INTERNATIONAL

International Harvester Co. (1907-1986)
Navistar International Corp. (1986-present)  
Chicago, Illinois & many other factories

This is an International radiator emblem (1928-1933)     mjs
Size: 240mm wide 110mm high   MM: None

The International Harvester Company (IHC) dates from 1902 but its predecessor companies go back to the 1830's. The main business of IHC was the mechanization of agriculture and, as part of this program, IHC started to manufacture motor vehicles. The first IHC motor vehicles were simple motorized buggies, called "Auto Buggies", which were introduced in February 1907. They were solid tired high-wheeler buggies using 20 hp two-cylinder air-cooled gasoline engines and chain drive and were available as a passenger car or a light delivery van. They were probably the most rugged high-wheeler vehicles built in America and one of the most popular, some 4,500 units eventually being built.

Four-cylinder models, either air-cooled or water-cooled joined the line in 1910. After 1911, the automobile department was shut down and only trucks produced thereafter, apart from an occasional passenger car built to order on the smallest truck chassis in the 1930's.

In 1909, the "Autowagon" commercial vehicle model was introduced and, in 1912, this was joined by the  model M, which had a more conventional two-cylinder water-cooled engine with a front radiator. In 1914, the name "International" first appeared on trucks replacing the IHC logo. For 1915, International styling changed and models were introduced using four-cylinder engines with shaft drive and a radiator behind the engine with a Renault-styled hood. Capacity ranged from 3/4-ton to 2-tons.

In 1921, International introduced the 3/4-ton to 1-ton "S" series speed model using a conventional radiator in front of the engine and with speeds of 25 to 30 mph. Heavy duty models also began to adopt similar, more modern styling from 1923, although the Renault-styled hood models continued through the the 1924 model year.  

International produced about 7000 trucks in 1921 in a range from 3/4-ton to 5-tons capacity. A special bus chassis joined the line in 1925 with a capacity of 25 to 33 passengers using a six-cylinder engine. By 1927, production had risen to 25,000 vehicles and to 50,000 by 1929.

The International range of commercial vehicle models and sizes continued to expand. By 1940, production had risen to 86,000 trucks and lifetime production exceeded 1,000,000 in 1941. The International logo changed to a red I over a black H in 1945. By the 1970's, International was ranked as the fifth largest American truck manufacturer after Ford, Chevrolet, Dodge and GMC and its lifetime production was the largest in the world. Even so, International was having financial difficulties.

After 1980, International concentrated on medium- and heavy-duty trucks only but financial difficulties continued. In 1983, production was interrupted and the company was reorganized. In 1985, International sold its agricultural division to Tenneco, including the International Harvester name and IH logo. In 1986, International's truck group became part of Navistar International using the International name, which continues today (as of 2022).

Emblems

The "International Harvester Co." name was displayed using decals on horse-drawn agricultural wagons before the production of motorized wagons, see example shown below of a Weber Wagon designed in 1895 but built by IHC about 1904:

Weber truck (c1904)    natmus

International Harvester Co. decal (c1904)    natmus

International Harvester Company developed a simple trademark script logo, which was used to identify the first IHC motor vehicles, although IHC scripts were not widely used until about 1909. The IHC script shown below dates from about 1906 and may have been used on some of the first IHC motor vehicles. Original IHC scripts of this design are extremely rare.

International script emblem (1906)   jacques-leetrait

The International logo was also displayed on the hubcaps, see example shown below:

This is an International hubcap (1907)    ms

By 1909, the IHC script had changed slightly, see brass IHC script displayed on the front of the dash of a 1909 IHC Auto Wagon Model A  shown below. Original IHC scripts with this design are very rare.

This is an IHC Model A with dash script (1909)   natmus

This is an IHC dash script (1909)    natmus

The "International Harvester" name was also displayed on small maker's serial plates mounted on the body of the vehicle, see example shown below:

This is an IHC Auto Wagon serial plate (1910)   maas

By 1910, IHC Auto Buggies and Auto Wagons had a false radiator and the IHC script was mounted on the front of the false radiator, see example shown below:

This is an IHC Auto Buggy with false radiator (1910)  maas

The IHC radiator script was again slightly changed by 1910, see example shown below. Original IHC scripts with this design are rare.

This is an IHC false radiator script (1911)    natmus

The IHC Auto Wagon had a real radiator from 1912 and the radiator script had another slight change in design, see examples shown below:

IHC Model AW showing radiator script (1912)   rmsothebys

This script is the brass IHC radiator script shown below. This IHC script is scarce.

This is an IHC radiator script (1912-1915)   mjs
Size: 119mm high 117mm wide

From mid-1914 to about 1917, IHC Auto Wagons with a conventional radiator had the "International" name stamped into the front of the radiator tank top, see example shown below:

 

IHC Auto Wagon Md MW with stamped radiator script (1914)  natmus

Stamped International radiator script (1914-1917)  

The four-cylinder International wagons introduced in 1915 had a Renault styled radiator hood with the "International" name stamped into the front of the sloping hood, see example shown below:

International Model F with stamped hood script (1916)  natmus

Stamped International hood script (1915-1923)  

Some International truck models in the 1916-1917 period are seen to display the "International" name on a decal fixed to the chassis side frame, see example shown below:

International truck with a chassis frame side decal (1916) 
jacques-leetrait

The following is a reproduction International chassis frame side decal:

International chassis frame side decal (c1916-1917)  lumberjocks

International trucks with conventional radiators and late Renault type hood models from about 1921 to 1923 displayed the "International" name on rectangular nameplates mounted on the chassis side frame members, see example shown below:

International truck with chassis frame nameplate (1921) quartoknows

Close-up showing International chassis frame nameplate (1921) 

The "S" series speed trucks introduced in 1921 had the "INTERNATIONAL" name in capital letters stamped into the front of the top of the radiator shell up to 1926, see example shown below:

International Seagrave pumper with stamped radiator script (1924)     pinterest

From 1923 to 1926, all International truck models, except the "S" series models, had a new heavy radiator with the "INTERNATIONAL" name cast into the radiator tank top, see example shown below:

International truck with cast in rad emblem (c1923)  mervbrunt

The "International" name was also displayed on hood side nameplates, see example shown below:

International truck with hood side nameplate (1924)  wikimedia

This is the painted brass International hood side nameplate shown below. This hood side nameplate is scarce.

This is an International hood side nameplate (1923-1926) lktec
Size: 395mm wide 56mm high   MM: None

The first use of a separate radiator emblem was for the "S" series speed trucks from 1923 to 1933, although it was 1926 before this emblem was used on all "S" series trucks. This is the white, blue and black enamel International radiator emblem shown below:

This is an International radiator emblem (c1923-1933)  mjs
Size: 90mm wide 68mm high    MM: D L Auld

There are some unusual color variations of this International radiator emblem, see the examples shown below: 

This is an International radiator emblem (c1926-1933)  sam
Size: 90mm wide 68mm high    MM: Unknown

This is an International radiator emblem (c1926-1933)  sam
Size: 90mm wide 68mm high    MM: Unknown

This is an International radiator emblem (c1926-1933)  sam
Size: 90mm wide 68mm high    MM: Unknown

These International radiator emblem color variations are believed to be genuine original emblems probably made as trial emblems and are very rare.

The "International" name was also displayed on black painted hood side nameplates with pointed ends, some of which are inscribed "Made in USA", which were used for both export and domestic models, see examples shown below:

This is an International hood side nameplate (c1926-1936)  mjs
Size: 302mm wide 51mm high  MM: None

This is an International hood side nameplate (c1926-1936) mjs
Size: 302mm wide 51mm high  MM: None

International models built in Canada carried the same style of hood side nameplate but were inscribed "Made in Canada", see example shown below: 

Canadian International hood side nameplate (1934) rmsothebys

Heavy duty International trucks carried a larger radiator emblem from late 1928 for the 1929 model year through to 1933, see International advertisement and example truck shown below:

International ad showing new emblem (1928) colliers

International HS74 truck with large radiator emblem (1929)  brc

This is the white, blue and black enamel radiator emblem shown above at the top of this post and again below. This International radiator emblem is rare.

This is an International radiator emblem (1928-1933)  mjs
Size: 240mm wide 110mm high   MM: None

The International radiator emblem was changed for all truck models in 1934 to a smaller emblem fitted to a slightly v-shaped radiator. This is the white, blue and black enamel International radiator emblem shown below:

This is an International radiator emblem (1934-1936)   mjs
Size: 76mm wide 58mm high   MM: Unknown

There was a change in emblem design for "D" series models in 1937, see example shown below:

International D2 truck emblem (1939)  flickriver

This is the white, blue and black enamel International radiator emblem shown below:

This is an International D series radiator emblem (1937-1940)  mjs
Size: 78mm wide 62mm high   MM: Unknown (some Fox)

The "International" name was also displayed on a hood side nameplate, see example shown below:

International D" truck hood side nameplate (1939)  flickriver

This is the black painted International hood side nameplate shown below:

This is an International hood side nameplate (1937-1940)  mjs
Size: 404mm wide 26mm high

The International 1-1/2-ton "C" series C.O.E. models had a new radiator emblem for 1937 and the same emblem was used on the smaller Metro delivery trucks. This is the two-piece white, blue and black enamel emblem on a red enamel oval base, see example shown below. This International radiator emblem is rare.

This is an International COE radiator emblem (1937-1940)  mjs
Size: 114mm wide 77mm high   MM: None

The following white, blue and black painted, pressed metal International emblem, with the "International" name in white, was used above the radiator grille on the front of the Metro delivery vans from 1941 to the early 1950's:   

This is an International Metro delivery van emblem (1941-c1950)  mjs
Size: 130mm wide 94mm high   MM: None

The Metro Step Delivery Vans had bodies built by the Metropolitan Body Company and carried a pressed metal Metro emblem mounted on the rear wheel cover panels, see International Metro advertisement illustration shown below:

International Metro van ad with body panel emblem (1941) ebay

The following photo shows the body panel emblem on a well weathered surviving Metro delivery van:

International Metro van rear wheel panel with emblem (1941)  wiki

This is the black, blue and white painted Metro delivery van body panel emblem:

This is a Metro delivery van body panel emblem (1941-c1950) mjs
Size: 142mm wide 51mm high     MM: Unknown

There is also a larger Jumbo version of this emblem, see below, but I have no details of the vehicle that this emblem was attached to. If you have more details of this Jumbo emblem, please let me know in order to update this post.

This is a Jumbo delivery truck body panel emblem (c1940's)  ms
Size: 260mm wide 89mm high   MM: Fox

The International "D" series trucks were given a plain pressed metal radiator emblem for 1940 and 1941 mainly for military use, see example shown below:

This is an International D series radiator emblem (1940-1941) mjs
Size: 78mm wide 62mm high   MM: None

From 1941 to 1946, the "K" series truck models had a different pressed metal hood emblem, see examples shown below.

The following white, blue and black painted, pressed metal International hood front emblem was used on the larger, heavy duty K series models:

International heavy duty K series hood emblem (1941-1946) mjs
Size: 125mm wide 93mm high   MM: None

The following smaller white, blue and black painted, pressed metal International hood emblem is believed to have been used on the K series pickups and smaller light duty trucks:

International light duty K series hood emblem (1941-1946)  mjs
Size: 102mm wide 70mm high    MM: Unknown

The "International" name was also displayed on chrome metal hood side nameplates, see example shown below:

This is an International hood side nameplate (1941-1950's)  mjs
Size: 434mm wide 50mm high

From 1947, all KB series truck models carried a new upper grille emblem, see examples below.

The following red, white and blue enamel International grille emblem was used on the larger, heavy duty KB series models. This International grille emblem is scarce.

International Heavy duty KB series grille emblem (1947-1949) mjs
Size: 124mm wide 54mm high    MM: Unknown

The following smaller red, white and blue enamel International grille emblem was used on the KB series pickups and smaller light duty models. This International grille emblem is scarce.

This is an International KB series grille emblem (1947-1949) mjs
Size: 93mm wide 43mm high   MM: None

The following red, white and blue enamel hood emblem was used on International L series trucks from 1950 to about 1952. This International hood emblem is scarce.

This is an International L series hood emblem (1950-1952) mjs
Size: 83mm high 80mm wide    MM: Fox

International Harvester introduced a new corporate logo in 1945 which was initially used by the agricultural division. Emblems showing this new logo appeared trucks from about 1953 with the introduction of the R Series trucks, see examples shown below: 

International R-165 Roadliner (1953)    wiki

International Metro Delivery Van (1958)   wiki