One of the more famous artists to produce these artifacts was Rene Lalique, a craftsman in jewelry and glass. His original glass designs remain available in production today [see Don Sommer's Website, below], and originals from his era command very high prices on the open market. While he was perhaps the most famous, Lalique was not the only artist to produce glass mascots. Glass originals were also offered by Kessler in England and Model, Sabino and Etling in France, as well as Corning Glass of New York. An excellent listing of producers, designers and artists who specialized in automotive mascots and hood ornaments is compiled at the Mascot-Mania Website under "manufacturers."
A side note on the theme of automotive mascots was the proliferation in the 1950's of automotive plaques. They have been termed the precursor to the bumper sticker, and were typically used as an identification plate for clubs and organizations on a local level. A good Website for an introduction to the automotive plaque can be found at http://www.relicsandrods.com/Plaques/Sto...
Today Jaguar's leaping cat and Rolls Royce's Spirit of Ecstasy are the most notable remnants of this otherwise bygone era. Aside from these two, along with the Mercedes Star and Dodge Ram, the hood ornament has disappeared on current production models. But the mascot is an important part of the fascination with collector cars, and will continue to inspire newcomers and knowledgeable aficionados alike.
Below are listed some key references for further research. It should also be remembered that a simple search (on Google or HotBot, for example) can be made with the key words: "hood ornament" and mascot (Put the quotes around "hood ornament" for a more specific search). Other good sources of information include discussion forums at any of the automotive-related or specific car club Websites. For example, find a good discussion forum at the Mascot-Mania Website (see below).
Top Automotive Mascot Websites:
Mascot Mania http://www.mascot-mania.com/ This is my choice as the best site for a wide range of information.
Automobile figural mascots http://ken-thornton.com/mascots.html This is a pretty good collection of factory, accessory and specialty mascots for sale or trade. They are variously presented alphabetically, by automotive make or in categorical listings such as female, winged, or animal mascots.
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