STUDEBAKER-GARFORD

Studebaker Automobile Co. (1903-1911)

South Bend, Indiana

This is a Studebaker-Garford radiator emblem (c1907-1911)     mjs
Size: 58mm diameter     MM: None

The chassis for Studebaker gasoline cars made from  late 1903 to 1911 (see Studebaker) were mostly built by the Garford Company in Elyria, Ohio (see Garford) and shipped to South Bend, Indiana, where the bodies were installed.

These cars were marketed as Studebaker or as Studebaker-Garford and some carried a Studebaker-Garford radiator emblem. Garford was unable to produce chassis in sufficient quantities to meet the demand for Studebaker cars and from 1908 some chassis were built by E-M-F of Detroit. Garford's contract with Studebaker was terminated in 1910 but Garford continued to build chassis for Studebaker through 1911 until Studebaker took over E-M-F and made it part of the new Studebaker Corporation.

Emblems

The first two-cylinder Studebaker-Garford Model A in 1903 and Models A/B and C in 1904 did not carry a radiator emblem but would have displayed the "Studebaker" name on a small brass nameplate or serial plate attached to the side of the car or under the driver's seat. 

The use of emblems and radiator scripts on Studebaker-Garford vehicles is somewhat erratic, with some models carrying Studebaker radiator emblems, some carrying Studebaker-Garford radiator emblems, and some carrying no radiator emblem at all.

From about 1905 to 1908, some Studebaker-Garford models carried a small rectangular emblem pinned to the radiator tank top, see original photo shown below:

This is a Studebaker-Garford showing a radiator emblem and script (1908)   dpl

This radiator emblem is a small brass plate inscribed "Studebaker Automobile Company, South Bend, Ind." in plain block letters, as seen in the surviving 1906 Series G Studebaker-Garford example shown below. This Studebaker-Garford radiator emblem is extremely rare.

This is a Studebaker-Garford radiator emblem (1905-1908)    sotheby's

From 1907 to 1911, some Studebaker-Garford models carried a round, painted Studebaker-Garford radiator emblem, see the example below displayed on a 1907 Model H Studebaker-Garford displayed at the Crawford Aviation and Auto Museum:

This is a Model H Studebaker-Garford showing a radiator emblem (1907)   caam

This is a Studebaker-Garford radiator emblem (1907)    caam

The painted metal Studebaker-Garford radiator emblem shown above is the same design as the example shown at the top of this post. Original Studebaker-Garford radiator emblems are extremely rare.

The original photo below shows a Studebaker-Garford with a Studebaker-Garford radiator emblem taking part in the 1909 Glidden Tour:

This is a Studebaker-Garford taking part in the Glidden Tour (1909)    dpl

Studebaker-Garford advertisements for 1909 and 1910 continue to show the round Studebaker-Garford radiator emblem, see examples below:

This is a Studebaker-Garford ad (1909)    ms

This is a Studebaker-Garford ad (1910)    ms

Although the contract with Studebaker was cancelled in 1910, Garford continued to supply some chassis to Studebaker into 1911. These Studebaker-Garford cars may have continued to use the Studebaker-Garford radiator emblem shown above at the top of this post. These cars were also marketed as Garford.

The following original photo of a Studebaker-Garford car is dated 1912 but most likely shows one of the last Studebaker-Garford cars built in 1911:

Studebaker-Garford (1912)    ms