This Elgin radiator emblem belonged to an Elgin Six automobile that was manufactured by the Elgin Motor Car Corporation of Argo, Illinois between 1916 and 1923. Elgin was founded by the executives of the Elgin Watch Company, and advertised their car as being “built like a watch.” The Elgin Six was the first car Elgin produced in 1916. It had a six-cylinder engine on a 114 inch wheelbase, and came in a roadster and touring models that sold for $845. In 1923 the company reincorporated as Elgin Motors Inc. and move to Indianapolis, but was placed into receivership in 1924. The black emblem has an overlapped white triangle design with the text “Elgin/Six” across the center.
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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