Spirit of Ecstasy
I picked up this willowy woman at an estate sale and was told she was an automobile hood ornament. She is cast brass, with no date or signature. I have done a whole lot of research – heading down some cool rabbit holes - but her purpose remains unclear. The unknown artist referenced Botticelli’s Birth of Venus -same elongated shape, similar arm placement, similar canted body stance - but her Art Deco vibe dates her to the 1920s. I am skeptical that she was for an automobile mainly due to the base. It is unclear how the odd shaped platform would have been attached to anything; the holes do not have threading and the bottom is puzzling. At some point I decided she was a radiator mascot leading me to the Spirit of Ecstasy. But now I am not so sure.
In our family papers are two photo albums created by my grandmother Kat as a teen (Katharine Strong Humphrey Osborne 1905-1987). She took snaps documenting trips and visits with friends and family, and thankfully penciled in identifying information. This one, from 1922, shows an automobile owned by “Dot and Katie”. It is unclear who Dot and Katie were, but they arrived in their car, and a group outing ensued complete with picnic and flat tire (a scene caught by Kat’s camera). Their auto was a Model T Ford Coupe, and I suspect an expert could identify the specific year, falling between 1919 and 1922 (https://modeltfordfix.com/the-1919-1922-model-t-ford/). Automobiles in the early days were vastly different vehicles from what we call “cars”. Cranks had to be turned. Various gages had to be monitored, and spare tires were frequently put to use. They had external radiators, covered with a radiator cap at the front of the hood, allowing water to be added as needed. Notice the door on the side – it’s in the middle! Dot or Katie had to climb to get into the driver’s seat. It wasn’t until 1926 that Ford had a functional driver door.
There is some speculation that my Art Deco brass woman was a car’s radiator mascot, and I loved the idea. Her tall curvy form would certainly make an impression as she is enveloped in steam escaping through the holes. Sadly, I could find nothing like her, and none of the antique radiator “mascots” had a similar base. Almost all had round bases, such that they would be twisted onto the radiator filler cap. As much as I would love her to be one, I don’t think she is. That said, “radiator mascots” are fascinating.
According to the Studebaker Museum: “radiator mascots turned the basic radiator filler cap into a renowned work of art. Mascot designs varied widely, including mythological figures, brand iconography, animals, human figures…As radiator filler caps retreated under the hood during the 1930s, the radiator mascot evolved into the hood ornament.” In 1911 Rolls-Royce vehicles started using the “Spirit of Ecstasy” on the radiator and then eventually as a hood decoration. (https://studebakermuseum.org/exhibition/radiator-mascots-art-style-story-2/)
According to Rolls-Royce, the Spirit of Ecstasy was modeled on Eleanor Thornton (1880-1915), a vibrant woman who was part of an early automobile club in England, working at an automobile magazine. By age 22, she was secretary to Baron John Montagu, a wealthy supporter of the automobile industry in England. The original statue was commissioned by Baron Montagu to be placed over the radiator of his 1909 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost. That statue had a finger on her lips, a reference to the secret love affair between Eleanor Thornton and Baron Montagu. Beginning in 1911 the company commissioned the same artist, Charles Robinson Sykes, for a variation of the original Spirit of Ecstasy to use on all its automobiles. Spirit of Ecstasy, also called Eleanor, reflects her dreams, energy, grace and beauty. (https://www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com/spirit-of-ecstasy).
Eleanor was accompanying Lord Montagu to India in 1915 on the S.S. Persia when a German U-boat torpedoed it in the Mediterranean, killing her and 342 others. Baron Montagu and 175 others survived. The boat sank in 10 minutes, and only four lifeboats had time to launch. (https://www.pandosnco.co.uk/persia.htm)
I remain puzzled by my brass lady, but appreciate that sometimes there are not answers to questions. Hard to believe in this internet-handy day that something can remain a mystery, but I will have to leave this one unsolved. The circuitous journey I took in researching her led me to Eleanor Thornton and the Spirit of Ecstasy. Eleanor was a woman who defied the conventions of her day, who made her way in the world and has been immortalized for over a century. The artist described the statue as "a graceful little goddess…who has selected road travel as her supreme delight… she is expressing her keen enjoyment…her sight fixed upon the distance." (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirit_of_Ecstasy). Eleanor did not live long, and her only (illegitimate) child was given up for adoption. And yet, here she is inspiring me and offering up her story all because of a radiator cap. Or not, as the case may be.