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1927 Spirit of St Louis Car Mascot, Hood Ornament
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Spirit of St Louis mascot by Bousquet. This was made to celebrate the crossing of the Atlantic Ocean by Charles A. Lindbergh. Complete with the original spinning propeller. It is a very detailed French mascot made on 9th August 1927. It was retailed from a workshop at 29 Rue De Trevise, Paris. It is an exceptionally rare find of historical importance. It has the Lindbergh bust medallion in relief on the top of the wings, plus also showing a map in relief detailing the route from New York to Paris in French. Complete with longitude and latitude markings, place names and 'Ocean Atlantique' written right across the wingspan. Photographed and described on Page 212 in Michel Legrand book 'Mascottes Passion' Plate 616, showing the mascot detail, and photocopy of the original 1927 receipt, supplying this piece and another to a retail antique shop at the Louvr. It is very rare to find an example with the signature of the artist clearly moulded under the wing and mounted on an original French c.1927 period heavy original nickel bronze radiator cap.
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Dimensions :
135mm long, 135mm wingspan, 70mm high, 110mm high with cap.
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Condition :
Really excellent condition, with the original spinning propeller intact. It is very detailed with good age patination to the silvered bronze finish and normal light wear totally commensurate with its age. The Lindburgh bust medallion is still in wonderful fettle, and all markings on the cowling , wing and tail are still in truly excellent condition.
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Historical Footnote :
On May 21, 1927, Charles A. Lindbergh completed the first solo non stop transatlantic flight in history. The Aeroplane was made by Ryan Airlines Co., San Diego, California. Named 'N.Y.P.' (acronym for "New-York-Paris) the "Spirit of St. Louis" (named by his supporters) flew 5,810 kilometres (3,610 miles) between Roosevelt Field on Long Island, New York, and Paris, France, in 33 hours, 30 minutes. With this remarkable flight, Lindbergh won the $25,000 prize offered by New York hotel owner Raymond Orteig to the first aviator to fly an aircraft directly across the Atlantic between New York and Paris. In his efforts to pare down the plane's weight, Lindbergh considered every detail. Any item considered too heavy or unnecessary was left behind. These included a radio, parachute, gas gauges, and navigation lights. Lindbergh designed for himself special lightweight boots for the flight, and went so far as to cut his maps down to include only those reference points he would need. Every ounce mattered. Instead of a heavy leather pilot's seat, Lindbergh would be perched in a far lighter wicker chair. When he landed at Le Bourget Field in Paris, Lindbergh became a world hero and assured his well deserved place in aviation history.
The aftermath of the flight was the "Lindbergh boom" in aviation: Aircraft industry stocks rose in value and interest in flying skyrocketed. Lindbergh's subsequent US tour in the "Spirit of St. Louis" demonstrated the potential of the Aeroplane as a safe, reliable mode of transportation.
Surely the wonderful 'Spirit of St Louis' is one of the most famous aeroplanes in the world and is today housed in the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC. Lindburgh is surely one of the most famous and brave aviators the world has ever seen.
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