Footnotes

The Rolls-Royce desk set Christmas gifts. An annual Sterling Silver 'Objets de Bureau' commissioned by Rolls-Royce Motors 1926-1937.

It is reasonable to argue that few companies in the automotive world have a richer corporate heritage than Rolls-Royce Motors, whose legendary 'Spirit of Ecstasy' mascot was created in 1911 by the renowned British sculptor Charles Sykes R.A. (1875 - 1950).

The Spirit of Ecstasy mascot has now adorned Rolls-Royce automobiles for over 110 years and is one of the world's most readily identified images. In 1926, following the successful introduction of their New Phantom model (later known as the Phantom I), the Directors of Rolls-Royce Motors decided to commission a Christmas gift, to be produced in a small quantity. The piece in question was a cigar ashtray of conventional circular form, surmounted by a reduced size Spirit of Ecstasy, the whole in Sterling silver. A small number of these ashtrays were presented by Rolls-Royce as Christmas gifts that year. The fortunate recipients of the ashtray were evidently highly delighted with their gifts, and Rolls-Royce decided to commission another piece - a desk clock - for presentation the following year. This, too, was very well received, and so the 'tradition' of commissioning a different piece each year evolved.

With the exception of 1931, each of the following years, until 1937, saw the creation of a different piece, always in Sterling silver and always incorporating the Spirit of Ecstasy as its decorative theme or inspiration. It is thought that no piece was commissioned in 1931 due to Rolls-Royce's acquisition of Bentley Motors that year, and the economic depression prevailing at the time.

Rolls-Royce chose the London silversmiths Messrs. Saunders and Shepherd as manufacturers, and all the pieces, with the exception of the ashtray which was made by Crown jewellers Garrard of Regent Street, and the pieces bear Saunders and Shepherd's hallmark and year letter from the London Assay Office.

The pieces which comprise the 'Desk Set' were never available for sale - they were strictly the gift of the Company and as such were presented only to those considered particularly important by Rolls-Royce Motors.

Pieces from the Desk Set appear very infrequently on the market and are prized by collectors and enthusiasts of the marque. Some of the pieces such as the Cigar Ashtray are for whatever reason, more easily found than others, such as the Rose Bowl for 1936, of which only three examples have 'surfaced ' since 1979. A full set comprises:-
1926 ashtray, 1927 desk clock, 1928 cigarette box, 1929 inkwell, 1930 bon-bon dish, 1931 (no gifts were issued in 1931 due to the acquisition of Bentley Motors and financial recession), 1932 ink blotter, 1933 desk barometer, 1934 desk lighter, 1935 salver, 1936 rose bowl and 1937 bookends. Little is recorded about the production of the desk lamp and very few examples exist, but is it known that the 1938 desk lamps were not presented as Christmas gifts.

Recipients of desk sets included Clyde Automobiles of Glasgow, Watson of Liverpool, Cockshoot of Manchester, Rippon Bros of Huddersfield, Car Mart of London, Roltes of Maidstone and Croal of Edinburgh.