Peerless emblem/employee badge

[lump]

I have long enjoyed collecting enameled automotive badges from old cars and trucks (I used to call them cloisonné, but now I'm told this is incorrect). But they are getting harder and harder to find in the field. This year my son and I drove the 127 Yard Sale event for 3 days, and had some fun doing so. But I didn't find much. One cool thing that I did find was a glass enameled "Peerless" badge, which would appear to be an employee badge....hopefully for the Peerless motor car company. Has anyone seen one like it? Do you recognize the shape of the letters, etc, as fitting the style of the car company? I'm aware that there were lots of companies in other industries with similar names. 

 

The badge didn't cost much, so if it isn't what I hope it is, I'm not out a great deal. But it sure would be cool if it is! 

[edinmass]

I’m only guessing, but if it were automotive I think it would be marked Peerless Motor Cars. Also Cleveland home of the Peerless would probably use a local company to make a pin and not New Jersey. Certainly looks pre 1930. DSCO sure makes it look like something else other than automotive.

[Walt G]

The company listed on the back Whitehead & Hoag made a lot of factory employee badges, it was their specialty. All have similar clasps  as shown.  Most of the automotive ones I have or have seen are made by them. Not sure what other manufacturing companies that needed badges used the same company.

[Mark Wetherbee]

I’m guessing Peerless of Detroit Scale Company who made some penny arcade “lollipop” style weight scales around the same era.

 

As for Whitehead & Hoag, they are a very well known maker of badges, emblems, and sales novelty items of the era.

Edited August 26, 2021 by Mark Wetherbee (see edit history)

[Billy Kingsley]

Whitehead & Hoag also made some art medals and advertising tokens. I read a history of the company, I believe in The Numismatist when I was a member of the American Numismatic Association. 

[TexRiv_63]

Here is the Peerless logo on a radiator emblem. The enamel processes used on emblems were Champleve and Guilloche.

[Terry Bond]

Agree its not for the Peerless automobile.  Although this isn't an employee badge, I've got this salesman's lapel pin in my collection. (top right). It's also made by Whitehead & Hoag.