1936-1937 DODGE BADGE ON A TRUCK GRILL (top) - The authentic coloring process is enamel, meaning hard fired glass or porcelain (it is really a true glass and not porcelain). This enamel process is frequently mistakenly called cloisonné . . . one might correctly call these enameled champleve emblems, or enameled guilloche emblems, but never cloisonné.
However BEWARE of "restored" emblems which are filled with colored jeweler's epoxy instead of the authentic hard fired glass enamel. These cheap epoxy filled emblems are commonly sold as "restored" at online Internet auction sites. Don't be fooled - a properly restored emblem typically sells for $350 to $395 from a reputable restoration firm.
The center six-point star emblem is NOT the Star of David as some believe. It is actually two intertwined Delta characters (Greek for "D") symbolizing each of the two founding Dodge Brothers. However, for export models only during the late 1930's, the symbol was altered to be a single Delta character so as not to raise anti-Semitic criticism in a European market on the verge of WWII (see bottom photo - click photo to enlarge).
However BEWARE of "restored" emblems which are filled with colored jeweler's epoxy instead of the authentic hard fired glass enamel. These cheap epoxy filled emblems are commonly sold as "restored" at online Internet auction sites. Don't be fooled - a properly restored emblem typically sells for $350 to $395 from a reputable restoration firm.
The center six-point star emblem is NOT the Star of David as some believe. It is actually two intertwined Delta characters (Greek for "D") symbolizing each of the two founding Dodge Brothers. However, for export models only during the late 1930's, the symbol was altered to be a single Delta character so as not to raise anti-Semitic criticism in a European market on the verge of WWII (see bottom photo - click photo to enlarge).