OAKLAND

Oakland Motor Car Co. (1907-1931)

Pontiac, Michigan

This is an Oakland radiator emblem (1916-1925)     mjs
Size: 71mm wide 44mm high      MM: Unknown

The first Oakland was designed by Alanson P Brush, who had designed the original single-cylinder Cadillac and who left Oakland to design and build his own car, the Brush Runabout. The Oakland Motor Car Company was set up in 1907 and the small 20 hp vertical two-cylinder Oakland was ready for the 1908 model year. In 1909 Oakland introduced a line of conventional 40 hp four-cylinder cars in a variety of body styles. Early in 1909 Oakland became part of General Motors. The Oakland became a four-cylinder car exclusively from 1910 to 1912 and sales began to rise.

The Oakland performed well in reliability runs and hill climb events. 1913 Oakland cars had rounded-vee radiators and were offered in 35/42 hp four-cylinder and 60 hp six-cylinder sizes. Sales rose to about 9,000 in 1913 and increased to about 12,000 by 1915 and 25,000 by 1916, at which time a new 50 hp V-8 and a small lower-priced six-cylinder model were introduced. The new six was a success and was the only model listed from 1919 to 1923.

In 1926 General Motors introduced a companion make, the Pontiac (see Pontiac), which was far more popular than the Oakland and, as a result, Oakland sales began to fall. The Oakland was dropped and the Oakland Motor Car Company became Pontiac Motor Car Company in 1932.

Emblems

The first Oakland cars displayed a brass radiator script, which continued in use for several years, see example below. This original Oakland script is rare.

This is an Oakland radiator script (c1910)     mjs
Size: 265mm wide

The first Oakland radiator emblem was a small brass script either impressed into or soldered onto the radiator tank top, see example shown below. This Oakland script radiator emblem was used in 1909 and possibly as early as 1908 and is very rare.

This shows the Oakland radiator script and script emblem (c1909)    ms 

This Oakland radiator script emblem continued to be used on some later models, see the following Oakland brochure illustration showing an Oakland "30" model, which appeared in late 1911 for the 1912 model year:

Oakland "30" showing radiator script emblem (c1911) sfam

I do not have a good photo of this Oakland radiator script emblem. If you have a clear photo of this  emblem, please send me a copy to update this post.

The Oakland name was also displayed on a brass sill plate from about 1909, see example below:

This is an Oakland sill plate (c1910)     hsc

A brass radiator emblem depicting a cluster of oak leaves and acorns appeared in late 1909 and was in use until 1911, see example shown below. This emblem does not appear on all Oakland models built for 1910. This Oakland radiator emblem is extremely rare.

This is an Oakland radiator emblem (1909-1911)     hsc
Size: 74mm wide 50mm high    MM: Unknown

In 1912, the Oakland radiator emblem was changed to a single oak leaf and acorn finished in enamel, see example below. This emblem is very rare but note that there are good quality reproductions of this emblem.

This is an Oakland radiator emblem (1912)     mjs
Size: 70mm wide 35mm high     MM: Unknown

There was no Oakland radiator emblem from 1913 until 1916.  The Oakland was given a new,  distinctively shaped radiator, which did not carry an emblem, see Oakland ad shown below. The Oakland name was shown on the hubcaps.

This is an Oakland ad showing the new radiator design (1913)   ms

A blue and white oval shaped, enamel Oakland radiator emblem appeared in 1916, see example shown above at the top of this post.

In 1918, this Oakland radiator emblem had the abbreviated words " Reg.U.S. Pat. Off." added at the bottom of the emblem, see example below. This Oakland radiator emblem is scarce.

This is an Oakland radiator emblem (1918)      krc
Size: 71mm wide 44mm high      MM: Unknown

For 1919 and 1920, the same emblem design was continued but the words " Registered U.S. Patent Office" replaced the previous abbreviated version at the bottom of the emblem. There are three known variations in terms of size of lettering, see examples below:

This is an Oakland radiator emblem (1919-1920)     mjs
Size: 71mm wide 44mm high     MM: None

This is an Oakland radiator emblem (1919-1920)    mjs
Size: 71mm wide 44mm high    MM: D L Auld

This is an Oakland radiator emblem (1919-1920)     mjs
Size: 71mm wide 44mm high     MM: D L Auld

The same blue and white oval Oakland radiator emblem continued in use through 1925 but I cannot confirm whether the emblem still had the registration lettering or whether it reverted to the plain emblem first used in 1916. If you can help to clarify the emblems used in this period, please let me know in order to update this post.

The Oakland emblem shown below is a hub emblem:

This is an Oakland hub emblem (c1920)     mjs
Size: 62mm diameter

In 1924, the Oakland radiator emblem design was changed for the Model 6-54 to a new blue and white oval shaped enamel emblem with an acorn and oak leaves around the edge, see example below. This emblem is scarce.

This is an Oakland Model 6-54 radiator emblem (1924-1925)     mjs
Size: 54mm wide 35mm high     MM: Unknown

A larger version of the same Oakland radiator emblem design was used for the Greater Six and All-American six-cylinder Oakland models from 1926 through 1928, see example below:

This is an Oakand Greater Six radiator emblem (1926-1928)     mjs
Size: 73mm wide 45mm high   MM: Unknown

Oakland radiator emblem and motormeter (c1927)     richard lentinello

Oakland radiator emblems showing the two sizes (1924-1928)     mjs
Sizes: 73mm x 45mm  and  54mm x 35mm

An entirely new red, white and blue shield shaped Oakland radiator emblem was introduced in 1929, see example below. There were three different sizes. If you have details of the Oakland models and dates for each emblem size, please let me know in order to update this post.

This is an Oakland radiator emblem (1929-1931)    mjs
Size: 63mm high 40mm wide     MM: None

This is an Oakland radiator emblem (1929-1931)     mjs
Size: 54mm high 31mm wide     MM: None

This is an Oakland radiator emblem (1929-1931)     mjs
Size: 45mm high 29mm wide     MM: Fox (also found made by by Robbins)

The three sizes of the Oakland shield shaped emblem (1929-1931)    mjs
Sizes: 66mm x 40mm   54mm x 31mm   45mm x 29mm 

This shield shaped Oakland emblem is also found nickel plated but without enamel, see example below:

This is an Oakland emblem (use and date unknown)    mjs
Size: 68mm high 40mm wide     MM: "S" unknown maker

The shield shaped Oakland radiator emblem was also used on Oakland cars built in Canada, see examples shown below:

This is a Canadian Oakland radiator emblem (1929-1931)    mjs
Size: 66mm high 40mm wide    MM: None

This is a Canadian Oakland radiator emblem (1929-1931)     mjs
Size: 54mm high 31mm wide    MM: D L Auld

This is a Canadian Oakland radiator emblem (1929-1931)     mjs
Size: 45mm high 29mm wide     MM: Robbins

The following Oakland emblem is small and may be a hub emblem:

This appears to be an Oakland hub emblem (c1920)     mjs
Size: 30mm wide 22mm high     

The following Oakland emblem may not be an automotive emblem. Please let me know, if you can identify this emblem.

This Oakland emblem may not be automotive (date unknown)    mjs
Size: 57mm high 24mm wide