RICKENBACKER

Rickenbacker Motor Co. (1921-1927)
Detroit, Michigan

This is a Rickenbacker radiator emblem (1923-1926)    mjs
Size: 64mm wide 46mm high  MM: Unknown (some D L Auld & some Fox)

The Rickenbacker was named after Captain Eddie Rickenbacker the former racing driver and First World War air ace. The Rickenbacker Motor Company was set up by Barney Everitt, William Metzger and Walter Flanders, the three people who had previously produced the E-M-F car (see E-M-F).

The Rickenbacker introduced at the New York Automobile Show in January 1922 was a 58 hp six-cylinder automobile available in touring, coupe and sedan models. Rickenbacker was the first medium-priced American car to have four-wheel brakes. Rickenbacker sales rose to just over 8,000 in 1925, when an eight-cylinder model was introduced alongside the six, but then fell back and the company was in receivership in 1926. Production struggled on with 517 cars built for 1927 but in February 1927 it was all over.

Emblems

The circus-style top hat, decorated with the stars and stripes, and sitting in a ring was the insignia of the US 94th Aero Squadron where Eddie Rickenbacker served during World War I. 

The first Rickenbacker trademark shown below was claimed to have been first used in July 1921:

Rickenbacker Trademark (July 1921)  wendel

The first Rickenbacker Six models, built in 1921 for the 1922 model year, carried a red, white, blue and black enamel Rickenbacker radiator emblem, which followed the trademark design, see example shown below. This Rickenbacker radiator emblem is rare.

This is a Rickenbacker radiator emblem (1921-1922)    kmc
Size:55mm wide 43mm high  MM: Unknown (some D L Auld)

The design of the circus ring was changed part way through 1922 to show a wider white ring at the top left and bottom right, see revised Rickenbacker radiator emblem shown below. This Rickenbacker is also rare. 

This is a Rickenbacker radiator emblem (1922)    mjs
Size: 55mm wide 43mm high   MM: D L Auld

Emblem collectors should beware as there are reproduction Rickenbacker emblems with this design. The reproduction emblems have flat shiny backs and no maker's mark. The "REG. U.S. PAT. OFF" inscription at the bottom edge of the emblem is also off center, see example shown below:

This is a reproduction Rickenbacker emblem   kmc

There was a complete change in the Rickenbacker radiator emblem in early 1923 to the distinctive red, white, blue and black enamel "top hat in a ring" Rickenbacker radiator emblem shown above at the top of this post and again below. This emblem was used through the period of peak production and into 1926 but remains scarce.

This is a Rickenbacker radiator emblem (1923-1926)   mjs
Size:64mm wide 46mm high   MM: Unknown (some D L Auld some Fox)

Emblem collectors should beware, as there are reproduction Rickenbacker emblems with this design with flat backs and no maker's mark. 

The Rickenbacker Vertical Eight model introduced in late 1924 initially used the previous Rickenbacker radiator emblem but a new emblem design was fitted from 1925. This is the blue and white enamel Rickenbacker radiator emblem shown below. This Rickenbacker 8 radiator emblem is much sought after by emblem collectors and is rare.

This is a Rickenbacker Eight radiator emblem (1925-1927) mjs
Size: 118mm wide 58mm high     MM: D L Auld

The following is a Rickenbacker 8 wire wheel hub emblem. The wire wheel option offered by Rickenbacker was rarely taken up, so this wire wheel hub emblem is rare.

 Rickenbacker wire wheel hub emblem (1925)  heritagemuseums

A similar emblem was also rarely used as a front bumper emblem, see example shown below:

Rickenbacker 8 coupe showing bumper emblem (1925) hemmings

Rickenbacker bumper emblem (1925)     david cornwell

The Rickenbacker Six was given a new radiator emblem to complement the Rickenbacker Eight radiator emblem shown earlier, see blue and white enamel Rickenbacker Six radiator emblem shown below. This Rickenbacker 6 radiator emblem is much sought after by emblem collectors and is rare.

This is a Rickenbacker Six radiator emblem (1926-1927)   mjs
Size: 118mm wide 58mm high   MM: D L Auld

The following is a nickel plated version of the same Rickenbacker Six radiator emblem:

This is a Rickenbacker Six radiator emblem (1926-1927)  mjs
Size: 118mm wide 58mm high    MM: D L Auld

A rather special eight-cylinder Rickenbacker Super Sport boat tailed model was introduced at the 1926 New York Motor Show. The Rickenbacker Super Sport carried a specially made radiator emblem, consisting of the Rickenbacker Eight emblem with blue enamel "Super" and "Sport" ribbons attached, see photo shown below. Curiously, the "Rickenbacker" name seems to have been removed from the emblem. Only 14 to 17 of these Rickenbacker Super Sport cars were produced, making this an extremely rare radiator emblem.

This is the Rickenbacker Super Sport radiator emblem (1926)  ms 

The following photo shows the instrument cluster on the Rickenbacker dashboard with a small metal Rickenbacker emblem mounter at the center:

Rickenbacker instrument cluster emblem (1926-1927)  rmsothebys

The following photo shows a Rickenbacker "hat in the ring" motif on the Rickenbacker tail light assembly:

Rickenbacker motif on tail light assembly (1926-1927)  rmsothebys