VCCA Home Forums GENERAL DISCUSSION General Discussions Chevrolet Logo

I was just now reviewing data on Louis Chevrolet on Wikipedia and noticed something that I had not noted before. I had always thought that the logo we sometimes refer to as a "bow-tie" was actually a propeller. Not so according to Wikipedia. It is a stylized Swiss Cross chosen by Louis to honor his parents homeland. I didn't know that.

I assume that most everybody else knows this little tidbit but me. Still, there may be some Chevrolet enthusiasts hidden deep in the hollows of the earth who may not have know. Hence this posting.
Please indulge me and thanks,
Charlie

Wiki is wrong on this one. The Bowtie logo was chosen by William Durant, and Louis Chevrolet had nothing to do with it. This has been much written about in the G&D over the years, and well researched and documented by our own expert, Ken Kaufmann. I will forwad this string to him, maybe he would be interested in commenting.

Louis had already left the company in 1913 before the first vehicle with a Bowtie was sold.

Well, then, if you don't mine, please save me some research time and tell me what the logo does represent. A propeller?
Thanks,
Charlie

One rumour was that Durant saw it on the wall paper in a hotel he was staying at in Paris... This was likely made up because it sounded good in the press... He really lifted it out of an ad in a Flint news paper that was advertising for a different company... That's according to what I read somewhere, likely the G&D...

Correct, except the newspaper was in Virginia, not in Flint. And not a rumor, this is documented by conversations with Mrs. Durant, who remembered it clearly. And Ken Kaufmann found the original ad. See Larry Gustin's book "Billy Durant - Creator of General Motors" page 157 (1984 edition).


The logo doesn't actually represent anything - it's just a geometric shape that appealed to Durant.

The Bowtie History was in the July 1990 G&D.
kenK

Thanks. I guess it went with that wallpaper thing. That seems pretty far fetched to me. Who can prove it one way or the other. I'll have to see if someone can send me the article. I doubt I can find that G&D.
Thanks again,
Charlie

Here is what you are looking for: (Copy and glue it into the adress field)

http://home.earthlink.net/~scrippsbooth/chevbowtiehistory.html

The shape of the bow tie is same as to the Coalettes, and has nothing to do with Chevrolet. But the hotel story is just as difficult to end as the rumour (even from GM itself) about 2999 Chevrolets (Classic Six) sold in 1912. They were only Little 4s.

Here's a link for those who don't want to copy & paste.

Thanks, Tiny.

I'm a little hard-headed. I still believe it represents a propeller as in aircraft. This was the age of air travel and propellers represented speed in ads. I realize this matter may never be resolved and accept the several notions for the design (logo).

Who knows, Wikipedia could have it right after all. A stylized Swiss Cross may be just what the design is.

Until better and more definitive information comes to light, it may be time to let this rest.
Charlie

Charlie... the year was 1913... air travel was 4 years old and more of a novelty than a reality. Speed at that time had nothing to do with aircraft! Aircraft were not aerodynamic, sleek, or sexy. I think you're thinking of 1941 again... of course at that time the jet was just being invented, which would make your propeller theory just plain out of date!

"Air travel?" Dang! What I meant was the dawning of airplanes. The Wright brothers flew at Kitty Hawk, NC in 1903.

Anyway, I still stick by my guns. It was a propeller. Grin.
Thanks for the heads-up.
Charlie

Actually it was a aftermarket Weedeater blade for the 1911 model Weedeater and the Sears Ice saw used by Minnisorta ice fishermen, My great uncle went ice fishing and caught cold and died..... They were not very popular because the Polish firm that imported them from Palistine forgot to drill the hole for the shaft. Another of Durant's failed businesses.