White Star Automobile Co. (1909)
Atlanta Motor Car Co. (c1909-1911)
Atlanta, Georgia
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| This is a White Star radiator emblem (c1909) wsac Size: Unknown MM: Unknown |
The White Star Automobile Company was organized in Atlanta with the purpose of building motorized high-wheel buggies. The factory was managed in conjunction with the Atlanta Buggy Company, which was making horse-drawn buggies.
The first White Star high-wheel motor buggies offered for sale in January 1909 were 20 hp two-cylinder models with planetary transmission and double chain drive but this lasted for a few months only.
On August 1, 1909, The Atlanta Constitution reported that the White Star Automobile Company had discontinued the production of the White Star high-wheel buggy and was now making "modern, up-to-date automobiles" in Atlanta. The new White Star cars were a 22 hp four-cylinder roadster and a 35 hp four-cylinder touring car all with shaft drive and selective transmissions. The touring model was offered in different body styles. The first new White Star car had been completed at the end of July 1909 and the plan was to be producing one car a day by September 1909 and three cars a day by January 1910.
In early February 1910, The Atlanta Journal reported that a new organization, the Atlanta Motor Car Company, intended to build automobiles and trucks in Atlanta and was looking to absorb the White Star Automobile Company and would continue to produce the White Star automobile. The Atlanta Motor Car Company probably replaced the White Star Automobile Company later in February 1910, since a March 1910 newspaper report that a White Star had won a hill climb event refers to the Atlanta Motor Car Company as the manufacturer.
White Star advertisements emphasized the fact that it was the only motor car built in the South and this meant sending less money to the North for motor cars. It was hoped that the White Star would be strongly supported locally. The White Star performed well in car reliability runs and hill climbs but could not compete in the automobile market and it was all over in 1911.
In 1912, the Atlanta factory returned to the manufacture of horse-drawn buggies, now called White Star and Golden Eagle, and this continued until 1918.
Emblems
There are very few original period photos of the White Star automobile that clearly show the radiator and there are no known surviving examples. However, the following original photo from 1909 shows the first two White Star high-wheel buggies built in Atlanta displayed outside the White Star factory, which was the first motor car factory in the South:
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| The first White Star cars and the workforce at the White Star Automobile factory in Atlanta (1909) lisa land cooper/facebook |
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| Close up showing White Star emblems (1909) |
These White Star two-cylinder high-wheel buggies are seen to be carrying a large white star emblem set in a dark circular background on the front of the dash, possibly painted or using decals. Most likely the dark background was black. These very large White Star emblems may have been used on the first White Star high-wheel cars specifically for publicity purposes. Soon after the White Star was put on the market in Atlanta in January 1909, The Atlanta Journal published an article, which referred to "the handsome, red motor-buggies with a White Star blazoned on the front now seen on the streets of Atlanta" made by the White Star Automobile Company
An undated but likely 1909 White Star Model 35 brochure includes illustrations of the different body styles offered for the 35 hp four-cylinder model and clearly shows a white star-shaped radiator emblem mounted at the top of the radiator, see example illustration shown below:
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| White Star No. 35A Five Passenger Touring Car showing radiator emblem (1909) ahc |
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| Close up showing White Star radiator emblem |
The radiator emblem appears to be a plain white star but another illustration in the brochure intended to show the front construction of the White Star Model 35 also shows the radiator emblem in detail, see below:
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| White Star radiator and emblem (1909) ahc |
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| Close up showing radiator emblem |
This White Star radiator emblem illustration shows a round emblem with a white star on a colored background, possibly red or blue from the Georgia State flag, although this cannot be confirmed, with a likely black outer rim inscribed "White Star Automobile-Atlanta, GA." in white. This White Star radiator emblem, if one could be found, would be extremely rare and possibly ultra rare.
If you have this White Star radiator emblem or a photo, please let me know, in order to update this post.
However, photos of the same White Star taken during the event clearly show that there was no emblem on the radiator tank top but there was a large round mainly white emblem mounted in the center of the radiator grille, as seen in the example photos shown below:
The following White Star advertisement includes a photo of a White Star car taking part in the New York Herald-Atlanta Journal Good Roads Tour, which commenced in October 1909. The radiator is too dark in this advertisement photo to see any emblem:
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| White Star advertisement (1909) ms |
However, photos of the same White Star taken during the event clearly show that there was no emblem on the radiator tank top but there was a large round mainly white emblem mounted in the center of the radiator grille, as seen in the example photos shown below:
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| White Star taking part in the Good Roads Tour (1909) nahc |
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| Close up showing radiator |
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| White Star taking part in the Good Roads Tour (1909) nahc |
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| Close up showing radiator |
Unfortunately, the detailed design of this White Star radiator grille emblem cannot be seen, although it can be seen that there is some inscription in the outer white band, possibly the manufacturing company name, White Star Automobile Company.
It is possible also that the center part of this White Star radiator grille emblem may be in the style of the White Star logo seen in White Star advertisements using the phrase "At the Sign of the Five Points" but this is not confirmed. The White Star logo seen in advertisements defines the five points as endurance, comfort, economy, style and speed, see below:
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| White Star advertisement (1910 or 1911) pinterest |
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| White Star logo ms |
The White Star advertisement shown above is dated 1910 and 1911 in different references and was made by the Atlanta Motor Car Company. It includes a photo of a White Star Model 35A five-passenger touring car, which carries a radiator tank top emblem depicting a white star, see below, but the detail cannot be seen:
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| White Star Model 35A showing radiator top emblem (1910) |
The following poor quality newspaper photo shows a White Star car taking part in a hill climb event in Atlanta in March 1910. The bright white White Star emblem mounted at the top of the radiator is clearly seen:
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| White Star at a hill climb event (1919) the atlanta constitution |
This White Star radiator top emblem may possibly be similar to the emblem depicted in the 1909 brochure but with the Atlanta Motor Car Company name inscribed around the outer band. We may never know. If a genuine White Star radiator emblem could be found inscribed Atlanta Motor Car Company, it would be extremely rare and most likely ultra rare.
If you have any White Star radiator emblems or photos, please let me know, in order to up date this post.
