Mack Bulldog
Hi readers I hope your all well and doing fine in this the first new month of a brand new year.
Before starting please be warned I will be using hash tags in my blog I’m new to the world of tags so it’s a bit of an experiment please bare with me you never know you may not even notice.
Today I want to talk about two brothers and how the came to create one of the worlds best trucks and the bulldog emblem behind it.
#Mack trucks first started when Brothers Jack, Gus and William Mack built their first successful vehicle in 1900: a 24-horsepower, 13-passenger bus with a 4-cylinder engine (can be seen on plate) named the Manhattan, the bus carried sightseers around Brooklyn’s Prospect Park for eight years and racked up a million miles of service before being retired.
The success of the bus established Mack’s reputation for building reliable and durable products – a reputation that continues today.
Mack did not have an emblem until the war started and Mack produced machines for the allies and it was the dough boys and army that saw the strength in this truck and gave it the nick name the bulldog.
This was then patented and a bulldog started adorning the front of Mack trucks buses and even fire engines.
Mack trucks is owned these days by Volvo but still keeps its American roots intact with its factories and offices spread over America.
Mack trucks are sold and serviced in more than 45 countries worldwide.
Every Mack truck built for the North American market is assembled at its Macungie Cab & Vehicle Assembly facility in Macungie, Pa. Engines and transmissions for the North American market are built at its powertrain facility in Hagerstown, Md.
Mack is part of the Volvo Group, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of trucks, buses, construction equipment, marine and industrial engines.
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I started #collecting Mack pieces after seeing the emblem on a site standing proud and all nice and shiny, it was that piece that got me looking for all things Mack related and the hunt began with researching and site trawling.
The emblems of past have the original patent number on the dogs chest and there other newer versions with a longer number but I prefer the #Vintage pieces, there is a wealth of collectibles you can obtain these days and I have pictured some of mine for all to see.
There are also many pieces that I have seen that I do not have or added yet but I will try to find as many #pieces as possible, because even though most don’t hold much value they are still very #collectible.
I did not find the presentation plates until a few years back after making friends with a lady called Mary from Maine in the States.
She had for sale the first of my plates and I was astonished to see others during my search and the collection of them there now is, they are made from #Pewter and have a tiled #Ceramic middle each with a different mack engine on and the bulldog on the back with info on the truck painted on the front and I have found six in total so far.
Mack trucks have an up to date catalogue of the pieces they are selling these days but it’s far more interesting to try and find the older pieces, but when it comes to emblem for display purposes it does not really matter as they are all the same size and shape.
I say this as you can now dress up your emblem with tiny cloths that mack now sell at the shop.
If you really want the best then you need to hunt down the emblems used on the first fire trucks, I think these are either made a little different or have a slightly different patent number but do remember which ever you chose to buy, it needs a stand to screw to the underneath or the emblem will not stand up correctly.
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Other pieces popular include the Mack cigar tray, these can be found quite easy but in many states of de stress depending on how well used they are.
I didn’t mind the pitting on mine it gives it character and I know they would never make a fortune but for blingers out there it’s all about the #shine and that brand new polished look.
In past Mack trucks have commissioned out to artists and the most famous piece I know is a #Figurine made by Doris Linder.
She as you can see in the picture has it spot on getting Mack the #bulldog just right, there have been others and I have pictured another to show comparison.
I do not think any one has beaten Doris Linder and the #Royal-Worcester factory in coping this #Bulldog and if you compare it to the painting of mack the dog there is no difference.
Other easy collectibles include the #Tie-pins and the yearly #coins that they started making, the tie pins come in many #varieties some are plain others enamelled but all the same.
I do have one tie pin that’s different I’m not sure if it’s a modern version of the old mack pin but you can make up your own mind by checking the pictures.
My smallest piece has to be the emblem from a Mack truck DIY toy it’s tiny but as its Mack I had to add it to the collection.
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Before I carry on I have pictured below one of the best and most accurate of paintings the subject Mack the bulldog and two artists commissioned pieces and you can decide for self which one is most like the #Painting both pieces are still great though.
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below are pictures of the pieces mentioned and others I may not of mentioned.
Mack have managed to keep up not just with their millions of trucking and bulldog fans but with the times too, these are mostly vintage pieces and I have worked hard to get such a varied group together, but I know I haven’t touched the surface when it comes to their collectibles and #merchandise so I will continue to look.
I would love to own the #fire-engine bulldog and also the emblem with lights in the eyes and I’ve seen a Mack truck lazy Susan tray that’s cool and believe it or not I would love a tiny version of the Mack golden trucks.
I’m not a trucking kind of guy but the piece would tie in very nicely with the pieces I already have.
If you have any Mack pieces you wish to share or any pieces you would like show cased on my home page just contact me and your pics can be seen in over 40 different countries… WELL!!!!
That’s just hit me that over 40 countries are looking at my little website #Lol that’s great, I hope you and they like it.
I know the icon to visit other pages gets stuck on some search engines the best to use for this site is chrome but they should all work just as well.
Im off now our new rescue likes to get up early and play so I’m about to get a slobbering bulldog licking my face but I wouldn’t have it any other way HAPPY COLLECTING…
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