REILAND & BREE

Reiland & Bree Truck Manufacturing Co. (1924-1931)
Northbrook, Illinois

This is a Reiland & Bree radiator emblem (dates unknown) mjs
Size: 102mm wide 60mm high   MM: Unknown (some Childs)

Peter Reiland and Nicholas Bree established the Reiland & Bree Truck Manufacturing Company in December 1923 and began to build R&B trucks in Northbrook, Illinois in 1924.

R&B trucks were assembled medium and heavy duty trucks powered by six-cylinder Continental engines. Very little is known about R&B trucks or the extent of the business. It is assumed that R&B trucks were mainly sold locally and that production was modest. This small truck company was unable to survive the Depression and the R&B factory became an International Harvester dealership in the early 1930's. 

One R&B dump truck from 1926, or more likely 1929, is known to have survived and is on display at the Northbrook Historical Society Museum in Northbrook, Illinois.

Emblems

There are very few original period photos of R&B trucks and only one known surviving truck. 

The following illustration of a Reiland & Bree radiator and radiator emblem is shown in an advertisement for Young Radiators appearing in the July 20, 1929 issue of Automotive Industries:

Reiland & Bree radiator & emblem (1929)
automotive industries

The same radiator and radiator emblem exists on the only known surviving Reiland & Bree truck, a dump truck, which was thought to be from 1926 but now believed to more likely be from 1929, see photo shown below:

This is the surviving Reiland & Bree dump truck (1929)  smokstak

The painted cast metal Reiland & Bree radiator emblem is set in a special mounting cast into the aluminum radiator, see close up photo below:

This is the Reiland & Bree radiator emblem (1929)  smokstak

It is possible that this Reiland & Bree radiator emblem was used from the start of truck production but I cannot confirm this. If an example of this Reiland & Bree radiator emblem could be found it would be extremely rare.

The only original period photo showing the radiator of an R&B truck, see below, was taken in 1931 but the date of the truck is unknown. It is noted that the radiator emblem appears to be smaller than the cast radiator emblem shown above. The detailed design of this radiator emblem cannot be seen from the photo but is believed likely to be a cast metal emblem. It is clear, however, that the radiator emblem is not oval shaped. 

This is an R&B dump truck with radiator emblem (photo 1931)  nj

The following original period photo of an R&B dump truck shows the "Reiland Bree" name displayed on a hood side nameplate. If this nameplate could be found, it would be extremely rare.

This is an R&B dump truck (c1930-1931)   nj

Close up showing Reiland Bree hood side nameplate (1930's)

There is an oval-shaped R&B radiator emblem. This is the red and white enamel Reiland & Bree radiator emblem shown above at the top of this post and again below. This R&B radiator emblem is very rare. 

This is a Reiland & Bree radiator emblem (dates uncertain)  mjs
Size: 102mm wide 60mm high   MM: Unknown (some Childs)

The dates of use of this R&B radiator emblem are unknown. It is possible that this emblem was used initially and later changed to the cast metal emblem shown earlier above. It is also possible that some light duty R&B trucks were built and the oval emblem may have been intended for these trucks.

If you have more information about R&B emblems or nameplates, please let me know, in order to update this post.