what happened to the ducks that were on the Cadillac emblem:confused:

Flew South for the winter?

I did a search and found the following...

The ducks of the original Cadillac crest are derived from the coat of arms of Le Sieur Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, who founded the City of Detroit in 1701. Along the way, the ducks were lost, probably helped by a poorly received ad campaign, the cartoon Catera ad to be exact, that used a duck as the mascot.

The new badge is inspired by the work of European geometric painter Piet Mondriaan.

More info about Antoine Laumet de La Mothe, sieur de Cadillac (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoine_Laumet_de_La_Mothe,_sieur_de_Cadillac)

They're not ducks they're Merlettes. They never were ducks so whoever referred to them as ducks in a writing indented to provide historical information is wrong.

They're not ducks they're Merlettes. They never were ducks so whoever referred to them as ducks in a writing indented to provide historical information is wrong.

Absolutely correct.

Regardless, imo they deserve to be back in the Cadillac crest. I don't understand how Cadillac can change their crest--isn't that like a coat of arms--you don't change those.

JRau in central Iowa

The emblem was derived from several different coats of arms and family crests. The Cadillac emblem is just an emblem. It has no royal meaning as such. I hate to see things like that change also but unfortunately for us, Cadillac isn't a family name.

The emblem was derived from several different coats of arms and family crests. The Cadillac emblem is just an emblem. It has no royal meaning as such. I hate to see things like that change also but unfortunately for us, Cadillac isn't a family name.

Yeah, you're right, I suppose, but the older style looks so much more classy.

JRau in central Iowa

Regardless, imo they deserve to be back in the Cadillac crest. I don't understand how Cadillac can change their crest--isn't that like a coat of arms--you don't change those.

JRau in central Iowa

You mean my rubber ducky is a Merlette? :duck:

Here's a nice emblem evolution (http://home.iag.net/~middlebr/crest.html).

Change for the sake of change.
Anybody remember "NEW Coke?"
But it looks like the merlettes were there FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
So some fool decided that Cadillac must shed its old image and play to the unwashed masses.
Thus you now have blobs in a "crest" which mean zilch.
Wait . . . maybe they're trying to be like the FORD "crest" which appeared on the 1950 Fords.
Yeah, that's it. Cadillac must have hired some guy from Ford to redesign their world famous emblem.
:mad:

They changed over in the mid to late 90's....

97-up Devilles?

True and I agree with the Ford thing. Some asswhipe from Ford is definitely influencing GM in one way or another. I agree the Merlettes should have stayed. Oh and I think the same guy is making sneakers these days too.

But it looks like the merlettes were there FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
So some fool decided that Cadillac must shed its old image and play to the unwashed masses.
Thus you now have blobs in a "crest" which mean zilch.
Wait . . . maybe they're trying to be like the FORD "crest" which appeared on the 1950 Fords.
Yeah, that's it. Cadillac must have hired some guy from Ford to redesign their world famous emblem.
:mad:

A friend of mine (died in the wool GM guy...) says the LS1 engines are too familiar with the Ford Winsors. Like they took the best of the GM designs and the SB Fords and combined to make the LS1. Maybe they did. I would. As long as you don't infring patents, why not. Study ALL engine designs and design out every flaw into your engine. Then you WILL have the best of the best....

Ford again contamining GM... Not saying it is all bad, the 400 Ram Air V Pontiac and Ford 427 Tunnel Port heads could actually swap intakes with some minor mods....

They changed over in the mid to late 90's....

97-up Devilles?

I thought they changed it in 2002 with the return of the Escalade.

I thought they changed it in 2002 with the return of the Escalade.

The emblem evolution link I provided has the answer. They say 2000.

That might be right. I remember my dad commenting on it when they did it. Somehow he even heard when it happened. Like Cadillac is trying to modernize the image they are trying to present. Loose the details, loose the heratige (sp?), try to get customers from a new demographic...

Hello,
I have read somewere, don't remember were, that the first car to get the new emblem was a presidental limo, probably to Clinton. I'm sure there is someone here that know more.

I have said it before and i say it again,- Take back the "old " emblem!! please.


jolle

Hello,
I have read somewere, don't remember were, that the first car to get the new emblem was a presidental limo, probably to Clinton. I'm sure there is someone here that know more.

I have said it before and i say it again,- Take back the "old " emblem!! please.


jolle

Or at least make it an option. =)

When was New Coke around? What was that about? Did it taste bad or something?

Actually they were swans for a while. Most of think of them as ducks. Only a prig would point it out.

Merlettes: Mythical birds used in the coat of arms designed by Antoine Laumet, self-styled Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, founder of Detroit in 1701. Martlet in English, the latter bird belongs to the martin family. Webster says it is probably a deformation/alteration of martinet, being a diminutive of the martin. Not a duck, for sure, but certainly a bird that lives close to water. See also Coat of Arms (http://www.car-nection.com/yann/Dbas_txt/factA-C.htm#CoatOfArms). In the Fall of 1999, Cadillac announced the first change in its shield-and-crest emblem (http://www.car-nection.com/yann/Dbas_txt/Coatarms.htm) design since 1963; the new design was used first in Cadillac advertisements, in 1999, then on the cars themselves in 2002, that year being the 100th anniversary of the first Cadillac automobile. The new emblem became slightly wider and flatter; the 4-quartered shield in the traditional colors of red, black, silver, gold and blue all remained but the seven-pointed crown above it was removed, as were also the heraldic birds or merlettes.
[B]Trivia: White swans replaced the traditional black merlettes on Cadillacs types 53, 55 and 57 of 1916 through 1919 [third emblem from left, below]; the reason for the change is given in the magazine Antique Automobile for November-December 1993. The writer, Mr. Ed Jacobowicz of Connecticut, explains that this was a gesture of gratitude towards a Mr. Albert C. Swan, formerly co-owner of Smith & Swan, a company that had given Cadillac precious help after the disastrous plant fire of April 1904 when it had not been possible for Cadillac to build any cars for some three months. The firm reverted to the black merlettes in 1920.
http://www.car-nection.com/yann/Dbas_emb/Coatar0a.JPGhttp://www.car-nection.com/yann/Dbas_emb/EMB2002A.JPG

The "unwashed masses." LMAO.

The "unwashed masses." LMAO.

:duck:OVER MY HEAD! WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?:hmm:

I miss Ziggy :( its the name of the ducks on the emblem
They should make a comeback!

Ziggy killed old Cadillac.

The emblem evolution link I provided has the answer. They say 2000.

Well, your link is wrong.

Take a look at this 2001 Deville with original emblems

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c40/Cadillac_guy/1U195037-22sm.jpg


If you want to see more go look on ebay for 2001's

:duck:OVER MY HEAD! WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?:hmm:

It means I got a chuckle out of Rick186's post, "...So some fool decided that Cadillac must shed its old image and play to the unwashed masses. Thus you now have blobs in a "crest" which mean zilch."

No he's right. The emblem did change in 2000, I think it first appeared on SOME models in 2001. My 01 DTS has the old emblem too but I think others have the new one.

Well, your link is wrong.

Take a look at this 2001 Deville with original emblems

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c40/Cadillac_guy/1U195037-22sm.jpg


If you want to see more go look on ebay for 2001's

*some* did change earlier, my point was that they didn't just cut it off in 2000.

Our 2000 SLS has the Crown & Duckie emblem.

in my opinion, the new emblem sucks. period. i keep trying to get my dad to ditch his crap cartoon emblem on the STS and go for a REAL crest. new caddys? no thanks, ill stick to my gas hogging '85 thank you very much

When was New Coke around? What was that about? Did it taste bad or something?

Mid-80s. It was interesting to watch. If there would have been an E-Bay back then, 6.5 ounce bottles of "old" Coke would have been one of the hottest sellers for a few months.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Coke

in my opinion, the new emblem sucks. period. i keep trying to get my dad to ditch his crap cartoon emblem on the STS and go for a REAL crest. new caddys? no thanks, ill stick to my gas hogging '85 thank you very much

I don't know if they new ones "suck" but I like the older ones more. The newer ones though really do fit in with the styling of the newer cars though.

I like the older ones myself. The new ones look too plain and when I see them, they look like fake emblems. No detail to them. Especially when they are big, like on the Escalade. They just look realy fake and cheap.

i love the new emblems. i think for the vehicles they are on they make it look good. now, put an old emblem on a CTS and it wouldnt look right. put an old one on a DTS... still wouldnt look right. i think they changed for the better. my opinion. i respect all of yours. btw, i dont think the new emblem would look good on any of the older Caddies (save for the 2000-01 Devilles & Sevilles).

oh and the new emblem was put on GW's brand new limo back in 01. the new emblem didnt make it to the production Cadillac's until 2002. if you have seen any Cadillac made before 02 with new emblems, they have just replaced them.