LOT 131

A rare and early St. Christopher motoring figurine 'Mascot' by Charles Sykes, 1899,

Estimate: £1,000 - £1,500

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Lot 131

A rare and early St. Christopher motoring figurine 'Mascot' by Charles Sykes, 1899,

The Winter Automobilia Online Auction|16 December 2024, 13:06 GMT|Guildford

A rare and early St. Christopher motoring figurine 'Mascot' by Charles Sykes, 1899,

signed 'Chas Sykes' to right side of tapered square base and inscribed 'St Christopher' to front of base, 'cire perdu' cast figure in bronze with dark patina depicting the patron saint of travellers 'seeking the way' with hooded cloak and staff, 11cm high, with weighted base.

Footnotes

This bronze St.Christopher figurine is of the type as believed to have been fitted to the 1899 12Hp Daimler of Member of Parliament John Douglas-Scott-Montagu (1866-1929), 2nd Baron Montagu of Beaulieu, who reportedly drove his Daimler adorned with the St.Christopher figurine, into the yard of the Houses of Parliament in 1899, and believed to be the first time a 'mascot' was fitted to a motorcar.

Further information supplied by research staff at the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu, where Lord Montagu's Daimler is currently displayed, suggests that the 'mascot' may have been fitted to the interior of the car, as there was no convention for the radiator display of mascots at that time

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