HERFF-BROOKS

Herff-Brooks Corp. (1914-1916)
Indianapolis, Indiana

This is a Herff-Brooks radiator emblem (c1915-1916)   mjs
Size: 57mm wide 53mm high    MM: Unknown

The Herff-Brooks Corporation was organized in 1913 to handle the national sales of the Marathon car  (see Marathon). When Marathon found itself in trouble, Herff-Brooks arranged to manufacture some models of the Marathon at the Wayne Works in Richmond, Indiana. Herff-Brooks then transferred about 200 Marathon men, machinery and available parts to the Wayne Works and proceeded to produce their own car, called the Herff-Brooks. 

The Herff-Brooks automobile appeared in early 1914 as four- and six-cylinder models in the medium-price range and was available in roadster and touring body styles. But Herff-Brooks soon had the problems that had affected Marathon. There was intense competition in the automobile industry and, although chassis changes and price-reductions for 1916 models were reported in mid 1915, Herff-Brooks gave up by the end of 1916.

Emblems

The first Herff-Brooks automobile in 1914 carried a shield shaped radiator emblem with a "Herff-Brooks" name-band running from top left to bottom right, see original photo shown below:

This is a Herff-Brooks automobile with rad emblem (1914)  tha

Close-up showing the radiator emblem (1914)

This is the red, white and blue enamel Herff-Brooks radiator emblem shown below. This Herff-Brooks radiator emblem is extremely rare.

This is a Herff-Brooks radiator emblem (1914)    cwc
Size: 56mm wide 48mm high   MM: Bastian Bros

There was a change in the Herff-Brooks radiator emblem, possibly for cars produced in 1915 for the 1916 model year, to an emblem framed by back-to-back eagles. This is the red, white and blue enamel Herff-Brooks radiator emblem shown above at the top of this post and again below. This Herff-Brooks radiator emblem is extremely rare.

This is a Herff-Brooks radiator emblem (c1915-1916)    mjs
Size: 57mm wide 53mm high    MM: Unknown

It is possible that this red Herff-Brooks radiator emblem was used on the six-cylinder Herff-Brooks models but I cannot confirm this. This possibility is suggested by the fact that there is also a blue version of this emblem, which may have been used for the four-cylinder Herff-Brooks models, although, again, I cannot confirm this. 

The blue version of the emblem is the blue and white enamel Herff-Brooks radiator emblem shown below. This Herff-Brooks radiator emblem is also extremely rare.

This is a Herff-Brooks radiator emblem (c1915-1916)   sam
Size: 57mm wide 53mm high      MM: Unknown

Emblem collectors should beware, as there are reproduction Herff-Brooks emblems. These reproduction emblems lack the in-depth detail of the original emblems, have shiny flat backs and no maker's mark, see examples shown below:

This is a reproduction Herff-Brooks radiator emblem   cwc

This is a reproduction Herff-Brooks radiator emblem    kmc