ROLLIN

Rollin Motors Co. (1924-1925)

Cleveland, Ohio

This is a Rollin radiator emblem (1923-1924)     mjs
Size: 62mm high 34mm wide    MM: Unknown (some D L Auld)

Rollin H White had been chief engineer at the White Company in Cleveland before he designed and began to manufacture his Cletrac agricultural tractor in 1916. Rollin then decided to manufacture an automobile and the Rollin Motors Company was established in May 1923 to do this.

The 41 hp four-cylinder Rollin arrived in late 1923 and was offered in four body styles for the 1924 model year. It was one of the earliest American cars to have four-wheel brakes and the coachwork was very smart. 

But, the Rollin was too small a car for the American market and sales did not meet expectations. 3,662 cars were built in 1924 but production fell to 2,088 in 1925 before the decision was made to cease production of the Rollin motor car in November of that year. Rollin White returned to his much more successful tractor business.

Emblems

The black and white enamel Rollin radiator emblem shown above at the top of this post is rare. 

There is a close similarity between the design of this Rollin radiator emblem and the radiator emblem used for the short-lived Leon Rubay car made in 1923 (see Leon Rubay). Both companies were operating in Cleveland at about the same time. I have found no documentary evidence of this but I suspect that the Rollin may have used Leon Rubay coachwork and, most likely, the radiator emblems were the product of the same designer.

There is a color variation of this Rollin radiator emblem, which is finished in blue and white enamel, see example below. This color variation of the Rollin radiator emblem is very rare.

This is a Rollin radiator emblem (1924)      sam
Size: 62mm high 34mm high     MM: Unknown

For 1925, the Rollin radiator emblem was changed, see example and Rollin advertisement shown below. This black enamel Rollin radiator emblem is very rare.

This is a Rollin radiator emblem (1925)     mjs
Size: 62mm high 34mm wide    MM: Unknown

This is a Rollin ad showing the new radiator emblem (1925)  The literary digest