Giant Collection Of Old Radiator Caps And Hood Ornaments

Giant Collection Of Old Radiator Caps And Hood Ornaments FARM HOME Cars 25-2-24 A lot of old cars and pickups made from about 1900 to the mid 1940's came equipped with radiator cap "mascots" and hood ornaments, many of them quite beautiful. Collecting the ornaments has become a hobby for some, including Mike Kleba of Mallorytown, Ontario. Kleba buys, swaps, and sells ornaments. "I have one of the biggest collections in North America and am always looking for more," says Kleba, who has about 500 ornaments. "I used to work in the electro plating business refinishing old car parts, where I learned a lot about the designs of old cars. After I retired I started collecting the ornaments. I can restore mascots and ornaments so I'll take them whether they're in good or damaged condition. "Mascots were made first, starting in about 1900. I think the most attractive mascots were made from 1910 to 1930. Hood ornaments didn't start showing up until the mid 1930's and are still made today, although they're much smaller than the older ones. In the 1960's and 1970's, car companies started spring-loading their hood ornaments for greater safety. I'm looking for mostly late 1920's to early 1930's mascots and hood ornaments. I'm particularly interested in mascots made from 1923 to 1926 because they're very rare. "Both mascots and hood ornaments became a symbol of a car's identity and were often what encouraged people to buy a car. "Two examples of beautiful mascots are those made for the 1927 to 1929 Cadillac LaSalle car. One shows a man playing a trumpet. The other shows a man who has just come to America, holding out his hat in celebration. The 1911 Rolls Royce came with a beautiful æflying lady' mascot. In 1934 Cadillac came out with a æflying lady' hood ornament. The Indian head radiator caps made for 1926 to 1929 Pontiac cars were also quite distinctive. Every year Pontiac came out with a different Indian head model. The 1935 Lincoln car hood ornament , showing a running greyhound dog , is also well known. "Many mascots and ornaments are difficult to find today and are definitely becoming more valuable. In the past, Pontiac hood ornaments sold for $6 or $7 apiece. Today they sell for $200 to $300." For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Mike Kleba, P. O. Box 70, Mallorytown, Ontario, Canada KOE 1R0 (ph 613 923-5934).

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