Can anyone help with the date of this old Buick Script

[tigersdad]

I came across a couple of items this past week and was wondering if anyone knew the dates these items might be? I put the copper and enamel license plate topper on the car after polishing it up. The Buick Script is now as shiny as new. The picture of both is before clean-up. The AAA has Geo J Mayer, Indianapolis on the back. Thanks

Jay Kingston

Buick Model 8-86 Victoria Travelers Coupe

Edited October 1, 2013 by tigersdad
Forgot to add an item (see edit history)

[Pete Phillips]

There were a couple of 1908 Buicks at the recent South Bend national meet that had brass scripts like that across the front of their radiators.

[tigersdad]

Thanks, Pete. I've found them as early as 1905 and as late as 1915. I didn't know if different sizes or script were used?

Jay

[Marty Roth]

Jay,

To the best of my knowledge, the brass "Buick" script was not a factory item, but rather was added by many of us when we restored, or just "fixed-up" our Brass-Era" cars.

Actually, I was planning to buy, or to order one for my 1914 Buick B-37 when I got to Hershey next week.

Are you considering selling yours?

If so, I'd be interested - please email me or PM

Thanks,

Marty

[tigersdad]

Hi Marty-

In researching it appears that these were from the factory. In George Demmann's book "Seventy Years of Buick" it shows old original photo's of the cars with the Buick Script. Also, pulled a book at the Marin Civic Center Library on Brass Era cars showing, Buick, Cadillac, Oldsmobile, Hupmobile, etc.....all original photo's and once again the Scripts were affixed to the radiator at an angle. This is definitely an original, but year, I just don't know. I polished the front, but left the back with its 100 years of patina and staining.

Jay

[tigersdad]

Marty -

Attached is an original photo from 1908 clearly showing the script of the front of the car. You can see the Bu in Buick as it goes at an angle across the radiator.

Jay

[Earl B.]

Jay, I had one of those years ago, and sold it. The man I sold it to said there were differences in different years.. The difference was the size of the word 'Buick'.

[tigersdad]

Thanks, Earl. I thought that might be the case since they did the same with the early hub caps, too. What I need to do is get the exact measurements and post them. I appreciate your input!

Jay

[tigersdad]

The dimensions on the Buick Script are: 16-1/4" wide x 5-12" high at the B and 4" high at the K.

Jay

[Dwight Romberger]

Is the top picture one for an Aussie Buick?

[michaelod]

Is the top picture one for an Aussie Buick?

No, that one is for dyslexic drivers...

[Larry Schramm]

There were at least two different sizes as I have one of each.

I agree with Jay and have seen them from 1908 - 1915.

[tigersdad]

Larry-

Thanks so much for the re-confirmation on the years. I knew it was from somewhere in this period. Again, thank you!

Jay

1932 Buick Model 8-86 Victoria Travelers Coupe

[Dandy Dave]

The one on My 15 Buick is an original from back in the day. It took a lot of elbow grease to get the patina off of the front of it. Dandy Dave!

[tigersdad]

Ditto, Dave!

Wasn't too bad as I tried a little Brasso on one corner and once I saw it worked, went full bore from there. Like yours, it now shines like the day it was new, although I did leave the patina on the back for a bit of history.

Aloha! from Maui!

Jay

[Dandy Dave]

I also have one in a cabinet that I keep some goodies in. It had a hard life and shows pitting. Deffinetly and original from the Brass era. Dandy Dave!

[michaelod]

Ditto, Dave!

Wasn't too bad as I tried a little Brasso on one corner and once I saw it worked, went full bore from there. Like yours, it now shines like the day it was new, although I did leave the patina on the back for a bit of history.

Aloha! from Maui!

Jay

Brass looks quite nice when polished, but will oxidize rapidly. I see people in the antique furniture world ready to devalue a piece based on the fact that someone has polished the brass and removed all the patina. In point of fact it only takes a couple of years for the brass to regain any oxidation (patina) naturally that previously existed. For those who want the look of patina, there are chemicals that cause that to appear instantly on polished brass. I say polish away and enjoy the shiny brass look while it lasts.

[Dandy Dave]

Brass looks quite nice when polished, but will oxidize rapidly. I see people in the antique furniture world ready to devalue a piece based on the fact that someone has polished the brass and removed all the patina. In point of fact it only takes a couple of years for the brass to regain any oxidation (patina) naturally that previously existed. For those who want the look of patina, there are chemicals that cause that to appear instantly on polished brass. I say polish away and enjoy the shiny brass look while it lasts.

I had a friend in the home lighting bussiness years ago. He would get real upset with anyone that took the patina off of an antique lamp as he said that many times the patina was suppose to be there and added value. Even back in the day they knew how to "tint" an item for a paticular look. I never polish old house hold lamps for that reason. But car emblems are suppose to glitter in the sunlight. Dandy Dave.

[FLYER15015]

Jay,

Is your Buick script a brass casting or is it cut out of plate ? I see 3 little holes across the lettering to attach it to the radiator, presumably with long bolts.

If one wanted to duplicate a dozen or so, it would not be that difficult to use an origional and make a urethane rubber mold and investment cast replica's.

Mike in Colorado

[tigersdad]

Dave-

i agree with you 100%. Let it shine! Jay

[Earl B.]

Mike, the one I had was cut out of sheet brass, and I would bet they were all cut out the same way.

[Larry Schramm]

Jay,

Is your Buick script a brass casting or is it cut out of plate ? I see 3 little holes across the lettering to attach it to the radiator, presumably with long bolts.

If one wanted to duplicate a dozen or so, it would not be that difficult to use an origional and make a urethane rubber mold and investment cast replica's.

Mike in Colorado

The script is cut out of plate. In todays world, water jetting would be the easiest way to make some new parts.

Edited October 8, 2013 by Larry Schramm (see edit history)

[Dandy Dave]

Seems to me that repros are available from Restoration Supply or similar place.... Yup.

http://www.restorationstuff.com/catalog.html

Cars... http://www.brassauto.com/Year%20Badge%20Info.html

[FLYER15015]

Mike, the one I had was cut out of sheet brass, and I would bet they were all cut out the same way.

Yup, at $169.00 a peice from "Cars". Chip Foose would be proud. Back in the day, there was probably a stamping die at the old Buick factory, but it is long lost......... "Cars" welds a couple of studs to the back of theirs, and I see that Jay's has 3 little bolt bosses cut along side the letters. Got a hunch his came off a stamping die. Looking at the edges to check for a "kerf" would tell us for sure.

Mike in Colorado

[Brian_Heil]

OK, I can confirm that these scripts were at least from or in the Buick factory.

18 years ago while building my current house (and having sold my previous one), we rented a small place for 12 months on a lake south of Flint. Our neighbor, was an old Buick retiree, and a General Motors Institute (GMI) grad. The GMI students got all the nasty summer jobs in the plant per him. One of the jobs he had was to pump and shovel all the gunk out of a stamping press pit in one of the Buick factories. When they got to the bottom of the pit, he found one of those Buick scripts that had been used as shim stock to level the press. No idea how long it had been down there. He had it all shined up and on his study wall. Great story. This was in the late 40's that he found it.

I bought a sheet of brass and traced his script and cut it out to make my own, still have it. Tried to buy his first but he wouldn't part with it.

I'll never forget when I asked him what the worst student job he had was. Changing the blinking lights on the top of the smoke stack of the Buick power house. No thanks. I get the eebey jeebeys cleaning out the gutters.

[tigersdad]

Mike-

its cut from plate. I posted another thread, a local gold mine. The gentleman I purchase from has collected for over 50 years and has one of the largest, if not the largest , collections of anything to do with antique automobiles. This is the real deal from the early 20th century.

jay

[Dandy Dave]

OK, I can confirm that these scripts were at least from or in the Buick factory.

18 years ago while building my current house (and having sold my previous one), we rented a small place for 12 months on a lake south of Flint. Our neighbor, was an old Buick retiree, and a General Motors Institute (GMI) grad. The GMI students got all the nasty summer jobs in the plant per him. One of the jobs he had was to pump and shovel all the gunk out of a stamping press pit in one of the Buick factories. When they got to the bottom of the pit, he found one of those Buick scripts that had been used as shim stock to level the press. No idea how long it had been down there. He had it all shined up and on his study wall. Great story. This was in the late 40's that he found it.

I bought a sheet of brass and traced his script and cut it out to make my own, still have it. Tried to buy his first but he wouldn't part with it.

I'll never forget when I asked him what the worst student job he had was. Changing the blinking lights on the top of the smoke stack of the Buick power house. No thanks. I get the eebey jeebeys cleaning out the gutters.

Dang... Where's that like Button when you need it... I LIKE that I did not have to change those Blinking light either. Nice bit of History Brian. :cool: Dandy Dave!