Vintage Rolls Royce Spirit of Ecstasy Car Mascot, Mid-20th Century

A large vintage decorative Rolls Royce silvered bronze sculpture, The Spirit of Ecstasy, dating from the mid 20th century. The winged maiden was designed by Charles Robinson Sykes (1875-1950), and she stands on an attractive round black marble plinth base. In 1910 Rolls-Royce slowly became aware that some owners were affixing 'inappropriate' ornaments to their cars. Claude Johnson's brief to Sykes was to sculpt a mascot for Rolls Royce that embodied 'speed with silence, absence of vibration, the mysterious harnessing of great energy and a beautiful living organism of superb grace' to become the standard emblem of the Rolls-Royce brand and it was Sykes' daughter, Jo (born 1908) that believed it was on the road from London to Beaulieu that her father first became 'Very impressed with the smoothness and speed of the Rolls Royce car.... imagining that even so delicate a thing as a fairy could ride on the bonnet without losing her balance.' In early 1911 Sykes' presented his mascot, entitled "The Spirit of Speed", to Rolls-Royce. This figurine had her arms outstretched behind her and her gaze firmly fixed forward. She was soon retitled "The Spirit of Ecstasy" by Johnson and became the official symbol of Rolls-Royce automobiles on 6th February 1911. It is a striking piece thought to be a former Rolls Royce car showroom sculpture. Condition: In excellent condition, please see photos for confirmation of condition. Dimensions in cm: Height 70 x Width 31 x Depth 42 Dimensions in inches: Height 2 foot, 4 inches x Width 1 foot x Depth 1 foot, 4 inches The Spirit of Ecstasy is the bonnet ornament on Rolls-Royce cars. It is in the form of a woman leaning forwards with her arms outstretched behind and above her. Billowing cloth runs from her arms to her back, resembling wings. The Spirit of Ecstasy, also called "Emily", "Silver Lady" or "Flying Lady", was designed by English sculptor Charles Robinson Sykes and carries with it a story about secret passion between John Walter Edward Douglas-Scott-Montagu, (second Baron Montagu of Beaulieu after 1905, a pioneer of the automobile movement, and editor of The Car Illustrated magazine from 1902) and the model for the emblem, Eleanor Velasco Thornton. Eleanor (also known as Thorn) was the secretary of John Walter, who fell in love with her in 1902 when she worked for him on the aforesaid motoring magazine. Their secret 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. On the other hand, Montagu was married to Lady Cecil Victoria Constance Kerr since 1889. Eleanor died on 30 December 1915 when the SS Persia was torpedoed by a U-boat south of Crete. She had been accompanying Lord Montagu who had been directed to assume a command in India. He was thought to have been killed too, but survived and was saved after several days adrift in a life raft...

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