This radiator emblem belonged to a Ferris automobile that was manufactured by the Ohio Motor Vehicle Company of Cleveland, Ohio between 1920 and 1922. The Ohio Trailer Company became the Ohio Motor Vehicle Company in 1919, and began production of the Ferris in 1920. The car was named after Ohio treasurer William Ferris, but the post-war recession didn’t leave much room for the expensive assembled car. The circular metal emblem reads “The Ohio/Motor Vehicle/Ferris/Motor Cars/Cleveland, Ohio.”
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.