Evolution of an Icon

It’s one of the most recognizable brand logos in the world, but very little is actually known about the origins of the Harley-Davidson Bar & Shield

The trademark application filed with the U.S. Patent Office cites the logo as having been used since May 6, 1910, according to H-D Archives Manager Bill Jackson, but the identity of its creator remains a mystery. One possibility, according to Jackson, is that it was designed by a Chicago agency that created advertising and marketing materials for the Motor Company. Over the years, the Bar & Shield has gone through numerous design iterations, with no formal guidelines in place for its color, shape, or usage during much of its early history. The unusual and highly stylized Bar & Shield painted on the shipping crate in this circa 1912 photo featuring “Genial” George Puls, one of the Motor Company’s first traveling salesmen, shows just how much the design has evolved over its more than hundred-year history.

The familiar version of the Bar & Shield used today was designed in the early 1930s and then revived in 1976, when it was used in a series of patriotic-themed designs that adorned motorcycles and merchandise during the American Bicentennial. Today, befitting its iconic status, very strict guidelines are in place to control the design and use of one of Harley-Davidson’s most revered assets.

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