COMPOUND

Graham-Fox Motor Co. (1901-1903)
New York, New York
Eisenhuth Horseless Vehicle Co. (1903-1908)
Eagle Motor Co. (1908)
Middletown, Connecticut

This is a Compound radiator script (1906-1908)   gpc
Size: 320mm wide

David Graham was the son of a Pennsylvania farmer but was mechanically minded and graduated as a mechanical engineer at Ohio State University. 

By 1901, David Graham had applied for several automotive related patents and was working with Frank Fox on the development of a novel compound engine and a motor car to use this engine. David Graham and Frank Fox established the Graham-Fox Motor Company in 1901 and continued to develop, test and refine their compound engine through 1901 and 1902. 

In early December 1902, it was reported that the Graham-Fox compound engine had been perfected and was operationally successful after over 18,000 miles of road testing, and that the Graham-Fox Company had been reorganized with a new management team, with E. C. Snow as President, and had secured sufficient new capital with the financial support of Irving Brokaw. The company was expected to begin marketing early in 1903 and to move into production of the Graham-Fox within about ninety days with two compound engine models, one of 20 hp and one of 45 hp. At least one prototype Graham-Fox touring car was certainly built in 1903 but production did not proceed as planned. 

John W. Eisenhuth had built an experimental motor car in 1896, incorporated the Eisenhuth Horseless Vehicle Company (EHVC) in 1898, patented a compound engine concept in 1900 and, in January 1902, had taken over the large, former Keating bicycle plant in Middletown, Connecticut. Sometime in 1903, Eisenhuth took an interest in the Graham-Fox. By late November 1903, the Eisenhuth Horseless Vehicle Company had bought the Graham-Fox Company. David Graham and Frank Fox moved from New York to the Eisenhuth factory in Middletown, Connecticut and continued working on the Graham-Fox, which would later be marketed as the Compound.

The Graham-Fox was introduced as the Compound at the New York Auto Show in January 1904 (not 1903, as recorded in most automobile references) and was reported to be a huge, seven-passenger touring car with a powerful 60 hp three-cylinder compound engine. The Compound was seen to be a very well made car, painted rich red throughout, trimmed in black and upholstered in red leather. The Compound was also shown at the Chicago Motor Show in February 1904, most likely the same car as shown in New York.

The first Compound production models appeared in early March 1904, but these large touring cars were grossly overpriced for the market and, no doubt recognizing this, less powerful, lower priced Compound touring car models with 20 hp compound engines were introduced later in 1904. 

Serious problems seemed to follow John Eisenhuth and there were problems in the Eisenhuth Horseless Vehicle Company related to the Compound. Both Frank Fox and John Eisenhuth had departed by late 1904, although John Eisenhuth remained as a Director. David Graham and others continued to try to make a success of the Compound venture. 

New Compound engines and vehicles were designed and tooled up for the 1905 model year but it was a major task and the new models did not appear until the fall of 1905. The new Compound line up included the Model 3 side entrance tonneau powered by a 24/28 hp compound engine and the Series 4 two-passenger side entrance tonneau and runabout both using 12/15 hp compound engines. 

Three new Compound cars took part in the New York Motor Club's National Economy Test between 30 October and 4 November 1905 and performed very well, so much so that the test was used in subsequent Compound car advertisements and brochures, see example below:

Compound Advertisement following the successful Economy Test

The 1906 Compound model range was expanded to include a Doctor's Stanhope, a five-passenger Touring, a seven-passenger Tuxedo, a four-passenger Royal Victoria and a delivery van, all powered by a 16 hp compound engine, as well as marine engines. 

For 1907, there were more changes to the Compound line-up. The same 16 hp engine was used for the lower cost models but engine enhancements yielding 20 hp were incorporated for higher-level models and a 40 hp six-cylinder seven-passenger Touring was also offered. 

This may have been a rash decision. The six-cylinder model was not offered for 1908 and the Compound line-up was reduced to a touring model and four-passenger and five-passenger tonneau models, all using the same 20 hp engine. More importantly perhaps, all prices were reduced for 1908. 

The E.H.V. Co. name may have been seen to be an impediment, as the company name was changed to the Eagle Motor Company in late 1907. However, it was too late and the company did not continue beyond 1908. 

The Compound was recognized as a high quality motor vehicle delivering reliable and economic mechanical performance. Unfortunately, however, the cost of producing the complex Compound mechanical system at low volume was too high to attract a wide market. Lifetime production of the Compound is unknown but is estimated at between 200 and 400 units.

David Graham moved on to become Chief Engineer at the Allen-Kingston Motor Car Company and thereafter continued in various other roles in the automotive industry.

Emblems

The Graham-Fox,which became the Compound, did not carry an emblem, see original period photo below:

Graham-Fox prototype touring car (1903)   gpc
Platinum print from the effects of David Graham

There was only the one Graham-Fox prototype touring car, which was exhibited at the 1904 New York Auto Show, and it did not carry a serial plate. However, the Graham-Fox name was displayed on the brass hubcaps. Unfortunately, none of these Graham-Fox hubcaps are known to have survived but the following blurred magnification of a hubcap from an original period Graham-Fox photo shows the inscription "THE GRAHAM-FOX MOTOR CO." around the outside and "NEW YORK" across the center:

Graham-Fox hubcap (1903)   grc
Enlargement of Platinum print from the effects of David Graham

Following the take over of the Graham-Fox Motor Company by the Eisenhuth Horseless Vehicle Company and the decision to change the vehicle name to the Compound, there was no rush to establish a logo for the Compound. The 1904 Compound fold-out brochure included an illustration of the Graham-Fox prototype with the "COMPOUND" name presented in capital letters, see below:

Compound brochure page (1904)    gpc

It is likely that the Compound had a serial plate when production began in early 1904, which may have displayed the Compound name as shown above. Original Compound serial plates in this style would be ultra rare.

Some time later in 1904, there was an attempt, possibly by John Eisenhuth, to establish a logo for the Compound based on Eisenhuth's patented compound engine, see below:

Eisenhuth compound engine patent drawing (1900)
museum.alibaba

The section through the three cylinder chambers in the Eisenhuth compound engine patent drawing shown above is used as the basis for the early Compound logo shown in the following advertisement:

Compound car ad with early logo (1904)   gpc

It is possible that some Compound car built later in 1904 had serial plates displaying this logo but I cannot confirm this. An original Compound car serial plate showing this logo would also be ultra rare.

By 1905, a new flowing script "Compound" logo had been designed and this appeared in Compound car brochures and advertisements, see example shown below:

Compound car advertisement showing new logo (1905)   ebay 

It is known that the Compound car did display the "Compound" name on a large script mounted on the front of the radiator. However, it is not certain when the Compound radiator script was first used. 

The earliest original photos of Compound cars that can be dated were taken at the New York Motor Club National Economy Test in October-November 1905 and none of the three Compound cars taking part displayed a radiator script. It seems unlikely that the publicity opportunity to display a radiator script would have been missed if a radiator script had been available. 

The Compound cars taking part in the NYMC Economy Test were labelled as car numbers 5, 6 and 7, see original photos below:

Compound Car No. 5 driven by David Graham (1905)  dpl

Compound Car No. 6 driven by Fred Carter (1905)  advert

Compound car No. 7 driven by C.P.Hatch (1905)  dpl

Compound car advertisements and original factory photos from 1905 and 1906 also do not show a radiator script mounted on the radiator, see following examples:

Compound ad showing no rad script (late 1905)  ma   

Compound Doctor's Stanhope factory photo (1906)  freelibrary

However, the following original photos show David Graham driving a Compound light touring car displaying a large Compound radiator script at the Second Annual Economy Test of the New York Motor Club in November 1906. On this occasion, David Graham was driving in an Official capacity as a member of the NYMC Technical Committee.   

David Graham driving a Compound with rad script (Nov 1906) gpc
Silver sepia print from the effects of David Graham

David Graham's Compound car performed well in heavy snow during the Economy Test and this achievement was also used to help publicize the Compound car, see advertisement below:

Compound ad following NYMC Second Economy Test (Nov 1906)  tha

Detail showing Second Economy Test Compound car (Nov 1906)

This supports a 1906 date as the likely first appearance of a Compound radiator script. 

The following original photo of a Compound car with a radiator script was taken at an auto trade show in 1907:

Compound car at trade show (1907)   dpl

The Compound radiator script is a cast brass script, see example shown above at the top of this post and again below. Original Compound radiator scripts like this are extremely rare.

This is a Compound rad script (1906-1908)    gpc
Size: 320mm wide

This particular Compound radiator script is mounted on the radiator of the only known surviving example of a Compound car, a 1906 Type 7.5 Touring, on display at the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum at Fairbanks, Alaska. This Compound touring model was originally owned by John Unser, who was Superintendant at the EHV Co. It is possible that the radiator script was originally mounted on the car in 1906 but I cannot confirm this.

The following photo clearly shows the heavy rounded cast brass radiator script:

Compound cast brass radiator script
Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum

The Compound name was also displayed on the serial plates attached to the car body, see the example below from the surviving 1906 Compound Touring at the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum. Original Compound serial plates with this design are extremely rare.

Compound serial plate (1906) 
Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum

The company name was changed to the Eagle Motor Company in late 1907 ahead of the 1908 model year, see 1908 Compound brochure page shown below:

1908 Compound Brochure Page   gpc

It is possible that Compound serial plates used for some models built for 1908 after the company name was changed to the Eagle Motor Company may have displayed the Eagle company name, but I cannot confirm this. Original Compound serial plates with the Eagle company name, if they could be found, would be ultra rare.

If you have further details of any emblems, scripts or nameplates used on the Compound, please let me know, in order to update this post.

I am most grateful to Greg Prior for sharing family material left by his Great Great Uncle, David Graham, whose ingenuity and passion led to the Compound motor car. 

TRUMBULL

Trumbull Motor Car Co. (1914-1915)

Bridgeport, Connecticut

This is a Trumbull radiator emblem (1914-1915)    ms
Size: 65mm wide 56mm high   MM: Unknown (poss None)

The Trumbull was designed and developed by Harry J Stoops of the American Cyclecar Company, which was bought by the Trumbull brothers of Bridgeport, Connecticut. The Trumbull Motor Car Company was established and production of the Trumbull began in 1914.

The Trumbull was a fine, well made cyclecar powered by a 14/18 hp four-cylinder water-cooled engine. Unfortunately for the Trumbull, other cyclecars in America were not so well designed or so well made and cyclecars soon fell out of fashion. However, there was a strong export market for the Trumbull and about 1,500 of the 2,000 total production of the Trumbull were exported to Europe and Australia.

One of the Trumbull brothers was on his way to the UK in May 1915 to finalise a deal for 300 Trumbull cars but lost his life when the Lusitania ocean liner was torpedoed by a German U-boat. Production of the Trumbull was brought to a halt.

Emblems

The simple, hexagonal metal Trumbull radiator emblem is rare, see examples above and below:

This is a Trumbull Model 15B showing the radiator emblem (1915)  bonhams

But, beware there are reproduction Trumbull radiator emblems in various colors, see example below:

This is a reproduction Trumbull radiator emblem     ms
Size: 51mm wide 44mm high

Some surviving Trumbull cars are found without a radiator emblem but with a "Trumbull" radiator script, see example below. Original Trumbull radiator scripts are rare.

Trumbull cyclecar showing only a radiator script (1915)     ms

This is a Trumbull radiator script (1914)     ms
Size: Unknown

The following photos show a Trumbull Model 15B serial plate and a Trumbull hub:

This is a Trumbull Model 15B serial plate (c1914)     sam
Size: 65mm wide 22mm high

This is a Trumbull hub cap (1914-1915)     ms

  

VICTOR PAGE

Page Motor Vehicle Co. (1906-1908)

Providence, Rhode Island

Victor Page Motors Corp.

Farmingdale, New York (1921-1922)

Stamford, Connecticut (1922-1923)

This is the Victor Page Aero-Type Four radiator emblem (1921-1923) ms
Size: Unknown   MM: Probably None

Victor Wilfred Page was a mechanical engineer and inventor, and a prolific technical writer. He was responsible for the construction of the first Page cars built by the Page Motor Vehicle Company in Providence, Rhode Island. The first 10 hp two-cylinder air-cooled Page Runabout appeared in 1906 and a 20 hp four-cylinder runabout was introduced in 1907. However, the venture was financially unsuccessful and production ended after building about 25 cars. 

Victor Page spent some years developing his designs for air-cooled engines for motor vehicles and aircraft. He was enlisted into the US air force throughout the First World War.  He returned to automobile manufacturing in 1921 when he established Victor Page Motors Corporation to build Victor Page cars.

Although Victor Page Motors Corporation only advertised the Aero-Type Four, Victor Page had also designed the Utility Four, a cheaper 25 hp air-cooled, four-cylinder car with a cast-iron engine and a flat false radiator shell. The Utility Four was offered as a five-passenger phaeton, a two-passenger roadster, a suburban car or depot wagon and a one-ton truck. 

Four of the Utility Four cars were built before production turned to the Aero-Type Four, a 30 hp air-cooled, overhead valve four-cylinder car with an aluminum engine and vee-shaped radiator, offered in six model styles, including a light delivery van, depot wagon and taxicab. Four completed Victor Page Aero-Type Four cars and a chassis were exhibited at the Grand Central Palace for the New York Auto Show in January 1922.

However, despite being mechanically sound and after heavy advertising, the Victor Page Aero-Type Four did not sell well and then there was a stock-selling scandal which brought production of the Aero-Type to an end in 1923. Victor Page was innocent of any wrong doing but it was all over for the Aero-Type after only 128 cars had been built.

It is known that Victor Page made one final attempt to use his air-cooled engine design, when, in January 1928, the Automotive Development Corporation was incorporated in Stamford, Connecticut with a plan to build an air-cooled 35 hp one-ton capacity truck to be called the Fairfield Four. Period photos and advertisements for the Fairfield Four truck show two different designs, one resembling the earlier Utility Four truck, probably used for convenience before the newly designed Fairfield Four truck had been built, and the other with a completely different radiator design, see later below. It is not known if any Fairfield trucks were actually sold but the operations of the Automotive Development Corporation ceased in 1929, the year of the stock market crash.

A detailed and fascinating exploration of the life and work of Victor W. Page is given by Frank C. Durato in his book "Victor W. Page Automotive and Aviation Pioneer".

Emblems

The first Page Runabout cars carried a small, probably round emblem mounted on the top of the radiator shell from 1906, a very early date for a radiator emblem in America. This early radiator emblem is seen faintly in the following Page Runabout advertisement from 1906. 

Page Runabout ad showing radiator emblem (1906)
Frank C Derato

The same photo of the Page Runabout is used in the following rendition, where the radiator emblem is more clearly visible, although the detailed design of this Page radiator emblem cannot be seen. If an original Page radiator emblem from this period could be found it would be ultra rare.

Page Runabout showing radiator emblem (1908) 
Frank C Derato

When Victor Page resumed his automobile business in 1921, he had further developed his air-cooled engine designs and used these in his new cars, The first cars built were named the Utility Four and carried round radiator emblems, as seen in the following photo, but, again, the detailed design of the Victor Page Utility Four radiator emblem cannot be seen. If an original Victor Page Utility Four radiator emblem could be found, it too would be ultra rare.

Victor Page Utility Four showing radiator emblem (1921-1923)
Frank C Derato

The Victor Page Aero-Type Four had a vee-shaped radiator but still carried a round radiator emblem, as seen in photos of the first Aero-Type models exhibited at the Grand Central Palace during the New York Auto Show in January 1922:

Victor Page Aero-Type Four cars at the NY Auto Show showing rad emblem (Jan 1922)   AACA Forums

 

Victor Page Aero-Type Four touring at NY Auto Show showing radiator emblem (Jan 1922)  AACA Forums
 

The detailed design of the radiator emblem cannot be seen from these photos but the Victor Page Motors Corporation letterhead included a clear depiction of the Aero-Type Four radiator emblem with a winged propeller logo design, see below:

Victor Page Motors Corp letterhead showing radiator emblem (1921)
Frank C Derato

This is the Victor Page Aero-Type Four radiator emblem shown above at the top of this post and again below:

This is the Victor Page Aero-Type Four rad emblem (1921-1923) ms
Size: Unknown  MM: Probably None

This Victor Page Aero-Type Four radiator emblem was most likely a cast metal emblem. An original Victor Page Aero-Type Four radiator emblem if it could be found would be ultra rare.

The winged propeller logo was also displayed on the Victor Page Aero-Type Four step plate, as seen on the following patent drawing:

Victor Page Aero-Type Four step plate (1921-1923)
Frank C Derato

For many years, the following Aerotype emblem was believed to be from the Victor Page Aero-Type Four car:

This is a Windsor-Aerotype radiator emblem (1929-1930) mjs
Size: 52mm high 40mm wide  MM: D L Auld

However, this emblem is now known to be from a Windsor-Aerotype export model produced in small numbers in 1929-1930.

The following photo shows the front view of the Fairfield Four one-ton capacity truck, Victor Page's final and unsuccessful attempt to build an air-cooled motor vehicle in 1928-1929:

Fairfield Four truck showing rad emblem (c1918)  
Frank C Derato

The Fairfield Four truck also carries a round radiator emblem possibly incorporating the Fairfield Four name, although I cannot confirm this. It is likely that only one Fairfield Four truck was built, so an original Fairfield Four truck radiator emblem, if it could be found, would also be ultra rare.

CORBIN

Corbin Motor Vehicle Corp.
Bristol, Connecticut (1903-1905)
New Britain, Connecticut (1905-1912)

This is a Corbin radiator script (c1907-1911)   scam
Size : Unknown

The Corbin Motor Vehicle Company was a subsidiary of the American Hardware Corporation. The first Corbin vehicles built in Bristol, Connecticut from 1903 were a few light trucks powered by an 8 hp single-cylinder air-cooled engine and a small number of runabouts called the Bristol.  Commercial vehicle production ceased by 1905. Production facilities then moved to New Britain.

The first passenger cars to use the Corbin name were four-cylinder air-cooled models built for the 1905 model year. In 1908 water-cooled models were added and the air-cooled version was dropped in 1910. Corbin cars performed well in race car and other events. The Corbin was a well made automobile and enjoyed commercial success but was "retired" in 1912.

Emblems

The first air-cooled Corbin cars did not display an emblem but did display the "Corbin" name on a

 Corbin maker's nameplate/serial plate, similar to the Corbin plate shown below, attached to the body or under the driver's seat. This Corbin nameplate/serial plate is rare.

This is a Corbin nameplate/serial plate (c1906)    mjs
Size: 64mm wide 26mm high

A Corbin logo appeared on Corbin motor car advertisements from 1906, see example shown below:

This is a Corbin ad showing a trademark logo (1906)  pinterest

The Corbin maker's nameplate/serial plate was changed from about 1907 to display the Corbin trademark, see example shown below. This Corbin nameplate/serial plate is rare.

This is a Corbin nameplate/serial plate (c1908)   mjs
Size: 82mm wide 32mm high 

The Corbin trademark logo is first seen being used as a radiator script on original period photos and advertisements in 1907, see examples shown below:

Corbin touring showing radiator script (1907)    klingberg

Corbin ad showing rad script (1907)  klingberg 

This script is the brass "Corbin" radiator script shown above at the top of this post. Original Corbin radiator scripts are rare.

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

This is a Corbin hubcap (c1906)     dkc

This is a Corbin hubcap (c1908)     alt

This is a Corbin hubcap (1909)     ms

This is a Corbin hub emblem (c1909)    sam
Size: 44mm diameter

The "Corbin" radiator script continued in use at least until 1910, see original photo below:

Corbin car with rad script on Munsey Historic Tour (1910)   dpl

However, this radiator script may not have been factory fitted to all cars. Several original period photos of Corbin cars do not show a radiator script and the 1910 Corbin sales brochure, seen below, cover shows a photo of a Corbin car with no radiator script, see below:

Corbin sales catalog (1910)   pbagalleries

The surviving 1910 Corbin race car in the poor quality photo shown below appears to carry a small, possibly brass, radiator emblem in the style of the trademark logo script:

This is a Corbin race car showing a small brass radiator emblem (1910)   pinterest

However, original period photos of Corbin race cars show no sign of a radiator emblem, see below:

Corbin Vanderbilt race car (1910)    amazon

Corbin race cars (1910)     dpl

It is possible that the small brass radiator emblem shown earlier is a relatively modern emblem added much later.

Emblem collectors should beware, as there are several other "Corbin" emblems, but these may not be auto emblems, as there were other Corbin companies manufacturing non automotive products, which carried "Corbin" emblems, see some examples shown below:

This is a non-automotive Corbin emblem

This is a non-automotive Corbin emblem