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Willys radiator emblem
Catalog #: 325,528,
Accession #: 260,303
Currently on display
From the Smithsonian Collection
The Willys family tree is very complicated, showing the many merges and separations among automobile companies. In 1907 John North Willys, an automobile dealer, became a partner to help Standard Wheel Company out of financial difficulties. A Willys 6 was produced in 1909, but it was discontinued, only to be reintroduced in 1916. |
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Physical Description |
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Dimensions (in mm): 5.3 L x 3.0 W x 1.3 D
Inscriptions: WILLYS 6
Materials: metal
Colors:black, orange, silver
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Details |
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Credit: | Gift of Hubert G. Larson |
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History |
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Radiator emblems were colorful metal plates with a manufacturer's name or logo that attached to the radiators of early automobiles. Varying in shape and size, but never more than a few inches across, the emblems were small branding devices. As vehicles became more popular in a national market, people began associating the company name and logo on different vehicle models with a specific manufacturer. Radiator emblems sometimes indicated the type of engine or place of manufacturing. Other times they appealed directly to a driver's sense of style and class by using iconic images or a catchy motto.
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Related People, Places, and Events |
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Donor
Hubert G. Larson
In 1964 Hubert G. Larson donated a collection of 278 radiator emblems to the Smithsonian.
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