Mid-range American automobile brand cars made before 1930 or thereabouts tend to look very similar to me. To some degree, that's because I wasn't alive then and not that many were still on the road when I was old enough to begin paying attention to cars' appearance. To a larger degree it was because their bodies looked similar -- very boxy if they were sedans or coupés, with similar fender shapes, headlight placement and such. I might add that it was during the 1920s that basic mechanical features had become perfected enough that late in the decade the focus could begin to shift to appearance as means of product differentiation and sales appeal.
In the pre-styling era visual brand identification was almost entirely in the form of grille design, the main exception being Pierce-Arrow's fender-mounted headlights. And those grille designs were often only subtly different between brands.
I define "grille" here to include its frame, which was the place where brand differentiation was placed. Moreover, some of the photos suggest that there was little or no radiator protection via grilles: radiators might simply have been framed in chrome or nickel.
The images below are mostly of mid-range American brand cars from the 1927 model year, the time when Earl's first design (LaSalle) hit the streets. Most are of cars listed for sale, and brands are listed in alphabetical order.
Gallery
1927 Chevrolet Landau Sedan - contemporary photo
All the grilles shown here are essentially the same shape -- a shape determined by the radiator they cover. Chevrolet's grille frame is somewhat rounded with a tiny dip at the centerline.
1927 Dodge Brothers Four-Door Sedan - Swope Museum photo
Dodges had square-bottom frames and a simple, rounded top.
1927 Erskine - my photo taken at the Studebaker Museum
Erskine's frame is rather angular-looking with a flat front.
1927 Essex Speedabout by Biddle and Smart
Essex had a frame similar to Dodge's, but the radiator is protected by horizontal louvers.
1927 Hupmobile Coupe - H and H Auctions photo
The Hupp frame has some subtle sculpting around a medallion at the top.
1927 Nash Special Six Two-Door Sedan
Similar to Dodge.
1927 Oldsmobile - Silverstone Auctions photo
At least Oldsmobile had elaborate frame-shaping and therefore strong brand identification.
1927 Pontiac DeLuxe Landau Sedan - contemporary photo
Like Hupp, Pontiac had some sculpting. But all around, and not just at the top.
1927 Willys-Knight Coupe
The upper part of Willys' frame has noticeable sculpting and shaping.
In general, differences between brands tended to be minimal and small-scale. Which is why I have trouble identifying brands from that era without resorting to reference material.
In the pre-styling era visual brand identification was almost entirely in the form of grille design, the main exception being Pierce-Arrow's fender-mounted headlights. And those grille designs were often only subtly different between brands.
I define "grille" here to include its frame, which was the place where brand differentiation was placed. Moreover, some of the photos suggest that there was little or no radiator protection via grilles: radiators might simply have been framed in chrome or nickel.
The images below are mostly of mid-range American brand cars from the 1927 model year, the time when Earl's first design (LaSalle) hit the streets. Most are of cars listed for sale, and brands are listed in alphabetical order.
All the grilles shown here are essentially the same shape -- a shape determined by the radiator they cover. Chevrolet's grille frame is somewhat rounded with a tiny dip at the centerline.
Dodges had square-bottom frames and a simple, rounded top.
Erskine's frame is rather angular-looking with a flat front.
Essex had a frame similar to Dodge's, but the radiator is protected by horizontal louvers.
The Hupp frame has some subtle sculpting around a medallion at the top.
Similar to Dodge.
At least Oldsmobile had elaborate frame-shaping and therefore strong brand identification.
Like Hupp, Pontiac had some sculpting. But all around, and not just at the top.
The upper part of Willys' frame has noticeable sculpting and shaping.
In general, differences between brands tended to be minimal and small-scale. Which is why I have trouble identifying brands from that era without resorting to reference material.
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