# Rolls Royce Hood Ornament



## RIBottleguy (Apr 20, 2011)

Last weekend I went to a rather uninteresting dump that dated from the 1930s-1960s.  There wasn't much of interest until I dug into one part of the dump.  This popped out, and I didn't realize until later that it was a Rolls Royce hood ornament!  Great condition save for a slightly bent wing.  Anyway I was psyched to find it.  Any idea of the age?


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## PermInk (Apr 20, 2011)

neat find []


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## Plumbata (Apr 21, 2011)

Awesome find, that is worth some solid cash even with the bent wing. I bet it could be straightened (with care or heating), polished up and sold for at least 200. Better than your average chunk of scrap metal!


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## surfaceone (Apr 21, 2011)

Hey Taylor,

 Wonderful find, sir! Eleanor Thornton  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 was the inspiration for the bonnet sculpture.

 "The Spirit of Ecstasy, also called "Emily", "Silver Lady" or "Flying Lady", was designed by Charles Robinson Sykes and carries with it a story about a secret passion between John Walter Edward Douglas-Scott-Montagu, (second Lord Montagu of Beaulieu after 1905, a pioneer of the automobile movement, and editor of The Car Illustrated magazine from 1902) and his secret love and the model for the emblem, Eleanor Velasco Thornton. Eleanor was John Walter's secretary, and their love was to remain hidden, limited to their circle of friends, for more than a decade. The reason for the secrecy was Eleanor's impoverished social and economic status, which was an obstacle to their love. John-Walter, succumbing to family pressures, married Lady Cecil Victoria Constance, but the secret love affair continued.

 Eleanor died on 30 December 1915, going down with the SS Persia, when the ship was torpedoed off Crete by a German submarine, whilst she accompanied Lord Montagu on his journey to India, four years after she had been immortalized by her bereaved lover." From.

 It's post 1911.


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## idigjars (Apr 21, 2011)

Hi Taylor.  DON'T POLISH IT!   If you are interested in selling it please pm me.  thanks.  Paul


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## madpaddla (Apr 21, 2011)

Yeah thats worth some cash.  Great find.  If you do some research please pass on its value.  Nice job.  I thought I saw one on antique road show.


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## epackage (Apr 21, 2011)

$200-250 in it's current condition seems like the top end, great item, I would mount it on the hood of my vehicle if it was mine....Jim


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## tftfan (Apr 21, 2011)

YOW !  that is cool.


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## JOETHECROW (Apr 22, 2011)

> Last weekend I went to a rather uninteresting dump that dated from the 1930s-1960s. There wasn't much of interest until I dug into one part of the dump. This popped out,


 
 Hey,...just goes to show, that usually there's something good if one takes the time and look for it.[] Really unusual thing to find in the dump...Vr. cool!


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## RIBottleguy (Apr 27, 2011)

Hi Surfaceone (and fellow members),
 Thanks for the information.  What makes you say it's post-1911?  That seems a little early to me.  I haven't done much research, but from what I gather the older the ornament is the (logically) more valuable it is.  I originally thought it to be from the 1930s-1940s.  After that the lady was kneeling.  I haven't been able to find a timeline of cars or hood ornaments which would be most helpful.  I think one of the keys to dating it is the base style.  I'm planning to sell it once I find out more specifically how old it is.


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## RIBottleguy (Apr 27, 2011)

Ok, I made a few more observations.  around the base it reads:  Rolls-Royce/ Pat. Pending
 I noticed that it's supposed to be signed by C. Sykes, who created the design.  So, I need to find out when the ornament was patented.  
 Also, the face of the ornament is much less detailed than most I've seen online.  The eyes are pretty much slits.  It's made of bronze.  From 1911-1914 it was silver plated, then afterwards it was nickel or chrome.  Is there a way to test to see if it's silver?  I need to find myself an antique car forum lol.


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## JOETHECROW (Apr 27, 2011)

Did you try google patents on their search page? (under "even more") Might get lucky and find it.


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## surfaceone (Apr 27, 2011)

> What makes you say it's post-1911?Â  That seems a little early to me.


 
 Hey Taylor,

 It's post 1911, because 1911 is the "born on date."

 "The Spirit of Speed

 Sykes' brief from Claude Johnson had been to evoke the spirit of mythical beauty, Nike, whose graceful image was admired in The Louvre, but Sykes was not impressed. He felt that a more feminine representation might be apt.
 It was again Miss Thornton whom he had in mind. Sykes chose to modify â€˜The Whisperâ€™ into a version similar to today's; â€˜The Spirit of Ecstasyâ€™. He called this first model The Spirit of Speed. Later, Charles Sykes called it "A graceful little goddess, the Spirit of Ecstasy, who has selected road travel as her supreme delight and alighted on the prow of a Rolls-Royce motor car to revel in the freshness of the air and the musical sound of her fluttering draperies." He presented the mascot to the company in February 1911." From.







 1911 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost From.


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## Steve/sewell (Apr 28, 2011)

Taylor I have forwarded your pictures to a friend of mine who owns this business http://www.palmaclassiccars.com/history.html 
 Joe and John Palma are one of a very small handfull of American companies allowed to work on Rolls Royce and Bentlys.They work on movie stars cars all of the time.Jay Leno is always at their shop getting his cars worked on.I saw his Ford GT 2 years ago.When you drive by the place it looks like an average Joe repair shop but inside you can eat off the floor no dirt no grease.These guys do it all body work,repair paint chrome ect ect.They will know if anyone is looking for your particular ornament.As soon as I here from them I will post you here at the forum.I will be in Canada tommorrow Thursday through Sunday. Ill check for you again on Monday or Tuesday.


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## RIBottleguy (May 4, 2011)

Hi Steve,
 Thanks for doing that, I appreciate it.  Oh, and my apologies Surfaceone, for some reason I always get "post' and "pre" confused.  []


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## kwalker (May 4, 2011)

The Silver Ghost looks like the car ol' Nucky Thompson rides in on Boardwalk Empire [] one of the best HBO series ever made


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