Hood Ornament Art

by Mike Gulett – 

There was a time when automobiles didn’t just transport us, they announced us. And nothing symbolized that more than the hood ornament. These graceful mascots were more than functional radiator caps or branding devices; they were miniature sculptures, a union of industrial design and art. They were, in some cases, the most beautiful detail on the car.

From the elegance of the Rolls-Royce Spirit of Ecstasy to the wind-swept forms of Art Deco Packards, the hood ornament tells the story of an era when even the smallest details were crafted with artistic ambition.

During Monterey Car Week I always look for cool hood ornaments as much as I look for cars. I also tend to take photos of cool ornaments.

Utility Meets Identity

In the early days of motoring, external radiator caps made it easy to check and refill engine coolant. But rather than leave the radiator cap as a utilitarian tool, coachbuilders and carmakers began embellishing it. Early hood ornaments were often thermometer-equipped—combining form and function.

Bentley Hood “Ornament”- Mike Gulett

Soon, luxury manufacturers commissioned artists and metal workers to create custom mascots, setting the tone for what became a golden era of automotive ornamentation in the 1920s and ’30s.

The Golden Age: 1920s–1940s

This period marked the height of hood ornament design. Styles varied from the figurative to the fantastical:

• Rolls-Royce’s Spirit of Ecstasy, created by sculptor Charles Sykes in 1911, remains perhaps the most well known mascot ever made—an elegant woman leaning forward, robes flowing behind like wings. It is the essence of grace and motion.

  

  1920s Rolls Royce Hood Ornament- Mike Gulett

• Packard offered a leaping pelican (or maybe a cormorant) with wings outstretched, evoking majesty and flight.

• Pontiac paid homage to Native American imagery with stylized tribal heads, often illuminated with amber plastic in the 1930s—a glowing symbol of power and speed.

• Lincoln Greyhounds, modeled after racing dogs in mid-stride, became a signature of Art Deco streamlining.

• Cadillac, Buick, and Chrysler also fielded beautiful mascots—goddesses, winged figures, and chrome forms that seemed to channel the spirit of aviation and speed.

Some of the finest examples were not produced by the manufacturers at all. Companies like Lalique in France, famous for its fine glasswork, offered crystal mascots shaped like eagles, nudes, foxes, and horses. These were favored by wealthy European clients who could afford to treat their car as an art canvas.

1934 Pierce Arrow 840A Silver Arrow Coupe- Mike Gulett

Symbolism and Status

The hood ornament became a status symbol, a unique artistic expression that said as much about the owner as the car. They were more than just decoration—they were badges of identity. They also needed to be protected from theft.

Stutz S16- Mike Gulett

Collectors and connoisseurs often ordered custom pieces to reflect their tastes, hobbies, or family crests. Others selected ornaments based on mythology, astrology, or personal symbolism. In this way, the hood ornament functioned almost like jewelry—a wearable expression of personality, placed where all could see.

Regulation and Minimalism

By the 1950s and ’60s, hood ornaments began to shrink, although the leaping cat on a Jaguar was still with us. Streamlining, changing tastes, and growing safety concerns played a role. Pedestrian safety regulations—especially in Europe—eventually sounded the death knell for tall, rigid ornaments.

By the 1980s, most manufacturers had removed or significantly minimized hood ornaments, relegating them to badges or flat emblems on the hood. Rolls-Royce adapted by engineering a retractable version of the Spirit of Ecstasy that hides itself if tampered with or during parking. The Mercedes-Benz logo hood ornament would fold down if hit by an errant body.

Pontiac Chieftain – ChatGPT 40

Mascots as Miniature Sculpture

Today, hood ornaments are collector items. Prewar examples, especially Lalique glass mascots or one-off pieces by famed metal artists, command high prices at auction. Museums and private collections often display them as standalone works of art.

They are also enjoying a revival among enthusiasts of period-correct restorations, concours-level presentations, and automotive art collectors. Reproductions and originals are traded in a subculture of automobilia collecting.

Though largely absent from modern cars, the legacy of the hood ornament lives on in the hearts and minds of collectors, restorers, and design enthusiasts.

They remind us that at one time, even a radiator cap could be a masterpiece.

Let us know what you think in the Comments.

Crystal Hood Ornament – Mike Gulett

Victorie by Lalique – Road & Track

Research, some text and some images by ChatGPT 40.

Summary

Article Name

Hood Ornament Art

Description

The hood ornament became a status symbol, a unique artistic expression that said as much about the owner as the car.

Author

Mike Gulett