WESTINGHOUSE

Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Co. (1901/1905-1907)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Societe Anonyme Westinghouse
Le Havre, France

This is a Westinghouse radiator script (1907)   nc

The Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company was well known for the manufacture of electrical products and equipment for both domestic and heavy industrial usage. In 1901, Westinghouse acquired the patents of the Hub Motors Company for the manufacture of small electric passenger carriages and is believed to have manufactured some of these vehicles, although the patents had been acquired for the production of electric buses.

Westinghouse entered the automotive market again in 1905, with a luxurious 40 hp four-cylinder water-cooled gasoline passenger car. The Westinghouse automobile was designed by Westinghouse in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania but was manufactured in France at the Societe Anonyme Westinghouse factory in Le Havre. 

Westinghouse cars are known to have taken part in the Paris Salon chains trials in 1906 and both completed the competition with full marks.

The Westinghouse was an expensive, high quality automobile and was sold in Europe and in America, either as a chassis for coachwork to be built in America or as a complete unit with coachwork built in France.

Westinghouse production is believed to have ceased in late 1907, when Westinghouse entered a brief receivership.

Emblem

There are several original period photos of Westinghouse automobiles but none that I can find clearly show the radiator. 

However, a surviving 1907 Westinghouse Model 40 demi-limousine in the Nethercutt Collection at Sylmar, California displays the Westinghouse name on a brass script mounted on the radiator core, see photos shown above at the top of this post and later below: 

Westinghouse Model 40 at the Nethercutt Collection (1907)  ms

Westinghouse radiator script (1907)   ms

There is also a small shield shaped brass emblem in the top of the radiator but this is the emblem of the maker of the radiator, the El Arco Radiator Company of New York, so the radiator, at least, was built in America, see photo below:

Radiator maker's emblem (1907)   ms

The Westinghouse Model 40 in the Nethercutt Collection has coachwork built by Demarest & Company in France with various accessories made by L. Dubrulle, as seen on the following nameplate:

Dubrulle accessories nameplate (1907)   ms

The Westinghouse name is also displayed on the hubcaps, see below:

This is a Westinghouse hubcap (1907)   ms

OTTO

Otto Gas Engine Works (1910-1911)

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

This is an Otto radiator emblem (1910)    aacam
Size: 74mm high 60mm wide   MM: Unknown

The Otto Gas Engine Works was the largest and oldest builder of gas and gasoline engines in the world when it decided to build an automobile in 1910. The first Otto car was a 30/35 hp four-cylinder car, which was offered initially in three body styles. The Otto was an attractive well-built car but sales were not good and the Otto Motor Car Company that initially handled sales of the Otto was bankrupt by April 1911.

The car name was changed to Ottomobile for 1912 and the Ottomobile Company took over sales but it too was in receivership in 1912. By the end of 1912 it was all over for the Otto.

Emblem

The Otto radiator emblem is represented in the 1910 Otto advertisement shown below:

This is an Otto as showing the emblem (1910)   ms

The red and blue enamel Otto radiator emblem shown above at the top of this post is extremely rare. But, beware, as there are reproduction Otto emblems, although they are relatively easy to identify, see example below:

This is a Pulfer reproduction Otto radiator emblem     mjs
Size: 74mm high 58mm wide

The following Otto emblem may be a radiator emblem but I cannot confirm this. It is possible that this emblem may have lost its original enamel but it may be a different, metal only emblem with three original holes.

This may be an Otto radiator emblem (1911)     sam
Size: 67mm high 54mm wide    MM: Unknown

The following Otto emblem is a thicker, heavier metal emblem with a speckled background in the shield is closely similar to the emblem in the 1910 Otto advertisement shown earlier above but it may be an Otto gas engine emblem:

This is an Otto emblem (date unknown)     mjs
Size: 68mm high 58mm wide      MM: None

The following is a 1912 Otto Type B serial plate:

This is an Otto Type B car serial plate (1912)    ms

FALCON

Moller Motor Car Co. (1922)

Lewistown, Pennsylvania

This is a Falcon radiator emblem (1922)     sam
Size: 57mm wide 32mm high   MM: Unknown

The Falcon was designed and built by the Moller Motor Car Company and was introduced at the New York Automobile Salon held at the Hotel Commodore in November 1921. The Falcon was a light 20 hp four-cylinder motor car offered in a variety of body styles using custom coachwork.

The Falcon was unsuccessful and, after a very small production, it was all over by the end of 1922.

Emblem

The blue enamel Falcon radiator emblem shown above is extremely rare.

BEAVER

Beaver Transit Equipment Co. (1934-1936)
Beaver Metropolitan Coaches, Inc. (1936-1953)
National Coach & Manufacturing Co. (1955-1956)
Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania

This is a Beaver coach emblem (c1940's)     mjs
Size: 168mm wide 97mm high   MM: None

In 1934, G. M. Davis, who had been head of the ACF sales office in Philadelphia and was well aware of the post Depression demand of many small bus operators for an economical lightweight bus, decided to enter the bus building business and joined Beaver Coach. Beaver Coach had been established by the Beaver Valley Motor Coach Company to manufacture inexpensive buses for its own fleet. 

A prototype bus based on a standard Ford commercial chassis with body formed by an all-steel framework covered with an aluminum skin was built and demonstrated to local city transit companies. The response was so good that the Beaver Transit Equipment Company was set up to continue with the production of the Beaver Coach. Guy Davis was able to secure orders for more buses from other bus transit operators. 

The initial Beaver buses were "metropolitan" style front engine coaches with the passenger door behind the front axle, which was most appropriate for city transit operations and, as a result, the company name was changed to Beaver Metropolitan Coaches, Inc. in 1936. The Beaver bus design was developed over the following two years with design improvements involving different chassis and engines. In 1937, the first transit bus with the passenger door ahead of the front axle was introduced. Further developments continued, including widening the bus and making it longer, until the introduction of the rear engine transit bus design in 1938. Rear engine, metropolitan and front engine models continued in production until 1949, after when only rear engine models were built. 

Beaver bus production ceased in 1942 due to the war and production moved to personnel carriers for the war effort. When production resumed after the Second World War in 1945, the new Beaver buses were basically unchanged but were given a more modern appearance.  Orders for new Beaver buses began to fall in the early 1950's resulting in serious financial problems. Guy Davis bought the company and renamed it the National Coach & Manufacturing Company. However, new orders failed to meet expectations. The end came in 1956 when the plant was seriously damaged by flooding. Beaver Coaches continued in service, in some locations into the mid-1970's.

Emblem

The Beaver Coach carried a pressed metal oval shaped emblem mounted on the front of the bus, see example shown above at the top of this post. This Beaver Coach emblem is rare.

MIDDLEBY

Middleby Automobile Co. (1909-1913)
Reading, Pennsylvania

This is a Middleby radiator script (1909)    cccmlc

Charles M. Middleby took over the factory previously occupied by the Duryea Power Company in Reading, Pennsylvania to produce his Middleby automobile. 

The Middleby began as a 25 hp four-cylinder air-cooled automobile offered as a two-passenger runabout, a four-passenger surrey or a five-passenger touring. For 1910, the Middleby range had increased to six body styles and a larger 40 hp companion model called the Reading was also introduced. 

In 1911, the Middleby also became a larger wheelbase, 40 hp four-cylinder water-cooled automobile but it was not successful and it was all over in 1913, including the Reading. 

Emblem

The Middleby did not carry an emblem but displayed the "Middleby" name on a cast brass script mounted on the radiator core, see original period photo and surviving 1909 runabout example shown below;

Middleby runabout at Giant's Despair Hill Climb (1909)  dpl

Middleby runabout showing radiator script (1909)   bmhv

The cast brass Middleby radiator script is shown above at the top of this post. Original Middleby radiator scripts are rare.

The "Middleby" name was displayed on a small brass nameplate/serial plate located on the dash or under the driver's seat, see example shown below. This Middleby nameplate is very rare.

This is a Middleby nameplate/serial plate (c1910)    sam

The "Middleby" name was also displayed on a brass script mounted on the top of the headlights, see 1909 example shown below:

This shows the Middleby script on the headlights (1909)  cccmlc

BETHLEHEM

Bethlehem Motors Corp. (1917-1926)
Allentown, Pennsylvania 

This is a Bethlehem radiator emblem (poss 1917-1920)    mjs
Size: 68mm high 45mm wide   MM: D L Auld

The first Bethlehem trucks were of 1-1/4-ton capacity using 23hp GB & S engines and 2-1/4-ton capacity using 26hp North American engines. Bethlehem also built Liberty trucks for the US military during the First World War. By 1919, Bethlehem offered 1-1/2-ton, 2-1/2-ton and 3-1/2-ton capacity trucks. Bethlehem enjoyed good sales in the early years with 3,500 trucks built in 1919.

Bethlehem bought out North American Motors in 1920 and began to produce their own engines. Bethlehem introduced a 3/4-ton Delivery Boy to the truck range in 1920. Bethlehem also began production of buses in 1920 and made an automobile for export only called the Ideal. Bethlehem also expanded its plant in anticipation of increased sales but these did not materialize and Bethlehem was in receivership by the end of 1920.  The new Bethlehem management continued the old models in limited numbers from 1921. Only 42 trucks were built in 1924 and it was all over for Bethlehem by 1926.

Emblems

There are very few good original period photos of Bethlehem trucks showing the radiator and a limited number of surviving Bethlehem trucks, so there is some speculation regarding the dates of use of known Bethlehem emblems. 

The earliest Bethlehem trucks in 1917 had conventional brass radiators, see illustrations shown below:

Bethlehem truck ad (1917)    ma

Bethlehem favored the color green and even as early as October 1917, the available Bethlehem truck chassis color schemes were noted as "the famous Bethlehem green and black, army tan and black, and gray and black". The Bethlehem green was also shown in some Bethlehem advertisements, see example shown below:

Bethlehem truck advertisement (1917)    ebay

The following Bethlehem truck photo taken from a 1917 newspaper article appears to show a radiator emblem:

Bethlehem truck showing a radiator emblem (1917)     pittsburgh sunday post

It is not possible to see the details of the design of this radiator emblem from the poor quality photo shown above. It is likely that this first Bethlehem truck radiator emblem was the rectangular blue, green and white enamel Bethlehem radiator emblem shown above at the top of this post and again below. This Bethlehem radiator emblem is very rare.

This is a Bethlehem radiator emblem (poss 1917-1920)   mjs
Size: 68mm high 45mm wide   MM: D L Auld

The following Bethlehem emblem could be a radiator emblem, although I had assumed that it may be a Bethlehem hub emblem. This Bethlehem emblem is very rare.

This is a Bethlehem emblem (c1917-1920)     mjs
Size: 53mm diameter    MM: Unknown

Emblem collectors should beware, as there are multicolored reproduction copies of the Bethlehem emblem shown above, see example shown below:

This is a reproduction Bethlehem emblem     ms

There was a change in Bethlehem radiator emblem for the 3-1/2-ton heavy duty truck that appeared in about 1918 for the 1919 model year. This truck had a heavy cast iron radiator with the "Bethlehem" name cast into the ribbed cast iron top section,  see Bethlehem factory illustration shown below:

Bethlehem heavy duty truck with cast rad emblem (c1918-1919) lktec

Bethlehem heavy duty truck radiator (c1918-1919)  lktec

The heavy duty Bethlehem truck also displayed the "Bethlehem" name on a nameplate mounted on the rear chassis cross frame member, see Bethlehem factory illustration shown below:

Bethlehem heavy duty truck with rear nameplate (c1918-1919) lktec

The new Bethlehem truck range introduced in 1920 included the 3/4-ton Delivery Boy truck, which had a conventional radiator. The following artist's impression of the Delivery Boy shows the "Bethlehem" name displayed across the radiator tank top, possibly using a decal or painted using a stencil.

Bethlehem Delivery Boy ad (1920)  ccj

Bethlehem Delivery Boy truck showing radiator emblem (1920)

A Bethlehem specification sheet for the 1-1/2-ton truck includes the following photo showing the same radiator emblem as for the Bethlehem Delivery Boy truck:

Bethlehem truck showing radiator emblem (1921)   statis.wikia

The heavier duty Bethlehem trucks continued to use a slightly changed ribbed cast iron radiator with the cast in radiator emblem, see example shown below:

Bethlehem 2-ton truck showing radiator & emblem (1923)  hatm

Close up Bethlehem heavy duty radiator & cast in emblem  moroz

The small white, black and green enamel Bethlehem truck emblem shown below may have been used as a Bethlehem radiator emblem but I cannot confirm this. This Bethlehem truck emblem is rare.

This is a Bethlehem truck emblem (dates unknown)   mwc
Size: 120mm wide 29mm high    MM: Unknown

I have not found any photos or illustrations of Bethlehem trucks showing body side or hood side nameplates. However, these nameplates were certainly used, see original painted examples shown below. These nameplates may have been used on Bethlehem trucks using the emblem shown above, but I cannot confirm this. Original Bethlehem truck nameplates of this kind are rare.

This is a Bethlehem nameplate (dates unknown)   mjs
Size: 372mm wide 76mm high

This Bethlehem nameplate is also found with a green star, see following simulation:

This is a Bethlehem truck nameplate (dates unknown)   ms
Size: 372mm wide 76mm high

BERGDOLL

Louis J. Bergdoll Motor Co. (1910-1913)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

This is a Bergdoll 30 radiator emblem (1910-1913)   ms
Size: 58mm diameter     MM: Unknown

The Louis J. Bergdoll Motor Company produced some of America's best high-quality automobiles before the First World War. 

The first Begdoll Thirty appeared in 1910 and was a four-cylinder five-passenger touring model. For the 1911 model year, the Bergdoll Thirty was available in nine different body styles. A Bergdoll Forty model joined the Bergdoll Thirty in 1912 and 1913. There were business problems, however, and the company was in receivership in March 1913 and the Bergdoll factory and assets were sold in May 1913.

Emblems

The Bergdoll carried a round radiator emblem, see original period photo shown below from a 1910 auto show:

Bergdoll 30 showing radiator emblem (c1910)  dpl

This emblem is the pale blue and white Bergdoll 30 radiator emblem shown above at the top of this post. This Bergdoll radiator emblem is extremely rare.

Emblem collectors should beware as there are reproduction Bergdoll 30 radiator emblems, see examples shown below. 

The first example is similar to the original Bergdoll 30 radiator emblem shown above at the top of this post but does not have the sun's rays coming out of the winged wheel. It has a shiny back and no maker's mark.

This is a reproduction Bergdoll 30 radiator emblem  pcc

The second reproduction example, shown below, does have the sun's rays but is finished in dark blue and white enamel. This reproduction emblem also has a shiny back and no maker's mark.

This is a reproduction Bergdoll 30 radiator emblem  cwc

The Bergdoll radiator emblem shown above a the top of this post was used for the Bergdoll 30 model. I have not seen a radiator emblem for the Bergdoll 40 model. It is likely that there was such an emblem, although I cannot confirm this. If an original Bergdoll 40 radiator emblem could be found, it would be ultra rare. 

The "Bergdoll" name was also displayed on some models on a brass script mounted on the radiator core, see original period photo of a Bergdoll automobile and a surviving Bergdoll 30, both photos shown below. Original "Bergdoll" radiator scripts are very rare. It is possible that the Bergdoll 40 model simply used the brass radiator script. to avoid the additional cost of a new emblem at a time of financial difficulty. 

Bergdoll auto showing rad emblem & script (1912)  dpl 

Bergdoll Model 30 with radiator script    sillohed

KEARNS

Kearns Motor Buggy Co. (1908-1909)
Kearns Motor Car Co. (1909-1916)
Kearns Motor Truck Co. (1912-1920)
Beavertown, Pennsylvania
Kearns-Dughie Corp. (1920-1928)
Danville, Pennsylvania

This is a Kearns radiator script (c1909-1916)     sam
Size: 246mm wide

The first Kearns motor car was an air-cooled 12 hp two-cylinder high-wheeler with a conventional hood. A three-cylinder model was added to the line in 1910. When popular demand for high-wheelers began to fall, Kearns moved into the manufacture of a light four-cylinder standard car. In 1914 automobile production centered on a cyclecar called the Lulu and in 1916 Kearns introduced the Trio, which was available as a runabout, touring or light delivery vehicle. Any of these bodies could be fastened to the same frame by the use of only four bolts.

After 1916 Kearns discontinued automobile production to concentrate on the manufacture of trucks and fire engines, the commercial side of the business having begun with a brewery wagon prototype model in 1909 with full production following in 1911. The Kearns Motor Truck Company was organized in 1912. In 1920 the company moved to Danville and became the Kearns-Dughie Corporation specializing in fire engine chassis. The plant closed in 1928.

Emblems

The very first Kearns Motor Buggy Company high-wheeler motorized buggies displayed the "Kearns" name on a simple Kearns Motor Buggy Company nameplate/serial plate, see example shown below:

This is a Kearns Motor Buggy nameplate (1908-1909)   mjs
Size:77mmwide 38mm high

The Kearns Motor Car Company high-wheeler models, also displayed the "Kearns" name on brass scripts attached to the "radiator grille". Initially, the air-cooled Kearns had a small "radiator grille" and a large Kearns script that filled the space available, see original period photos shown below:

Kearns roadster with rad script (1909)    sahb

Kearns roadster with rad script (1910)    wiki

The following restored surviving Kearns Model G roadster shows a radiator script, which may be a reproduction script made for the restoration:

Kearns Model G roadster (1910)   rmsothebys

Close-up showing radiator script (1910)

The following is an original Kearns radiator script also shown above at the top of this post. Original Kearns radiator scripts are rare,

This is a Kearns radiator script (c1909-1916)   mjs
Size: 246mm wide

Later Kearns models displayed smaller Kearns radiator scripts, see examples shown below:

Kearns speedster showing small radiator script (1913)  psmh

This is a Kearns Model L Trio roadster (1916)   wiki

The following are examples of smaller Kearns radiator scripts:

This is a Kearns radiator script (1913-1916)    sam
Size: 155mm wide

This is a Kearns radiator script (c1916-1920)     sam
Size: 130mm wide

I do not have details of the later Kearns truck emblems but I believe the Kearns radiator script continued to be used. If you have confirmed information about the scripts or other emblem used on Kearns trucks, please let me know, in order to update this post.