J Stevens Arms & Tool Co. (1901-1906)
Stevens-Duryea Co. (1906-1915)
Stevens-Duryea, Inc. (1919-1923)
Stevens-Duryea Motors, Inc. (1924-1927)
Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts
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This is a Stevens-Duryea radiator emblem (1911-c1915) mjs
Size: 118mm wide 43mm high MM: None |
J Frank Duryea had left the Duryea motor car business after quarreling with his brother Charles Duryea in 1900 (
see Duryea). He then organized the Hampden Automobile & Launch Company and built a prototype car of his own which came to the attention of the J Stevens Arms & Tool Company of Chicopee Falls. They agreed together to produce the car which was called the Stevens-Duryea and was to be a high-quality and high-priced automobile. The first Stevens-Duryea appeared in 1901 and was a 5 hp two-cylinder tiller steered two-passenger runabout.
Three-point motor suspension was used from 1904 and the "three-point support" triangle later became one of the company's logos. A 20 hp four-cylinder five-passenger touring was introduced in 1905, followed by a large 50 hp six-cylinder seven-passenger touring in 1906. In May 1906 the Stevens-Duryea Company was organized as an independent venture, which was successful and delivered about 14,000 cars by January 1915, when the assembly line was closed down due to a lack of working capital.
In June 1915 the factory was sold to Westinghouse for other purposes. Production was discontinued until Ray S. Deering and some former employees of the company purchased the assets of the company and reorganized as Stevens-Duryea Inc.in 1919. The Stevens-Duryea Six was revived and upgraded to 80 hp ready for the 1920 model year. In 1920 Ray Deering also bought the electric passenger car business of Baker Rauch & Lang and began to build the Rauch & Lang taxicab.
However, poor management of Stevens-Duryea Inc. led to receivership in 1922. The company was reorganized as Stevens-Duryea Motors, Inc. and a very small production continued. The new company was purchased by a group under the leadership of Ray M. Owen and they took over control in early 1924 but it did not work out as hoped. A few cars were sold in 1924, after which a few more were built to order, but it was all over by 1927.
Emblems
The first J. Stevens Arms & Tool Company cars did not carry an emblem but displayed the"Stevens-Duryea" name on a small maker's nameplate attached to the body of the vehicle, similar to the metal Stevens-Duryea nameplate shown below. This Stevens-Duryea nameplate is extremely rare.
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This is a Stevens-Duryea nameplate (c1903) ms
Size: Unknown |
The Stevens-Duryea Company nameplate used from 1906 was a larger cast metal nameplate, which was attached to the dash or to the body of the vehicle. This is the painted, cast metal "Stevens-Duryea" nameplate shown below. Original Stevens-Duryea nameplates are very rare.
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This is a Stevens-Duryea nameplate (1906-1908) mjs
Size: 97mm wide 45mm high MM: None |
The "Stevens-Duryea" name was also displayed on brass sill plates, see example shown below:
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| This is a Stevens-Duryea sill plate (1905) ms |
The first Stevens-Duryea emblems also appeared in 1906 but not on all models. Original period photos of Stevens-Duryea Model S Big Six touring cars taking part in the 1906 Glidden Tour do not show a radiator emblem. However, a well restored surviving Stevens-Duryea four-cylinder Model R carries a brass radiator emblem and radiator script, see below:
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| Stevens-Duryea Model R with radiator emblem & script (1906) prewarcar |
Original photos of Stevens-Duryea cars do not show a radiator script and, although a radiator script is feasible, it is more likely that the brass radiator script shown above is a reproduction added during restoration.
The radiator emblem and other features shown below are likely to be correct, as the emblem is seen on other Stevens-Duryea cars from 1907. The Stephens-Duryea radiator emblem shows the triangular three point support trademark.
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| Stevens-Duryea Model R brass radiator emblem (1906) prewarcar |
The 1906 Model R shown above also displays the "Stevens-Duryea" name on a side nameplate (as shown earlier above), on the sill plates and on a brass emblem mounted on the dashboard, see below:
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This is a Stevens-Duryea hub emblem (c1907) mjs
Size: 45mm diameter MM: Unknown |
The brass Stevens-Duryea radiator emblem shown above continued in use up to 1910 on most models, see later example shown below:
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Stevens-Duryea radiator emblem (1910) caam
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The following is a painted version of the brass Stevens-Duryea radiator emblem. Original Stephens-Duryea radiator emblems are rare.
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This is a Stevens-Duryea radiator emblem (1906-1910) mjs
Size: 166mm wide 40mm high MM: None |
The Steven-Duryea hub emblem had changed slightly by 1910, see below:
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| Stephens-Duryea hub emblem (1910) caam |
The Stevens-Duryea nameplate had also changed by 1910 and was now a painted, stamped metal nameplate, see examples shown below:
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| This is a Stevens-Duryea Model Y nameplate (1910) conceptcarz |
The following is a Stevens-Duryea nameplate. Original Steven-Duryea nameplates are rare.
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This is a Stevens-Duryea nameplate (c1910) mjs
Size: 116mm wide 52mm high MM: None |
The Stevens-Duryea emblem changed in 1911, as seen in the following Stevens-Duryea Model AA advertisement:
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| Stevens-Duryea Model AA ad (1911) ms |
This is the black and red painted Stevens-Duryea radiator emblem shown above at the top of this post and again below. This Stevens-Duryea radiator emblem is rare.
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This is a Stevens-Duryea radiator emblem (1911-c1915) mjs
Size: 118mm wide 43mm high MM: None |
Emblem collectors should beware as there are reproductions of this Stevens-Duryea radiator emblem, with white lined decoration in place of black, see example shown below:
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| This is a reproduction Stevens-Duryea radiator emblem ms |
I am assuming that the Stevens-Duryea radiator emblem shown earlier above continued in use through January 1915, after when the production line was closed down, but I cannot confirm this. I have been unable to establish beyond doubt the sequence of emblems from this date, so what follows is speculation on my part. If you have better details, please let me know, in order to update this post.
The new Stevens-Duryea, Inc. was incorporated in 1919 and Stevens-Duryea production resumed under new ownership in July 1919 for the 1920 model year, most likely with a new radiator emblem.
This may have been the red and black enamel Stevens-Duryea radiator emblem shown below, which is an adaptation of the previous Stevens-Duryea radiator emblem. This Stevens-Duryea radiator emblem is very rare.
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This is a Stevens-Duryea radiator emblem (1920-1922) mjs
Size: 117mm wide 41mm high MM: D L Auld (top emblem) |
The following Stevens-Duryea hub emblem may be from this period:
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This is a Stevens-Duryea hub emblem (c1920-1923) ms
Size: Unknown |
The Stevens-Duryea company was in receivership from early 1922 until mid-1923 while production continued. Stevens-Duryea advertisements in 1922 showed a rampant lion logo in place of the previous three-point-support trademark, see example shown below:
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| Stevens-Duryea ad showing lion logo (1922) flickr |
The Stevens-Duryea had a new emblem, which incorporated the new rampant lion logo, probably from 1922 to the end of production in 1927. This is the red enamel Stevens-Duryea radiator emblem shown below. This Stevens-Duryea radiator emblem is very rare.
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This is a Stevens-Duryea radiator emblem (1922-1927) mjs
Size: 117mm wide 41mm high MM: Unknown |
The following is a variation of the Stevens-Duryea radiator emblem shown above, with a black enamel back plate. This Stevens-Duryea radiator emblem is very rare.
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This is a Stevens-Duryea radiator emblem (1922-1927) dnc
Size: 117mm wide 41mm high MM: None |
The following is a Stevens-Duryea hub emblem from this period:
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This is a Stevens-Duryea hub emblem (1924-1927) mjs
Size: 57mm diameter MM: None |
The following painted Stevens-Duryea nameplate is a mystery. If you can identify this Stevens-Duryea nameplate, please let me know, in order to update this post.
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This is a Stevens-Duryea nameplate (dates unknown) mjs
Size: 178mm wide 50mm high MM: None |
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