MARQUETTE (1)

Marquette Motor Car Co. (1911-1912)

Peninsular Motor Co. (1912)

Saginaw, Michigan

This is a Marquette radiator emblem (1912)    ms
Size: 57mm wide 54mm high     MM: Unknown

When William C. Durant set up General Motors in 1908, he bought several companies, including Rainier in Saginaw (see Rainier). However, after Durant lost control of General Motors in September 1910, the new management decided to cease production of the loss making Rainier, and this was superseded by the Marquette in late 1911.

The Marquette was a four-cylinder automobile offered in two horsepower and wheelbase sizes and in several body styles. The company name was changed in late February 1912 to Peninsular Motor Company. But this did not last very long and the Marquette was discontinued in September 1912 after a total production of about 250 cars.

Emblems

The Marquette radiator emblem is in the form of a shield with a fleur-de-lis and a diagonal band showing a man wearing a hat paddling a canoe. This man is Father Jacques Marquette, who was a 17th century Jesuit missionary and explorer.

The Marquette radiator emblem is finished in enamel, usually in red and white, as shown above at the top of this post, or sometimes in green and white, as shown below:

This is a Marquette radiator emblem (1912)     mjs
Size: 57mm wide 54mm high    MM: Unknown

The different color emblems were probably used on different Marquette models but I cannot confirm this. However, both Marquette radiator emblems are extremely rare.

Emblem collectors should beware, as there are reproduction Marquette emblems with flat shiny backs, see example shown below:

This is a reproduction Marquette radiator emblem