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Rickenbacker Radiator Emblem

National Museum of American History
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Object Details

Description
This radiator emblem belonged to a Rickenbacker automobile manufactured by the Rickenbacker Motor Company of Detroit, Michigan between 1922 and 1927. The emblem for the car was taken from First Lieutenant Eddie Rickenbacker's flying squadron insignia, the "Hat in the Ring." Rickenbacker (1890-1973) was a well-known race car driver and WWI flying ace. Three automobile executives from the EMF Company-Barney Everitt, William Metzger and Walter E. Flanders-offered Rickenbacker a position as vice-president and director of sales if he gave his name to the new automobile. The emblem resembles as stars-and-stripes top hat orbited by a white ring.
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.
Location
Currently not on view
Credit Line
Hubert G. Larson
ID Number
TR.325528.270
accession number
260303
catalog number
325528.270
Object Name
emblem, radiator
Other Terms
emblem, radiator; Road; Automobile
See more items in
Work and Industry: Transportation, Road
Radiator Emblems
Transportation
Road Transportation
National Museum of American History
Record ID
nmah_840346
Metadata Usage (text)
CC0
GUID (Link to Original Record)
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a6-6184-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

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Rickenbacker Motor Company Radiator Emblem
There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
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