What Is The Correct Pre-War Chris-Craft Side Logo?
100% original time capsule from Andy C.
As part of the OCD thing, I have also dove into the logo deal on the side. First off, yes a long time ago Bill Basler made a perfect vector file of the side logo. And yes I also know these are available as decals in silver and gold. I think I might even have some NOS but what came from the factory? There are wonderful threads on the Boat Buzz about this topic, and Brian Robinson dove in deep. This is where the Aluminum research gets into play. And the debate of a Leaf or paint. It was a stencil of sorts and then outlined in either blue of black. I know to many the subtle differences of this logo mark may seem not all that great. WARNING, IT GETS A LITTLE INSANE
This is the art from a pre war catalog decal you could buy. Note the weight and the way the h curves into the C
On a vintage bill board. Note the h and weight
From the internet. Too thin, Note the h and the t.
Note the logo on the side. which is different than the one as the logo on the ad.
Original Sign, also a different h and thinner
Decals on ebay. The h is from the print logo and NOT what was the stencil on the side Close but wrong
Another decal on line. WRONG
Now look at the correct one again from the catalog.
Decal from Catalog, not quite right – oddly, and for a later application than from the factory.. And you would draw the outline splitting the difference of the shape.
This is hand drawn to replicate the way a brush would have done the outline. VERY ROUGH.
The outline is the absolute key to this. It adds sharpness and the hand look. Each one would have had variations. Note, it also makes it look thicker.
And here is the leaf or silver/gold part. Remember, this is for the Bow Name. NOT the corporate printed logo. It was opened up a tad to allow for the outline. And also would have been hand drawn in a studio for the factory stencil.
See how much the border adds to the weight.
same sharpness
NOTE: Each name on the bow as the Hull Card refers to it, would have been slightly different just by the fact that there was hand work involved. These were not decals, The thicks and thins would depend on the person doing the outline. I will post the final art. YES, I now. I need to go take my pills now.
Wow!
As you well know, we went SO far down the rabbit hole with original details on “Taylor M”, it drove all of us involved just short of insane.
Well, I drove multiple people insane………
With the original images, they showed inconsistencies clearly present in the painted logos and transom name.
So your thought pattern in that direction is correct.
You’re also correct that they were done with silver paint and a light black outline to define the lettering.
And since they had more than one sign painter on staff, no two boats would be exactly the same until the advent of the decal.
I think I already sent everything I had to you but here’s the starboard image from about 1939 or so.
Note the name is shifted to the right below the CC image because that’s how it’s shown on the hull card and the painter more than likely thought that’s how my Uncle had requested it to be done. Not a chance, just interpretation.
I’ll keep the padded room warmed up for you and good luck!
This is an enlargement of a May 1930 photo on a Model 99 CC
Every time I see you go through this kind of agony I realize how OCD I am not.
Here you are agonizing over how fat the H was on a 1930 logo that is going on a USER boat that has been glassed over, with a braised manifold, and is going to sit in HQ for most of the time. If you like gold, use it! If you like silver, use it! If you like high gloss or satin, do it! As far as I am concerned if you like the post war logo with the * in the middle, put it on the side. It’s not like you are going to have “B” judged and try to get an award at the International show.
I’m thankful there are people like you that obsess over these types of details and even more thankful that I wake up every morning and do not! Keep it coming!!!!
I’m in Bob’s camp!
Years ago we looked at the photo attached and ended the debate on pre-war logo. We have used this as a guide for all the pre-war boats we have done. The photo is so clear to zoom in it’s crazy that it is from about 1937.
Mike,
Were they using decals by 1937?
The “C’s” look “fatter” than when painted in 1930 and the logo was more upright without the rightward slant.
The original hatch mounted tag of course had the rightward slant……
A number of painters, all with different styles.
Decals didn’t come out until about 1946-47 and would say decal on the build sheet.
I believe this photo has been digitally altered as evident in the transparent white/silver fill of the letters. The grain is visible through the transparency in some letters and not in others.
Somebody monkeyed with it.
The black and white photo – not Murdock’s photo.
Its like the border is thinner. Where as on the one I used its thicker, working the letters together. I swear it’s all about the outline. The question is, what was it like in 1937 vs 1930?
And we need to account for the photo distorion, The C’s do look rather wide, which may be the way, There is a heart in the negative space of the C which I havent seen before. Which I love..
The outline is for sure different and I’m sure changed a bit on who was painting it. The hull in the picture is at an angle so the C size would not be the same shape.
The above photo came from me and is an untouched factory photo of a 1937 25’ Runabout. I used it in an article on this very subject in the Brass Bell 20 years ago. After 1930 there was TWO scripts used by Chris-Craft depending on the size of the boat. The big runabouts, the rare 25 and 27 footers got the bigger script, that had subtle letter differences.
The one most boats got was 21” long, and the larger was 25”. Both were aluminum leaf (not swirled) with a painted outline.
Do you have the original photo in hand or just the scan of the original photo? I’d like to see it uncropped.
I don’t see hearts. I see butt cheeks.
Great bit of sleuthing. Now do post war.
Rabbit loves this rabbit hole! Especially since I’ve spent my entire career in advertising and design.
But allow me to go off on another tangent: The names on our transoms. I see too many perfectly restored boats that lose all the historical accuracy when it comes to the name on the end of the boat. The font, the scale of the font (usually way too big), the “flourishes”, too often don’t match. The boat is 1939 and the transom is 2026. It’s easy to stay accurate. Just look at historical photos of your boat and match those fonts, scale, style. And if you’ve invested a lot of money in the restoration, invest a little more in real gold leaf, aluminum leaf and paint. Thankfully, a few of the craftsmen that can still do that work are still out there.
You said it, and I half way want to just plunk a factory Chrome B back there. Thats how it would have been done back then. Or name it B-OPPY the combo name of the dogs!
Close up
Full Logo
Another example
Spun silver leaf would be incorrect so dont spin it before you varnish.
These look great, never have been a fan of spun anything. I love the fact that what it really means is that It’s CHRIS’s CRAFT
The 100 from Australia.