Mascots, or in other words, jewelry for every car

Since prehistoric times, humans have used all kinds of symbols to distinguish themselves from others. For centuries, boats and vehicles have been decorated with images.

Even the figurehead on a sailing ship can, with a bit of goodwill, be seen as a forerunner of the mascots on 20th century automobiles. Mascots come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. Owners of automobiles chose to further individualize their vehicle by placing small statues on top of the radiator. Sometimes they went so far that existing ornaments fitted by the manufacturer were replaced by other, more attractive objects. These could be images of patron saints, figures that depict a favorite pastime such as sports. But in that spot you will also sometimes find a thermometer. A very useful accessory, because engines in those days often had a tendency to boil under load, and it was important to keep a close eye on the temperature of the cooling water.

In the early years, car ownership was mainly reserved for the wealthy. In high society circles, the car increasingly became a status symbol, and people soon found themselves in a race to see who had the biggest and most beautiful car. Coachwork became more extravagant, interiors were often fitted with exotic types of wood and finished with silver. To stand out even more in those circles, people chose a matching exclusive artwork instead of the standard figurine.

In 1911, sculptor Charles Sykes designed the famous Spirit of Ecstasy figure on behalf of Lord Montagu of Beaulieu, which has since been found on top of the radiator of every Rolls-Royce. His craftsmanship inspired other sculptors to design radiator mascots as well. The Frenchman Rene Lalique is one of the most famous artists in this field. In the 1920s and 1930s, Lalique created a series of beautiful glass figures that are now highly sought after by collectors. Characteristic of Lalique's objects is the frosted glass, which is used very effectively to accentuate the elegant shapes of the figurines. The Lalique factory still exists and produces all kinds of glass objects "in the style of Rene Lalique".

Mascots have been designed for specific brands. For example, there is the aforementioned Spirit of Ecstasy for Rolls-Royce, but also the flying stork (the 'Cigogne') for the French brand Hispano Suiza, the head of the goddess Minerva for the Belgian luxury car of the same name, and the 'Triomphe' for Isotta Fraschini. (Italy)

One of the artists who created mascots for various clients was the Frenchman Francois Bazin. The Louwman Museum owns several of his works. These are easily recognizable by the large signature F.BAZIN on the base.

Since the Second World War, radiator mascots have been used less and less. Growing awareness of (passive) road safety in any case ensured that no sharp corners or protruding parts were allowed on the front of the car, so the mascots either disappeared completely or became smaller and less extravagant. The most 'dangerous' mascot in the collection at the Louwman Museum is perhaps the one from the 1935 Duesenberg SJ LaGrande.

Today, brands such as Rolls-Royce and Mercedes-Benz still use a prominent mascot on the car. However, these ornaments are designed so that in the event of an accident they bend safely or disappear completely into the bodywork. For some (older) brands, the mascot that was once used has been turned into an emblem, as with Jaguar.

In the Louwman Museum, in addition to products by the aforementioned artists, you can find various other mascots, both on the cars and in the different display cases.

Phil Seed