Doble Steam Motors Co. Radiator Emblem
notes: label: Description
content: This radiator emblem belonged to a Doble steam automobile that was manufactured by the Doble Steam Motors Company between 1924 and 1931. Doble was originally located in Detroit, but moved to California in 1921 before going out of business in 1931. During the early years of car production, gasoline, electric, and steam engines all competed in the marketplace for consumer preference. While gasoline powered internal combustion engines eventually proved to be the commercial winner, the Doble steam car was marvelously engineered. The Doble steam car was self-starting, under full steam in 40 seconds, operated silently, went zero to sixty miles per hour in 12 seconds, powerful enough to handle any hill, and lacking many of the moving parts (transmission, clutch, belts, etc.) that caused mechanical issues in gasoline engines. The black emblem simply reads “STEAM/DOBLE/MOTORS/CALIFORNIA” in silver.
label: Description
content: Radiator emblems are small, colorful metal plates bearing an automobile manufacturer's name or logo that attached to the radiators grilles of early automobiles. Varying in shape and size, the emblems served as a small branding device, sometimes indicating the type of engine, place of manufacturing, or using an iconic image or catchy slogan to advertise their cars make and model. This emblem is part of the collection that was donated by Hubert G. Larson in 1964.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
setName: label: See more items in
content: Work and Industry: Transportation, Road
label: See more items in
content: Radiator Emblems
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content: Transportation
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content: Road Transportation
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Hubert G. Larson
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: TR.325528.076
label: accession number
content: 260303
label: catalog number
content: 325528.076
objectType: label: Object Name
content: emblem, radiator
label: Other Terms
content: emblem, radiator; Road