Rolls-Royce "Spirit of Ecstasy" Hood Ornament
THF152948 / Rolls-Royce "Spirit of Ecstasy" Hood Ornament
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Artifact Overview
Many early 20th century luxury automobile manufacturers outfitted their vehicles with hood ornaments or mascots. These decorative mascots were not only an advertisement for the company, they were a symbol of the car owner's wealth and good taste. Rolls-Royce affixed versions of this windswept mascot, designed by Charles Sykes, to the fronts of their models.
Artifact Details
Artifact
Hood ornament
Subject Date
1911
Creators
Creator Notes
Designed by Charles Robinson Sykes in 1911
Location
On Loan - Shanghai Auto Museum (Anting, Shanghai, China)
Object ID
2005.0.25.1
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Material
Silver (Metal)
Inscriptions
etched proper left of base, by woman's feet: ROLL [illegible] OYCE TO FEB 6 1911
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Related Content
SetMotor Mascots
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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.