Mystery pre-WW1 BENZ taxi

Hello Mr. Geirnaert,

Unfortunately, I cannot provide a better picture of the radiator mascot, since the original image is not particularly crisp.

The mascot appears to be a turtle-like creature standing on its rear feet, but could as well be an eagle that has lost his wings.

Sorry for not being able to help you.

Kind regards
Michael Schlenger

Hello Ariejan,

Many thanks for the precise identification - so my overall assessment proved right. Your book recommendation is also highly appreciated. There is not much literature on early Benz automobiles available.

Michael Schlenger

The statement that the identification of pre-1926 Benzes is not challenging seems to me a rather personal matter. They are definitely not all that easy.
However, in this case it is easier than one would expect it to be. The license number is of course Belgian and was registrated on the name of Serève-Loyer in Looz (or Borgloon in Flamish). It is ideed a taxi and in the book of Kupélian on the history of Mercedes-Benz you can read that the 1911 8/20 model was used as a taxi in Belgium. The book even shows a similar 'coupé-chauffeur' model on p.35.

Als er libre op het bordje zou staan zou je de bolling van de b moeten zien, ik zou eerder aan de I van HIRE denken.
Is er een beter beeld van de radiateur mascotte te krijgen? Als mascotte verzamelaar (150) stuks ben ik zeer geïnteresseerd.

I see what might be an electrical conversion on the side Lamps, or possibly an Acetylene narrow bore feed pipe, dont appear to be origionally Paraffin as there is no Resrvoir,
or they could have been candle powered, before conversion,