Masonic Emblem Radiator Cap, circa 1920
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Artifact Overview
Car owners purchased aftermarket hood ornaments to express their individual personalities and beliefs. The buyer of this radiator cap, featuring the Square and Compasses symbol associated with Freemasonry, likely was a proud member of his local Masonic lodge -- and eager for others to know it.
Artifact Details
Artifact
Radiator cap
Date Made
circa 1920
Place of Creation
Location
Not on exhibit to the public.
Object ID
81.99.78
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Material
Metal
Dimensions
Height: 3.875 in
Width: 5.625 in
Depth: 1.875 in
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Related Content
Set
Motor Mascots
- 18 Artifacts
Hood ornaments -- formally called mascots -- are among the most prominent decorative elements on an automobile's exterior. Manufacturers designed mascots that communicated speed, power, or prestige. Some motorists replaced factory ornaments with aftermarket pieces that conveyed wealth and taste. More practical drivers capped their radiators with functional motometers to measure engine temperature. In any form, mascots made a statement.