Lincoln Radiator Emblem, 1922

01

Artifact Overview

Henry Leland formed the Lincoln Motor Company in 1917 to build aircraft engines for the war effort. After the government cancelled the company's contracts, Lincoln began building luxury automobiles. In 1922, Edsel Ford persuaded his father to purchase the ailing company. Lincoln became Ford's luxury brand. This emblem dates from the period when Lincolns were "Leland Built."

Artifact Details

Artifact

Radiator emblem

Date Made

1922

Creator Notes

Made for Lincoln Motor Company, Detroit, Michigan by the D. L. Auld Company in Columbus, Ohio.

Location

at Henry Ford Museum in Driving America

Object ID

86.129.127

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford.

Material

Nickel (Metal)
Enamel (Fused coating)

Technique

Cloisonne
Die casting
Plating (Metal coating)

Color

Silver (Color)
Black (Color)

Dimensions

Height: 1.875 in
Width: 3.25 in
Thickness: 0.06 in

Inscriptions

On face: LELAND-BUILT / LINCOLN
02

Related Content

  • Pictorial History of the Lincoln Car Poster, 1952
    Set

    Lincoln - Birth and Rebirth

    • 23 Artifacts
    Lincoln Motor Company was born in 1917 out of Henry Leland's patriotic desire to build airplane engines for the allied forces in World War I. After the armistice, Leland and his son Wilfred refashioned Lincoln into a high-end automaker. But a postwar recession forced the Lelands to sell to another father-son duo, Henry and Edsel Ford. Over the next 20 years, Lincoln grew into one of America's most admired luxury marques.
  • 1929 Lincoln Convertible Victoria
    Set

    Landmark Lincolns

    • 16 Artifacts
    Henry Leland established Lincoln Motor Company in 1917 and, with his son Wilfred, built allied aircraft engines during World War I. When peace returned, Lincoln reinvented itself as a luxury automaker. But a poor postwar economy forced the Lelands to sell to another father-son duo, Henry and Edsel Ford. Lincoln thrived under Ford ownership, surviving depression and war, and introducing designs and nameplates that continue to inspire.