HOFFMAN

Hoffman Bicycle Co. (1900-1901)

Hoffman Automobile & Manufacturing Co. (1902-1904)

Cleveland, Ohio

This is a decal on the side of a Hoffman gasoline car (1903)   caam

Louis E Hoffman was president of the Hoffman Bicycle Company in Cleveland and began to experiment with motor vehicles in 1900. His first vehicle was a 6 hp chain driven steam car, which encouraged him to organize the Hoffman Automobile & Manufacturing Company in 1902. The first Hoffman gasoline car appeared in January 1903 and was a single-cylinder 7-1/2 hp touring called the General Utility.

About 100 Hoffman General Utility cars were built in 1903 before production ceased, although the Hoffman steam car continued to be built until early 1904.

Emblems

The Hoffman General Utility car did not have a radiator but it displayed a colored letter "H" decal on a panel on the side of the vehicle, as shown above. 

The Hoffman name was displayed on the step plates and on the hub cap faces, as shown below:

This is a Hoffman step plate (1903)    caam

This is a Hoffman hub cap (1903)    caam

The Hoffman hub cap face emblem is very rare.