Before the temperature gauge became a standard component on an automobile's dashboard, there were motometers.
These were essentially a thermometer that screwed into the radiator cap to indicate the engines temperature. To make Motometers more attractive, auto makers would give them wings or other such adornments.
By the 1920’s, motometers were replaced with radiator caps, and to make radiator caps more appealing to car buyers, the hood ornament was born.
Hood ornaments, or mascots as they were called on the European marques, became a popular way for car makers to distinguish or brand their company. The more elaborate the marque, the more elaborate the design for the hood ornament became.
The art deco period of the 30’s and 40’s had a big influence on the design of hood ornaments. Winged goddesses, graceful birds, and intricate animal designs were common. Other examples include the archers on the Pierce-Arrows, the ram on the Dodges, the Spanish explorer on the DeSotos, the leaping leopard on Jaguars or the Indian chief on Pontiacs.
The longest-lived and most readily recognized hood ornament is the "Spirit of Ecstasy," which Rolls-Royce commissioned English sculptor Charles Sykes to create in 1911. The silver lady with wings still signifies the Rolls-Royces brand today.
At this year’s Monterey’s classic car event and Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, we had the pleasure of seeing some of the most interesting and beautiful hood ornaments. Check out our photo gallery to see which cars received our vote for the Top Ten Hood Ornaments of Monterey 2008.
The numbers have been posted and the big auction companies have sent out press releases claiming their victories on the block in Monterey. Records were broken, but we think that more often than not buyers walked away with some bargains.
In 2007, the combined sales came to just under $135,000,000. This year’s sales seem to just squeak over $110,000,000. And it wasn’t for a lack of trying. Auctioneers were working hard to get the bidders to put their paddles in the air. At times we thought a root canal might have been less painful for these folks working the crowds to sell each car for something close to its estimate, especially in the range of $300,000 or less.
As usual, the historic and rare cars didn’t disappoint the crowds who were looking for a bidding frenzy. Here are some of the highlights from each of the auctions:
Gooding and Company with a total sales of $64,228,300 and a Pebble Beach record selling the Bugatti Atalante for $7,920,000. Their top sellers were:
1914 Stutz Series E Bearcat - $1,375,000
1936 Mercedes-Benz 500K Cabriolet B - $1,045,000
1925 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Barker Boattail - $1,210,000
1939 Bugatti Type 57C Atalante Coupe - $7,920,000
1938 Alfa Romeo 6C 2300 B Mille Miglia - $2,585,000
1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider - $3,630,000
RM Auctions totals exceeded $44,000,000 and had these special cars to thank:
1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta - $4,510,000
1933 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Special Town Car - $2,310,000
1948 Tucker Sedan - $1,017,500
1930 Duesenberg Model J Dual Cowl Phaeton - $1,760,000
1961 Ferrari 400 Superamerica - $1,650,000
11967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 Berlinetta - $1,925,000
Bonhams & Butterfields did an impressive $22,700,000 in sales and set three worlds record sales for these marques.
1936 Lagonda EPE 97 - $1,400,000
1939 Talbot-Lago T150 C SS - $4,300,000
1960 Jaguar E2A Le Mans Sports-Racing Two-Seater Prototype - $4,500,000
Russo and Steele sold 150 cars that brought $9,100.000 in sales. They also set a world record of $302,500 for a 1973 Porsche Carrera RS Coupe.
Be sure to check back next week because we'll be posting our photos of the cars we took at each of these auctions. We guarantee some pleasant viewing for your eyes. In the mean time, you can go to our Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance 2008 photo gallery.
