WAVERLEY ELECTRIC

Indiana Bicycle Co. (1898-1900)
American Bicycle Co. (1900-1901)
International Motor Car Co. (1901-1903)
Pope Motor Car Co. (1903)
Waverley Co. (1908-1916)
Indianapolis, Indiana

This is a Waverley Electric radiator emblem (1912-1913)   mjs
Size: 63mm high 58mm wide    MM: Robbins

The Waverley Electric car had an interesting history. It was introduced in 1898 following the merger of the American Electric Vehicle Company of Chicago and the Indiana Bicycle Company of Indianapolis. In 1900 sponsorship of the Waverley Electric was the American Bicycle Company and from 1901 to 1903 the International Motor Car Company and then the Pope Motor Car Company. All of these organizations were part of the Pope manufacturing empire operating under different names.

In 1904, the car name was changed to the Pope-Waverley (see Pope-Waverley) and continued as such until 1908 when financial difficulties forced Pope to sell its Indianapolis factory to a group of local business men, who reorganized as the Waverley Company and the electric car became the Waverley again.

The first Waverley Electrics from 1898 to 1901 were Model 18 Piano-Box Runabouts after which a variety of different models were produced, including open and closed delivery vans and a station bus as well as passenger cars. The largest Waverley commercial was a 5-ton capacity brewery truck. 

By 1912 electric cars were going out of fashion and the Waverley was given a dummy hood to make it appear like a gasoline car. From 1913 the company slogan was "The Silent Waverley" and production continued until 1916.

Emblems

For most of its life, the Waverley Electric, like most other electric cars had no radiator and did not carry an emblem.

However, the "Waverley" name was displayed on a Waverley nameplate/serial plate attached to the body of the vehicle, see example shown below. This Waverley nameplate/serial plate is rare:

This is a Waverley Electric nameplate/serial plate (c1903)  mjs
Size: 85mm wide 44mm high

The "Waverley" name was also displayed on the hubcaps, see examples shown below:

This is a Waverley Electric hubcap (1909-1916)   dkc

The following is an aluminum hub face:

This is a Waverley hub face (c1910)     mjs
Size: 70mm diameter

The Waverley Electric was given a false hood and radiator in 1912 to make the Waverley Electric look like a gasoline car, see the example shown in the following Waverley Electric advertisement:

Waverley Electric ad with hood & radiator (1913) cartype

The Waverley Electric advertisement shown above includes a coat of arms, which formed part of a radiator emblem carried by these Waverley Electric models. 

This is the dark blue and white enamel Waverley Electric radiator emblem shown above at the top of this post and again below. This Waverley Electric radiator emblem is very rare.

This is a Waverley Electric radiator emblem (1912-1913)   mjs
Size: 63mm high 58mm wide      MM: Robbins