TerryB Posted November 7, 2018 Share Posted November 7, 2018 (edited) I picked up this unused REO The Fifth radiator emblem knowing it was a reproduction item. The original bag came with it and it shows Drago of France made the emblem. I was wondering if anyone was familiar with Drago and what other emblem they might have made. Terry Edited November 7, 2018 by TerryB (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D Yaros Posted November 7, 2018 Share Posted November 7, 2018 REO are the initials of Ransom Eli Olds. REO Motor Car was the company he founded after leaving Olds in 1904. http://www.automotivehalloffame.org/honoree/ransom-e-olds/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryB Posted November 7, 2018 Author Share Posted November 7, 2018 (edited) 7 minutes ago, D Yaros said: REO are the initials of Ransom Eli Olds. REO Motor Car was the company he founded after leaving Olds in 1904. http://www.automotivehalloffame.org/honoree/ransom-e-olds/ Thank you. Yes, I know REO, but does anyone know why this reproduction emblem was made in France or the company that made the emblem? It seems to be of good quality and I would like to buy some others like it if they show up at reasonable prices. I edited my first post to make my question more clear! Sorry for the confusion. Edited November 7, 2018 by TerryB (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D Yaros Posted November 7, 2018 Share Posted November 7, 2018 On that I cannot help. Do not know, sorry. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lump Posted November 7, 2018 Share Posted November 7, 2018 (edited) Terry, I am curious about your "take" on reproduction radiator emblems. My parents collected originals when I was a kid in the 60's, and I always admired them (they didn't have a lot of money, so they didn't have "Bugattis," or "Duesenbergs," for example. But they had some pretty cool badges). Then I inherited the collection, and have added several of my own. But there are many, many badges that I can probably never afford originals. And, I have bought a very few repro's when I couldn't resist. I have just wondered if a collection would be better served to be "more complete," and thus loaded with lots of repro's...or more purely original? I realize there are a thousand variables, and it's all very dependent on personal taste. I'm not expecting great "answers" to a difficult question. Just some personal insight, if you will. Then I would love to discuss how to ID repro's, and all the related nuances... Maybe I should refrain from hijacking your thread...and start a new one? Sorry....? Edited November 7, 2018 by lump (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryB Posted November 7, 2018 Author Share Posted November 7, 2018 No problem! I would like originals but really have no need for them as their cost for nice examples usually exceeds what I have to spend. There are a few early emblems I would like to have from PA brands like Owen Magnetic, Bell, Matheson and others that are too pricey for me if they are the real thing as they are scarce and command big $$$. I have bought a few originals when the price was right, but mostly I just enjoy having a few around on my curio cabinet display. Even in repro form they are a nice reminder of auto brands we rarely see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillip Cole Posted November 7, 2018 Share Posted November 7, 2018 By any chance does the emblem have any Drago markings on the back? Such markings can give you a manufacture date. Drago of France made a lot of military badges before and after WW II. It makes sense that a modern version of the company could make car emblems. I know they have made country badges for cars. Beyond that you probably need to talk to a military badge collector. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Bond Posted November 8, 2018 Share Posted November 8, 2018 I believe that Pulfer and Williams had these reproduced years ago. Collector interest in them was always secondary though as a Reo emblem is fairly common among collectors. While I'm not familiar with the company they probably produced a variety of them over the years. You may wish to contact Mike Sears who maintains the wonderful website "American Auto Emblems." http://www.americanautoemblems.com/ You can contact Mike directly through the website and perhaps he can shed more light on the subject. Responding to Lump's question about whether a collection would be "better" as complete with repros - only originals would make it a great collection. You'll never have a "complete" collection though. as you''ll soon figure out after looking over the beautiful emblems on the above website. Terry 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHuDWah Posted November 8, 2018 Share Posted November 8, 2018 (edited) 20 hours ago, TerryB said: ...I was wondering if anyone was familiar with Drago and what other emblem they might have made. Terry... Here ya go: http://www.frenchbadges.com/fb/badge-manufacturers/ Link deals with military badges, rather than auto, but history may be of interest/help. Edited November 8, 2018 by CHuDWah (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexRiv_63 Posted November 8, 2018 Share Posted November 8, 2018 TerryB, can you post a photo of the back side of the emblem? Is there any makers mark or other cast into the piece? I've been collecting, buying and selling emblems for many years. Makers marks are the best way to determine originality but not all emblems had them and many times the mark was on the mounting cup which often is missing. There are also different versions of the same emblem used over long periods with different makers and slight changes in design. I'm sure I have a few good repros in my personal collection although most are original. My goal is to find everything on this old poster...Ha Ha Ha. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt G Posted November 8, 2018 Share Posted November 8, 2018 Terry Bond mentions Mike Shears website http://www.americanautoemblems.com/ , if you have not viewed this DO SO! Amazing amount of time spent and labor of love. Excellent photos of the emblems/badges. Mike is a friend of both Terry and myself. DO your self a favor and go view that website, it is built upon years of research , with extensive travel here in the USA to see collections, view them and document accurately the emblems /badges history. All at the tip of your finger ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.H.Boland Posted November 8, 2018 Share Posted November 8, 2018 Drago made (makes ?) flag license toppers for just about every country there is. This Canada flag dates from 1922 to 1956.The lady torso on the harp still has breasts.After 1956,she had a mastectomy. Prime Minister Diefenbaker thought a topless lady had no place on the flag,apparently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lump Posted November 9, 2018 Share Posted November 9, 2018 8 hours ago, TexRiv_63 said: TerryB, can you post a photo of the back side of the emblem? Is there any makers mark or other cast into the piece? I've been collecting, buying and selling emblems for many years. Makers marks are the best way to determine originality but not all emblems had them and many times the mark was on the mounting cup which often is missing. There are also different versions of the same emblem used over long periods with different makers and slight changes in design. I'm sure I have a few good repros in my personal collection although most are original. My goal is to find everything on this old poster...Ha Ha Ha. TexRiv, I have the same sort of dream from another poster. My Dad had one like this hanging in the garage where we kept our Hupp touring car, and I often stared at it as a young kid. Years later I found this framed copy of same poster. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Mahar Posted November 9, 2018 Share Posted November 9, 2018 Terry, I have a REO The Fifth if you want that badge to find a good home let me know. Mike 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryB Posted November 9, 2018 Author Share Posted November 9, 2018 Here is the back of the emblem. The screw mount indicates to me it’s a reproduction. No makes either to be seen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lump Posted November 10, 2018 Share Posted November 10, 2018 When I was a much younger emblem collector, I developed the opinion that emblems in which you could see a reverse impression of the image on the backside were originals, and those which were basically smooth on the backside were repro's. Only later did I learn that it is not that simple. Drat! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexRiv_63 Posted November 10, 2018 Share Posted November 10, 2018 22 hours ago, TerryB said: Here is the back of the emblem. The screw mount indicates to me it’s a reproduction. No makes either to be seen. Definite repro. There are a lot of them out there with this small threaded mounting boss, most are quite nice and accurate on the face but be careful for scaled down versions smaller than original. Many but not all Reo emblems were made by the Greenduck Co. in Chicago, not a common maker of auto emblems. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laheyth Posted November 7, 2022 Share Posted November 7, 2022 On 11/8/2018 at 12:32 PM, TexRiv_63 said: TerryB, can you post a photo of the back side of the emblem? Is there any makers mark or other cast into the piece? I've been collecting, buying and selling emblems for many years. Makers marks are the best way to determine originality but not all emblems had them and many times the mark was on the mounting cup which often is missing. There are also different versions of the same emblem used over long periods with different makers and slight changes in design. I'm sure I have a few good repros in my personal collection although most are original. My goal is to find everything on this old poster...Ha Ha Ha. where did this poster come from , can they be bought? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexRiv_63 Posted November 7, 2022 Share Posted November 7, 2022 I found this years ago on Ebay, I'm sure they come up now and then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lahti35 Posted November 7, 2022 Share Posted November 7, 2022 On 11/9/2018 at 2:09 PM, TerryB said: Here is the back of the emblem. The screw mount indicates to me it’s a reproduction. No makes either to be seen. Very interesting, I did not know they reproduced these. I have one at home with 3 pins on the back I had always assumed was original. Did all the repro badges have that screw back arrangement? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexRiv_63 Posted November 8, 2022 Share Posted November 8, 2022 On 11/7/2022 at 12:38 PM, Lahti35 said: Very interesting, I did not know they reproduced these. I have one at home with 3 pins on the back I had always assumed was original. Did all the repro badges have that screw back arrangement? Your emblem with the three pins is most likely an original, does it have any type of makers mark on the back? Reproduction badges have many backside variations along with quality variations on the front. The pinback shown usually are pretty accurate on the front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryB Posted November 8, 2022 Author Share Posted November 8, 2022 Still have my REO emblem. So far it’s my only emblem in what was going to be a small collection. I guess I have the “small” part under control 😀. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lahti35 Posted November 8, 2022 Share Posted November 8, 2022 56 minutes ago, TexRiv_63 said: Your emblem with the three pins is most likely an original, does it have any type of makers mark on the back? Reproduction badges have many backside variations along with quality variations on the front. The pinback shown usually are pretty accurate on the front. I'll have to dig it out this weekend, been ages since I've looked at it. I seem to recall a small maker mark of some sort on the backside. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laheyth Posted November 8, 2022 Share Posted November 8, 2022 I attach photos My car is a 1912, the 5th, yet for reasons we cant explain the radiator badge does not say the 5th. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lahti35 Posted December 11, 2022 Share Posted December 11, 2022 I dug my badge out, looks like it was made by the Greenduck Co. in Chicago... As far as I know it's original and was procured decades ago by my Grandfather back in 80's. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryB Posted December 11, 2022 Author Share Posted December 11, 2022 Great to see an original! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lump Posted December 12, 2022 Share Posted December 12, 2022 (edited) So, this thread re-appearing caused me to go look more closely at the REO emblem I have hanging in a frame among my modest collection. I am pleased to report that mine is apparently an original, and like the others bears the "Greenduck Co" name upside down on the back. When looking at the following close-up photos, I also noticed that I had gotten a little clumsy with the epoxy putty I used on the backside to fasten a mounting screw. You can see a smudge of the epoxy on the frontside at about 10 or 11 o'clock, right about where the left wing crosses the white circle, over top of the "R" of REO. Don't know why I never noticed that before, but I'll have to be very careful to remove it without damaging the emblem. Another interesting tidbit (at least interesting to me). I had never noticed "The Fifth" ribbon near the bottom...or at least I didn't remember it. LOL Edited December 12, 2022 by lump (see edit history) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heatherethan00 Posted December 12, 2022 Share Posted December 12, 2022 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now