This radiator emblem belonged to a Crawford automobile that was manufactured by the Crawford Automobile Company of Hagerstown, Maryland between 1904 and 1923. M. P. Möller, a pipe organ builder, founded the company, and produced a limited number of vehicles, no more than 275 cars made in a given year. The emblem has the Maryland flag set inside a shield, with a red scroll across the center that reads “CRAWFORD” in silver text. The outer rim of the emblem is blue, with the text “CRAWFORD AUTOMOBILE CO./CRAWFORD/HAGERSTOWN. MD. U.S.A” in silver.
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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