This radiator emblem belonged to a Templar automobile that was manufactured by the Templar Motors Corporation of Cleveland, Ohio from 1917 until 1924. The Templar was a small, sporty car with a four-cylinder engine that advertised itself as the “Superfine Small Car.” Some models even came equipped with a compass and a Kodak camera. Their name was an homage to the Templar Knights of the Middle Ages, and the logo on this oval badge bears an image of a mounted knight with the white text “TEMPLAR” underneath.
Radiator emblems are small, colorful metal plates bearing an automobile manufacturer's name or logo that attached to the radiators grilles of early automobiles. Varying in shape and size, the emblems served as a small branding device, sometimes indicating the type of engine, place of manufacturing, or using an iconic image or catchy slogan to advertise their cars make and model. This emblem is part of the collection that was donated by Hubert G. Larson in 1964.
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