A Midnight Antelope Brougham by the Lake! (56K users beware!)

[89fatb]

90brougham350 if you don't mind me asking.....whats with the loons?? I know you live in minnesota but what gives? P.S. my girlfriend thinks its CUTE!?!

[I~LUV~Caddys8792]

If I may answer this Brian,

He's an avid hunter/ fisher/ outdoorsmen. I think it's got something to do with that..

[Cadillac_Fan]

May also hold significance to the ducks in the Cadillac crest (pre 2005)?

[90Brougham350]

Correct, all of you! Everyone of my friends tells me I'm f***ing crazy; I'm a loon. I love fishing! I'm from Minnesota, and I think they're absolutely gorgeous birds. And yes, it would be pretty sweet if the crest was made with loons instead of ducks!

[I~LUV~Caddys8792]

Oh that's right, the loon is our state bird.

[90Brougham350]

You forgot? Well that does it! First negative points I've ever given out!



Kidding.

[gdwriter]

Originally Posted by 90Brougham350

Correct, all of you! Everyone of my friends tells me I'm f***ing crazy; I'm a loon. I love fishing! I'm from Minnesota, and I think they're absolutely gorgeous birds. And yes, it would be pretty sweet if the crest was made with loons instead of ducks!

I thought it was merlettes that are on the Cadillac crest?

From On Golden Pond:

Ehtel: Come here, Norman. Hurry up. The loons! The loons! They're welcoming us back.

I remember reading once that only Kate Hepburn could make "loons" a three-syllable words.

[Cadillac_Fan]

Originally Posted by gdwriter

I thought it was merlettes that are on the Cadillac crest?

From On Golden Pond:

Ehtel: Come here, Norman. Hurry up. The loons! The loons! They're welcoming us back.

I remember reading once that only Kate Hepburn could make "loons" a three-syllable words.

Right you are! The info below is cited from www.car-nection/yann/Dbas_txt/Factm-p.htm.

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.In the Fall of 1999, Cadillac announced the first change in its shield-and-crest emblem design since 1963; the new design [below, far right] 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.
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.