wide 49mm high     

Sears, Roebuck and Company was a well established mail order company and in 1908 their catalog included a very fine 10 hp two-cylinder high-wheeler runabout with friction transmission and double chain drive. The Sears runabout was designed by Alvaro Krotz (see Krotz), who had his first prototype running successfully in September 1907 and had made 12 more cars in early 1908, which he tested and sold before he made a contract with Sears, Roebuck and Company in the fall of 1908. 

A small number of Sears Motor Buggies, perhaps twenty, are believed to have been built and sold in late 1908. These early Sears Motor Buggies were built at the Hercules buggy factory in Evansville. By 1909 the Sears Motor Car Works factory in Chicago was ready and production commenced there. 

In 1910 the Sears line was expanded to five models in addition to a light delivery vehicle and the engine size had increased to 14 hp. The new Sears models were all variations of the same vehicle with different accessories. The Sears motor buggy was popular. About 3,500 were sold between 1908 and 1912. But production ceased when Sears, Roebuck found that their motor buggies were costing more to build than the catalog price.

Sears sold its automobile manufacturing machinery and equipment to the Lincoln Motor Car Works in 1912.

Emblems

The Sears Motor Buggy displayed the "Sears" name on a painted brass nameplate, which showed the production serial number and, for later models, the Model Letter designation also.

The earliest known Sears Motor Buggy nameplate dates from 1909 and carries the serial number 1084. The following example carries the serial number 1088, also from 1909. Sears Motor Buggy nameplates with such early serial numbers are extremely rare.  

.

This is a Sears Motor Buggy plate/serial plate (1909)    alt
Size: Unknown

 
No examples of Sears Motor Buggy nameplates produced before 1909 have yet been found but are likely to have been similar to the nameplate shown above with serial numbers in the range 1001 to about 1020. If you have details of an example of such an early Sears Motor Buggy nameplate, please let me know, in order to update this post.

The following poor quality photo shows a nameplate/serial plate inscribed "Sears Motor Car" instead of "Sears Motor Buggy".  The photo is taken from an illustration in a Sears catalog from 1910 and is consistent with the designation "Sears Automobile" in the Sears catalogs in the spring and summer of 1910. However, no actual examples of this Sears Motor Car nameplate have yet been found, so if you have details of this Sears Motor Car nameplate, please let me know, in order to update this post. An original "Sears Motor Car" nameplate would be ultra rare.

This shows a Sears Motor Car nameplate (1910)
searsmotorbuggy.com

From early 1910 to the end of production in 1912, the Sears nameplate showed the "Sears" name only but included the Model Letter designation as well as the serial number, see examples shown above at the top of this post and below. Original Sears nameplates of this kind are scarce but, beware, as there are reproduction Sears nameplates.

This is a Sears Model K nameplate/serial plate (1910) carandclassic
Size: 152mm wide 49mm high

This is a Sears Model P nameplate/serial plate (1912)  mjs
Size: 152mm wide 49mm high

Most surviving Sears cars display the Sears nameplate at the front of the vehicle. However, Sears nameplates were factory mounted at the rear of the vehicle and not on the front. Sears factory and catalog illustrations clearly show this. 

The following Sears motor car illustration used in Sears advertisements, for example, shows no nameplate at the front:

Sears Model H showing no nameplate at the front (1910)  ms

The following original illustration of a Sears motor wagon shows the nameplate at the rear:

Sears motor wagon showing rear mounted nameplate (c1910)  albert mroz

The following early photo of unknown date shows a Sears motor buggy with the nameplate mounted on the front of the buggy, where it had been moved. This buggy was delivered in August 1909 and the Sears nameplate has the serial number 1085. The buggy still survives and has four holes at the rear of the body, where the nameplate was originally mounted.

1909 Sears buggy with nameplate at front (photo date unknown)
searsmotorbuggy.com

Close up showing nameplate

The following brass "Sears" script has been seen mounted on the front of the dash board of a surviving 1912 Sears car.  If this script is original, it is very rare.

This is a Sears script (1912)    wiki

The notes in this Sears web post include information posted by John M Daly, whose extensive Sears motor buggy research is presented on his most interesting website at www.searsmotorbuggy.com.  

KROTZ

Krotz Manufacturing Co.

Springfield, Ohio (1903-1904)

Poss. Evansville, Indiana (1906-1908)

Krotz-Defiance Auto Buggy Co. (1908-1911) 

Defiance, Ohio

This is a reproduction Krotz Motor Buggy nameplate (c1907)   ms
Size: Unknown

Alvaro S. Krotz was an inventor, designer, engineer and auto builder who took out over a hundred automotive patents from 1897 onward, including the first threaded or "mutilated" tread tire. He built a couple of electric cars in 1898-1899 and a gasoline powered car in 1900.

The Krotz Electric motor car was produced in small numbers by the Krotz Manufacturing Company from 1903 but was unsuccessful and it was over in 1904. 

Alvaro Krotz continued to experiment with his motor car designs including a gasoline powered motor buggy. By 1906, Krotz was satisfied that he had a successful design. He completed and road tested his first motor buggy in September 1907. During this period, it appears that Krontz was approached by Robert E. Wood, president of the Sears-Roebuck company to design and produce a simple gasoline powered buggy for sale by mail order. Krotz continued to develop his motor buggy and built and sold twelve more buggies in 1908 before he received a contract with Sears-Roebuck in the fall of 1908 (see Sears). Krotz oversaw the production of the early Sears motor buggies, first in the Hercules Buggy plant in Evansville, Indiana. By late 1909, Sears had set up a production plant in Chicago and the Sears Motor Buggy was built there.

In the meantime, Krotz continued his experimentation work and designed a gas-electric buggy, which he took to Defiance, Ohio. The Krotz-Defiance Auto Buggy Company was established in early 1908 and the Krotz Gas-Electric was produced in small numbers until 1911.

Emblems

The Krotz Electric car built in 1903 and 1904 would not have carried an emblem but may have displayed the Krotz name on a small makers plate or serial plate attached to the body of the vehicle or under the driver's seat.

The gasoline motor buggies produced by Krotz in 1907 and 1908 before producing motor buggies for Sears-Roebuck may have carried a Krotz nameplate but there is no evidence to confirm this, The Krotz nameplate shown above at the top of this post was specially made during the restoration of a very early Krotz motor buggy, believed to be the second prototype motor buggy built by Krotz, and is not original. An original Krotz nameplate, if one could be found, would be ultra rare.

I do not know if there was a nameplate used for the Krotz Gas-Electric Buggy built in Defiance, Ohio. If you have any details about such a nameplate, please let me know, in order to update this post.

ELYSEE

M. P. Moller Car Co. (1927-1930)
Hagerstown, Maryland 

This is an Elysee radiator emblem (1927-1930)   mjs
Size: 64mm diameter   MM: Robbins

The Moller Car Company stopped making passenger cars in 1926 and then concentrated exclusively on taxicabs and delivery trucks. The Elysee delivery trucks were built to serve the well-to-do, especially for goods delivery to wealthy homes. Elysee trucks were 3/4-ton and 1-1/2-ton capacity, powered by four- and six-cylinder engines. The Elysee had bodywork that was stylishly custom in appearance with a pointed radiator, which had been used for another Moller motor vehicle, the Standish luxury car (see Standish).

Elysee truck production began in 1927 but with limited success. Some New York department stores had small fleets of Elysee delivery vans. However, the business suffered badly with the on-set of the Depression in late 1929 and production had ceased by early 1930, when Elysee trucks were being offered at much reduced prices to clear stock. Unsold Elysee trucks were offered for a few years. Total Elysee production between 1927 and 1930 is reported to have been 75 and 100 delivery trucks.

Emblems

The dark and light blue enamel Elysee delivery truck radiator emblem shown above at the top of this post is very rare.

The following is an Elysee truck hubcap and hub emblem. Elysee hub emblems are rare.

This is an Elysee truck hubcap (1927-1930)   dkc

This is an Elysee hub emblem (1927-1930)    sam
Size: 54mm diameter

The following is an Elysee truck maker's nameplate showing the 1927 patent date:

This is an Elysee maker's/patent nameplate (1927-1930)  sam
Size: 89mm wide 30mm high

UNITED

United Motor Truck Co. (1915-1916)
United Motors Co. (1916-1922)
United Motors Products Co. (1922-1926)
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Acme Motor Truck Co. (1927-1930)
Cadillac, Michigan

This is a United truck body side nameplate (c1920-1926)    mjs
Size: 199mm wide 50mm high   MM: None

The United was a conventional truck initially produced in 1-1/2-ton, 3-ton and 5-ton capacity sizes powered by four-cylinder Continental engines. The 1-1/2-ton model and one 3-ton model had worm drive and the other 3-ton model and the 5-ton model were chain driven. 

In the 1920's the range of truck sizes offered was from 1-ton to 5-ton capacity powered by a variety of engines. The company was taken over by Acme Motor Truck Company in 1927 and the United range was merged with Acme trucks. It was all over for United by 1930.

Emblems

Early United trucks from 1915 did not carry an emblem on the top of the radiator but did carry a narrow script mounted diagonally on the radiator core (probably made of brass) and also displayed large rectangular nameplates mounted on the sides of the driver's cab inscribed with "The United Line", see original photo in the following United truck advertisement for 1915:

United truck advertisement (1915) eBay

Close up showing rad script & body side nameplate (1915) 

The United truck radiator script is clearly shown on the following United truck advertisement from 1916 and is seen to say "The United Line". An original United radiator script of this design would be extremely rare. The United truck illustration also confirms that there was no other radiator emblem.

United truck advertisement (1916)  eBay

Close up showing radiator script (1916) 

United truck illustrations and original period photos seen in United truck advertisements show that by the early 1920's, the "The United Line" radiator script had been replaced by a radiator emblem mounted at the top of the radiator, although there are no illustrations to clearly show this emblem. However, a United truck advertisement for 1924 includes a photo of a United truck with narrow rectangular nameplate showing simply the "United" name mounted on the side of the driver's cab and a larger version of the same nameplate mounted on the main chassis side frame member, see below:

United truck advertisement (1924)  eBay

United truck showing body side & chassis nameplates & rad emblem (1924)  eBay

The black painted United truck nameplate mounted on the side of the driver's cab is shown above at the top of this post and again below. This United nameplate is scarce.

This is a United truck body side nameplate (c1920-1926)  mjs
Size: 199mm wide 50mm high   MM: None

The black painted United truck nameplate mounted on the chassis side frame member is shown below. This United truck nameplate is also scarce.

This is a United truck chassis frame nameplate (c1920-1926)  mjs
Size: 360mm wide 96mm high   MM: None

The United truck radiator emblem is unclear but appears to be in a flowing script style, although I cannot confirm this.

The following over-painted example of a smaller version of the nameplates shown earlier above may have been used as a radiator emblem on some models, but I cannot confirm this. If this is indeed a United radiator emblem, it is rare.

This may be a United truck radiator emblem (c1920-26) mjs
Size: 92mm wide 26mm high   MM: None

Some United truck models continued to use the earlier rectangular driver's cab side nameplate inscribed "The United Line" up to about 1926. There is also a similar but different driver's cab side nameplate inscribed simply "United" but is otherwise identical to the earlier version, see example shown below. This United truck nameplate may have been used on some models from about 1927 to 1930 and is rare:

This is a United truck body side nameplate (c1927-1930)  dkc
Size: 380mm wide 124mm high

OSHKOSH

Wisconsin Duplex Auto Co.
Clintonville, Wisconsin (1917)
Oshkosh, Wisconsin (1917-1918)
Oshkosh Motor Truck Manufacturing Co. (1918-1930)
Oshkosh Motor Truck, Inc. (1930-1967)
Oshkosh Truck Corp. (1967-2006)
Oshkosh Corp. (2006-present)
Oshkosh, Wisconsin

This is an Oshkosh radiator emblem (1920's)    mjs
Size: 265mm wide 87mm high   MM: None

The Oshkosh began life as the Wisconsin Duplex Auto Company formed in Clintonville in 1917 to build four-wheel-drive trucks. Late in 1917 the company moved to Oshkosh and the first Oshkosh truck was built. This 1-ton capacity truck, known as "Old Betsy" is still operational today. The first production truck produced by Oshkosh in 1918 was a conventional 2-ton model with a 72hp four-cylinder engine. A 3-1/2-ton model was added in 1920 and a 5-ton model in 1922. In the early 1920's a major part of Oshkosh production was used for road construction and maintenance, including road-scrapers and snow-plows. In 1925 production of six-cylinder models up to 10-ton capacity began.

From 1933 Oshkosh production started to diversify into heavy duty trucks for specialized markets. During World War II the US government took nearly all Oshkosh truck production, particularly for airport snow-plows and wrecker trucks. In the 1950's a 35-ton mining truck was produced and high-speed airport snow-plows were built for the US Air Force. Other specialist models followed, including concrete mixers, heavy duty low-loaders and fire trucks.

Oshkosh has continued to grow and develop new models, particularly for heavy-duty and extreme-duty purposes, and, as Oshkosh Corporation, is today (as of 2024) one of the world's largest producers of heavy-duty vehicles for specialized uses with world-wide sales and manufacturing facilities in 11 countries.

Emblems

The first Oshkosh 1-ton truck had a conventional brass radiator and may have carried a painted brass radiator emblem, but I cannot confirm this, see photo shown below, which shows a large round body side Oshkosh nameplate, which may not be original. Later photos of "Old Betsy" after a new restoration include a radiator emblem to enhance the appearance of this old truck.

Oshkosh "Old Betsy" truck with body side nameplate (1917) wheelsage

The 2-ton production truck model introduced in 1918 and subsequent 3-1/2-ton and 5-ton heavy duty Oshkosh models had a cast iron radiator with a ribbed tank top, which carried an Oshkosh radiator emblem, see illustrations shown below:

Oshkosh 2-ton truck ad with rad emblem (1919) ebay

Oshkosh heavy duty radiator with emblem (1918-c1931)  tad burness

The Oshkosh radiator emblem remained much the same from about 1918 to about 1940 with some slight variations in the lettering style. An example of a black and white painted brass Oshkosh radiator emblem is  shown above at the top of this post and again below. This Oshkosh radiator emblem is rare.

This is an Oshkosh radiator emblem (1920's)   mjs
Size: 265mm wide 87mm high   MM: None

Original period photos of Oshkosh trucks from about 1924 show the large round Oshkosh body side nameplate mounted on the door to the driver's cab, see example shown below:

Oshkosh Model F truck showing body side nameplate (1924)  oldcarandtruckpictures

The same Oshkosh body side nameplate was used on some Oshkosh models up to at least 1936. This is the black painted Oshkosh body side nameplate shown below. This Oshkosh nameplate is scarce.

his is an Oshkosh body side nameplate (c1924-c1936)    mjs
Size: 265mm wide 238mm high   MM: None

There was a change in style in Oshkosh trucks in 1932 but still with a very similar radiator emblem, see example shown below:

Oshkosh Model F truck showing radiator emblem (1932) 
oldcarandtruckpictures

These trucks also displayed the "Oshkosh" name on the round body side nameplates shown earlier and also on hood side nameplates, see example shown below:

Oshkosh Model F dump truck showing body side & hood side nameplates (1932)    offroadvehicle

Some Oshkosh Model F trucks in the same time period displayed the "Oshkosh" name on large square shaped body side nameplates in place of the round nameplates shown earlier, see example below:

Oshkosh Model F truck showing hood side & body side nameplates (1932)   offroadvehicle

The following is an example of an Oshkosh hood side nameplate. This Oshkosh nameplate is scarce.

This is an Oshkosh nameplate (1930's)    mjs
Size: 302mm wide 50mm high   MM: None

A completely new Oshkosh radiator appeared in about 1940, see example shown below:

Oshkosh W Series truck with new rad emblem (1940-1942)
usautoindustryworldwartwo

This is the painted cast metal Oshkosh radiator emblem surmounted by the head of an Oshkosh warrior wearing a headdress as shown below. This Oshkosh radiator emblem is rare.

This is an Oshkosh radiator emblem (1940-1942)    lktec
Size: 450mm wide 150mm high   MM: Unknown

When production resumed in 1946, after the Second World War, the Oshkosh radiator emblem had changed. It had a base plate with the same Oshkosh warrior wearing a headdress cast into the top of the radiator shell and a separate "Oshkosh" nameplate screwed to the front, see examples shown below:

Surviving Oshkosh truck radiator emblem (1946) steelsoldiers

The surviving Oshkosh truck shown below carries the same radiator emblem and a hood side nameplate that matches the radiator emblem nameplate. This Oshkosh radiator emblem and hood side nameplate continued in use to about 1959.

Oshkosh truck showing radiator emblem (1950)  bangshift

  

Close up showing Oshkosh radiator emblem & hood side nameplate

This is the cast Oshkosh radiator emblem and separate emblem nameplate. This Oshkosh radiator emblem is rare.

This is an Oshkosh radiator emblem (1946-c1959)   moroz
Size: Unknown     MM: Unknown

The following is an example of the Oshkosh nameplate used both as a radiator emblem and hood side nameplate. This Oshkosh nameplate is rare.

This is an Oshkosh nameplate (1946-c1959)    mjs
Size: 303mm wide 50mm high   MM: None

The following painted brass Oshkosh emblem showing an Oshkosh warrior wearing a headdress is seen in many emblem collections but I am informed that this emblem is not an Oshkosh truck emblem. However, I have been unable to identify when and where it was used, If you can identify this Oshkosh emblem, please let me know, in order to update this post.

This is an unknown Oshkosh emblem (date unknown)   mjs
Size: 92mm high 67mm wide    MM: None

LAMBERT

Buckeye Manufacturing Co. (1906-1918)

Anderson, Indiana

This is a Lambert radiator emblem (c1912-1917)      sam
Size: 75mm wide 57mm high     MM: Ford Metal Speciality

John William Lambert designed and, in 1891, successfully tested a three-wheeled gasoline-powered runabout but it did not go into production. He organised the Buckeye Manufacturing Company in the early 1890's to manufacture stationary engines and in 1895 he announced his plan to produce a gasoline powered vehicle to be called the Buckeye but this did not happen (see Buckeye). Lambert then devised a friction transmission and built a four-wheeler motor car in 1898 but this car also did not go into production. Then, in 1902, Lambert produced a car built in Union City, Indiana and called the Union, which was discontinued in 1905.

In 1906 the Buckeye Manufacturing Company introduced a new car called the Lambert built in Anderson, Indiana. The Lambert automobile was offered as a 16 hp single-cylinder runabout, and as  16/18 hp two-cylinder and 34 hp four-cylinder touring models. All models used Lambert's friction transmission. From 1910, Lambert automobiles were all four-cylinder models, except for a three-cylinder model in 1913, and had engine sizes up to 40 hp. The Lambert was phased out in 1917. Lambert also produced trucks and light delivery vehicles until 1918.

Emblems

Lambert advertisements from 1906 show an elaborate stylized "Lambert" script logo, see example shown below. However, this advertisement includes original factory photos of Lambert cars but none show a radiator emblem or script suggesting that radiator scripts were not standard attachments.

This is a Lambert advertisement (1906)     mm 

Close up of 1906 Lambert ad showing no emblem or radiator script

From 1907, the Lambert script logo had developed into "The Lambert", see example shown below:

This is a Lambert advertisement (1907)   ebay

The following Lambert advertisement includes an illustration showing "The Lambert" logo script displayed on the radiator in 1908:

Lambert ad showing radiator script (1908)   ebay

There are very few original period photos of early Lambert cars clearly showing the radiator and none that I have seen show a radiator script. 

However, the Lambert name was displayed on a small painted brass Lambert maker's nameplate attached to the body of early Lambert cars usually at the rear of the car or under the driver's seat, see example below, which uses the "The Lambert" logo script seen earlier above. Original Lambert maker's nameplates are very rare.

This is a Lambert maker's nameplate (c1907)     mjs
Size: 96mm wide 30mm high   

Although not seen on the few original period photos of early Lambert cars, some Lambert cars are likely to have displayed a brass script on the radiator core from about 1908 but I cannot confirm an exact date. Several surviving early Lambert cars have brass "Lambert" radiator scripts following the style of the "Lambert" script logo, see examples shown below, but these radiator scripts may be reproductions added later possibly during restoration: 

Lambert car showing a brass rad script (date unknown) lambert days

Lambert Model A1 showing brass rad script (1909)  autoworld museum

This is a brass Lambert radiator script. Original Lambert scripts are rare.

This is a Lambert radiator script (c1908)    mjs
Size: 235mm wide

The following surviving Lambert automobile displays a different style of radiator script:

Surviving Lambert showing rad script (date unknown)  rob lambert

The Lambert also displayed the "Lambert" name on the hubcaps and serial plates, see examples shown below:

This is a Lambert hubcap    ms

This is a Lambert serial plate   ms

Some original period photos of early Lambert cars from 1907 and 1908 show a possible radiator tank top emblem but the photos are unclear and the images seen may be the result of reflections or distortions of the radiator shell, see example shown below:

Lambert Model 18 runabout (1908)    william l bailey

If you have details of any radiator emblems used on Lambert automobiles in the period before about 1910, please let me know, in order to update this post.

From around 1910 and possibly earlier, some Lambert models had the "Lambert" name displayed in script style on the radiator tank top either painted using a stencil or impressed into the radiator shell, see example shown below. 

This is a Lambert Model 28 showing Lambert name on the radiator tank top (1910)   ism

The following photo shows the "Lambert" name impressed into the radiator shell on a restored 1912 Model 66 Lambert but I cannot confirm that the radiator used in this restoration was originally from 1912:

Lambert Model 66 radiator script emblem (1912)   ms

An original period photo of a 1912 Model 99-C Lambert shows a radiator emblem on a black enamel radiator shell, although the detail of the emblem cannot be seen, see below:

Lambert Model 99-C roadster with rad emblem (1912)   hacc

The following newspaper photo taken in 1912 shows a consignment of Lambert automobiles being delivered to Warrensburg, Missouri all of which carry a radiator emblem and a brass "Lambert" script mounted on the radiator core:

Lambert autos displaying rad emblems and scripts (1912)
daily star journal

Close up showing radiator emblems & scripts (1912)

It can be clearly seen that the Lambert radiator emblem is not round but has an unusual shape. This is the red, white and blue enamel Lambert radiator emblem shown above at the top of this post and again below. This Lambert radiator emblem is extremely rare.

This is a Lambert radiator emblem (c1912-1917)   sam
Size: 75mm wide 57mm high   MM: Ford Metal Speciality 

The following 1913 advertisement also shows a Lambert with a radiator emblem and close up it is seen that this is the radiator emblem shown above:

Lambert advertisement (1913)  atj

Close up showing radiator emblem (1913)  atj

It is likely that this Lambert radiator emblem continued in use until the end of production but I am unable to confirm this. 

Emblem collectors should beware as there are reproductions of the Lambert radiator emblem with shiny backs and no makers mark on the lower front edge of the emblem.

If you can help by confirming the dates of use of any of the Lambert emblems shown in this web post, please let me know, in order to update this post.