NETCO

New England Truck Co. (1914-1938)
Fitchburg, Massachusetts

This is a NETCO radiator emblem (c1914-c1920)    mjs
Size: 138mm wide 77mm high   MM: None

The Netco was a small-production assembled truck, which began as a single 1-1/2-ton capacity truck model with a four-cylinder engine and worm drive. A 2-ton model was added in 1916, a 2-1/2-ton model appeared in the early 1920's and a larger 4-ton model was added in 1927. By 1934, Netco offered a range of trucks from 2-tons to 10-tons capacity but it is unlikely that all these were actually built, as the Netco operation was very small.

The Netco factory was little more than a large garage and Netco's main business was in snowplows and hoists with the occasional truck mostly custom built to special order. Netco had ceased assembling trucks by 1938.

Emblems

The very limited details available regarding Netco trucks makes it difficult to be precise about the dates of Netco emblems. 

An original period photo from 1918 of a Netco fire engine used by the Fitchburg fire department, shows a conventional radiator with an unusual shaped radiator emblem, see below:

Netco hose truck showing radiator emblem (1918)   firenews

Close up showing the radiator emblem (1918)

The bright sun has washed out the detail of the emblem in the photo but the shape of the emblem is clear. This is the blue and white enamel Netco radiator emblem shown above at the top of this post. This Netco radiator emblem is very rare.

It is possible that the Netco radiator emblem shown above may have been used from the outset of truck production in 1914 but I cannot confirm this. A photo of a surviving 1916 fire truck shows a conventional brass radiator but there is no evidence of an emblem, although it is possible that the emblem may have been lost. 

The Netco name was also displayed on a small maker's nameplate or serial plate, which would have been attached to the dash, see examples shown below:

This is a Netco maker's nameplate (date uncertain)   mjs
Size: 183mm wide 24mm high

This is a Netco serial plate (date uncertain)   mjs
Size: 77mm wide 35mm high

The following is a later Netco serial plate, which displays a "NETCO" logo in the style of an emblem or nameplate:

This is a Netco serial plate (date uncertain)   ebay
Size: Unknown

The following factory photo of a 1919 NETCO truck shows the "NETCO" name in capital letters cast into the ribbed cast radiator tank top. This is likely to be the heavier duty 2-ton model:

NETCO truck showing radiator emblem (1919)   coachbuilt

The same or similar cast NETCO radiator emblems are seen on other Netco truck photos from the 1920's, see the NETCO pamphlet cover shown below and the following original period NETCO truck photo.

Netco pamphlet cover (1920's) historicnewengland

Close up showing radiator emblem (1920's)

NETCO truck showing cast radiator and emblem (1920's)   fitchburgh historical society

At some point, possibly in the late 1920's or 1930's, the NETCO emblem became a separate cast NETCO radiator emblem mounted onto the cast radiator tank top, see painted example shown below. This NETCO radiator emblem is rare.

This is a NETCO radiator emblem (c1920's-1930's)    lktec
Size: 263mm wide 56mm high

If you have photos or further details of other NETCO truck emblems or nameplates, please let me know, in order to update this post.