This radiator emblem belonged to a Moline automobile that was manufactured by the Moline Automobile Company of East Moline, Illinois between 1904 and 1913. Moline began producing Moline-Knights in 1914, and in 1919 became R&V Knight which operated until 1924. Moline’s became known as the Dreadnought Moline due to its success in the Chicago Reliability run. The emblem reads “THE/MOLINE/MOLINE AUTOMOBILE CO/EAST MOLINE, ILL."
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.
Our collection database is a work in progress. We may update this record based on further research and review. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online.
If you would like to know how you can use content on this page, see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions.