AFA 22nd Anniversary

22nd Anniversary 86 www.afamag.com | w ww.incollect.com The highest quality mascots manufactured by die casting were made with zinc alloys. The finest mascots, however, were copper alloys, such as bronze or brass. These mascots were produced by the labor-intensive cire-perdue, or lost wax, method. This process produced mascots one at a time, resulting in fine casting details of complex patterns, expressions, and forms. Depending on price, the base metal would be plated with silver, nickel, or chrome. Several companies made glass mascots. The most famous and exclusive glass mascots were made by Rene Lalique in France. In addition to mascots, a significant number of motorists Goddess with MotoMeter, by Joseph E. Corker for Packard (American), 1926–1928. Silver-plated zinc; Height 6.3 in, Length 15 in. Collection of the author. This is the first “Goddess of Speed” car mascot used by Packard. It was designed by Joseph E. Corker and patented on July 12, 1927. Packard employed variations of this Goddess figure from 1926 through 1937. This is the third longest span among American cars for using the same mascot motif. It was only surpassed by Dodge, which employed a Ram for more than twenty years, and Pontiac, named after Ottawa Chief Pontiac, which used an Indian for thirty years. Indian with yellow Lucite head, creator unknown, Pontiac (American), 1953. Chrome-plated zinc body and yellow Lucite head; H. 7.9, L. 20 in. Collection of the author. Pontiac automobiles were named after Chief Pontiac, chief of the Ottawa Tribe in the 1760s. He was responsible for uniting the six Indian tribes. Not by coincidence, Pontiac introduced a new powerful six-cylinder car in 1926. The Pontiac Indian was employed on one of the Pontiac models every year for three decades. This 1953 hood ornament is arguably the most dramatic ornament ever produced by Pontiac. It is twenty inches long, has two parallel vertical chrome feathers, and a yellow Lucite head that was illuminated when the headlights were turned on.