Fixings

How are emblems fixed to the automobile? That can depend on the era.

The reverse side of a emblem tell you a lot, it may indicate the part of the car it was attached to (grill, side, rear, wheel) and may have makers marks (country, logo, part number etc.) as well as how the emblem was attached to the vehicle.

The reverse can indicate if it is a reproduction i.e. If the reverse of the emblem is smooth and flat (not concave) it is possibly a reproduction (or if marked with a mark of a company who make reproductions!). However if the reverse side is a flat surface it might have been attached to the side or rear of the car, but back it might have a part number, maker mark or other marks indicating mass production.

The reverse side may show an indication of an anode having being attached to replate the metal.

Anode mark (top left) from being re-plated

Some emblems are attached by rivets, screws, imitation (false) rivets or screws, solder, u-clipping, lugs, pins, posts, bolts, internal-threaded shafts, nuts, speed nuts, industrial adhesive tape etc. see following examples.

Some emblem collectors have cut off the factory fixing shafts to make attaching to a display board easier or else the collector may have added a fixing (i.e. soldered on a threaded shaft) for the same reason and these can usually be noticed as post-original, some collectors have etched a number onto the back as a catalogue reference.

The fixing left shows a ring which would be soldered to the vehicle, then the Delage (or Bugatti etc.) emblem was inserted and the outer edges of the ring were bent over and shaped to secure the emblem insert.