Emblems

[murrayjohn]

I am researching the use of emblems on early American motor vehicles and I am seeking help to identify the dates of use of some unusual Briscoe emblems.

 

I attach photos of two dog bone-shaped Briscoe emblems. They are both original emblems and one is part of an emblem collection known to have been put together in the 1930's and maybe earlier. These Briscoe radiator emblems are identical in shape and size to several emblems made for the Chandler motor car and I attach a photo of a Chandler emblem from 1922 for comparison. There are very many different Chandler emblems of this shape. Chandler cars were made betwen 1914 and 1927. Briscoe cars were made between 1914 and 1921 but I can find no evidence of any link between Chandler and Briscoe. 

 

If you have an information that would help to put dates of use on the two Briscoe emblems, I would be most grateful.

[Terry Bond]

Interesting.  Although there are differences in the sides on these, the similarity is remarkable.  Perhaps somebody copied somebody else?  Attached is what I've always felt was the more interesting Briscoe emblem but await your future post so I can date this one.  I have also attached photos of a Briscoe advertising letter opener, a salesman's lapel pin and a stickpin using the crown type emblem.  In the photo with the stickpins in the old car pincushion, it's the pin on the far right.  I've collected these for a long time and have an interesting assortment.   Some of them are tiny versions of the radiator emblems but knowing what year they were used would be great.

Terry

[JACK M]

4 hours ago, Terry Bond said:

I have also attached photos of a Briscoe advertising letter opener,

 

99% Briscoe Built.

Interesting.

[murrayjohn]

Terry

I like your pins. Great collection! Your Briscoe emblem appeared about 1917 and may have continued to 1921 but I am still looking for confirmation of these dates. Regarding the dog bone-shaped Briscoe emblems shown earlier, my Chandler example was not a good one, because, as you noticed, the ends are curved. Anyway, here are two more Chandler radiator emblems, which much better show the similarity with the Briscoe emblems. If anyone can help to give the dates of use of the Briscoe dog bone-shaped emblems, I would be most grateful.

 

 

[Gunsmoke]

I think you are on the right track, some relationship here. The AQ "The American Car since 1775'" shows no ownership relationship between the 2 makes, but who knows for sure. A few thoughts. With the Briscoe (Jackson, Michigan) and Chandler (Cleveland, Ohio) plants being about 190 miles apart, it is not inconceivable that employees/owners were aware of each other's work and influenced even subliminally by each other's details. 2nd, since emblems were usuallly made by specialty shops (more jewellery than anything else), do you have info on back identifying such companies? Could both have been made by same emblem shop? 3rdly, some early Briscoes (1914 era) were "one-eyed" monsters, with a single headlight molded into top of radiator shell, leaving no place for a traditional ornament/emblem. Some photos of those show some sort of horizontal plate/badge on lower edge of rad shell. Other photos show a large brass script Briscoe surface mounted to radiator front. Some show no badging on front at all. It may be that the dog-bone emblem was mounted on side or rear of car. The later Briscoes as mentioned above wore the more tradionally shaped Fleur-de-Lys style badge. Finally, from a good advertizing perspective, a horizontal plain badge like this clearly tells the passerby what the car is. Many badges of the era had such tiny writing that one could only identify them by a unique badge design, like the Fleur-de-Lys. This pic shows the original emblem (and fasteners) from my 1931 Chrysler CD8 Roadster (large 8 cylinder car), and is a great example of minimilist advertising, the badge is about 1" diameter and the Chrysler writing is virtually illegible form 3 ft away. Only identification on front of car!

[Joe Babbitt]

I have a 24" wooden ruler that folds into four pieces. It is marked : BRISCOE MOTOR SALES CO. DISTRIBUTOR FOR BRISCOE CARS FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA , all caps on one side and standard letter printing on the other side with the same message.   I am having a very hard time establishing possible value because there is little to no advertising like this to reference. Can anyone help me with this. 

 

 Of all places . . . i found it in my grandmothers sewing box in Western Washington State.  Thank you, for your assistance.

[1912Staver]

They are often of more interest to tool collectors or general advertising  collectors, than car collectors.   Few Briscoe cars remain, and the rulers were probably made in sizable numbers with quite a few surviving to today. Probably any of the Briscoe car owners who are interested in advertising material related to their car already have one. There is probably 20 or more rulers out there for every surviving car. I know that is the case for advertising items related to my orphan car { Staver Chicago } . The watch fobs , stick pins, notebooks, bottle openers etc, are quite easy to find.  And  are pretty cheap. Even the very nice watch fobs are often under $50.00

 Actual parts for the car are much harder to find.

 Take a look at what other automotive advertising giveaway rulers are getting on ebay. Yours is probably of much the same value.

 

 Greg

 

 

Edited May 16, 2019 by 1912Staver (see edit history)

[zipdang]

I volunteer at a local nursing home and a couple of years ago I was sitting with a 97-year-old woman who spoke very little and was troubled by dementia. Some staff members were nearby when I asked the woman what her first car was. She responded (unusual in itself) with a firm "Briscoe!" Of course the staff thought she was confused and tried to let me know this when I was happy to tell them that they were mistaken and that Briscoe was indeed an automobile. The dear lady has since passed away but I'll always remember the smile on her face that day!

[zzzzzzz]

On 4/17/2019 at 5:06 AM, murrayjohn said:

I am researching the use of emblems on early American motor vehicles and I am seeking help to identify the dates of use of some unusual Briscoe emblems.

 

I attach photos of two dog bone-shaped Briscoe emblems. They are both original emblems and one is part of an emblem collection known to have been put together in the 1930's and maybe earlier. These Briscoe radiator emblems are identical in shape and size to several emblems made for the Chandler motor car and I attach a photo of a Chandler emblem from 1922 for comparison. There are very many different Chandler emblems of this shape. Chandler cars were made betwen 1914 and 1927. Briscoe cars were made between 1914 and 1921 but I can find no evidence of any link between Chandler and Briscoe. 

 

If you have an information that would help to put dates of use on the two Briscoe emblems, I would be most grateful.

I would like to know where this was on the car .

i have a Briscoe b4-24 

it is one of the 15 cars I know of 

[8E45E]

On ‎4‎/‎18‎/‎2019 at 6:03 PM, Gunsmoke said:

 since emblems were usuallly made by specialty shops (more jewellery than anything else), do you have info on back identifying such companies? Could both have been made by same emblem shop?

I tend to agree it was the same emblem supplier who made them for both Chandler and Briscoe.

 

 As both marques were not high-volume manufacturers, they would not have invested heavy sums to ante up for special dies or casting blocks, and both went for that particular vendor's lower cost generic emblem template.

 

Craig

[TexRiv_63]

On ‎10‎/‎7‎/‎2019 at 7:14 AM, 8E45E said:

I tend to agree it was the same emblem supplier who made them for both Chandler and Briscoe.

 

 As both marques were not high-volume manufacturers, they would not have invested heavy sums to ante up for special dies or casting blocks, and both went for that particular vendor's lower cost generic emblem template.

 

Craig

Major suppliers include Gustave Fox Co., Greenduck, Bastian Bros., Robbins, but by far the largest was the D.L. Auld Co.