Jon Zoler has assembled what is regarded as the world’s most complete collection of car mascots and hood ornaments. During the Art Deco era of the 1920s and 1940s, the car mascot, or hood ornament, reached its golden age. Virtually every automobile of distinction carried a sculptural emblem that announced its maker and reflected the aesthetic ambitions of its owner.

The Vision and Passion of the Collector

Collectors are vital to preserving our cultural and artistic heritage. Their passion transforms forgotten objects into living history, connecting past craftsmanship to present appreciation. At Art Deco Collection, we highlight these individuals because their devotion reflects scholarship, curiosity, and the desire to preserve beauty rather than pursue profit. True collectors act as stewards, driven by fascination, study, and the thrill of discovery. Featuring them in our Art Deco Resource Guide celebrates this enduring spirit of inquiry and passion that defines Art Deco itself, where design, innovation, and personal vision come together to create lasting legacies.

Three bookcases from Jon Zoler’s private collection, each lined with rare car mascots and hood ornaments that trace the evolution of automotive sculpture through the first half of the twentieth century.

Jon N. Zoler: Car Mascots and Hood Ornaments

Jon Zoler has assembled what is regarded as the world’s most complete collection of car mascots and hood ornaments. His fascination with these small but powerful emblems of automotive identity has evolved into a lifetime pursuit that spans over a decade. Zoler credits the internet and the availability of high-resolution digital photography for making such an ambitious undertaking possible. What might once have taken a collector forty years to achieve, he accomplished in roughly fifteen, thanks to online resources, auctions, and specialist dealers who could provide accurate images and provenance. In an earlier era, enthusiasts had to travel to automobile and memorabilia shows across continents in search of rare finds. The internet condensed that search into a global gallery at one’s fingertips.

Left: Indian with Yellow Lucite Head, creator unknown, Pontiac (American), 1953. Chrome-plated zinc with illuminated Lucite head. This ornament, produced at the height of Pontiac’s Art Deco influence, honors Chief Pontiac and symbolizes power, unity, and speed. Right: Minerva, by Pierre de Soete for Minerva (Belgium), ca. 1929. Silver-plated bronze. Designed for the Model 40 CV limousine, this regal figure embodies wisdom and refinement in high Art Deco form.

During the Art Deco era of the 1920s and 1930s, the car mascot, or hood ornament, reached its golden age. Virtually every automobile of distinction carried a sculptural emblem that announced its maker and reflected the aesthetic ambitions of its owner. The automobile had become more than a mode of transport; it was a symbol of status, design, and aspiration. Manufacturers understood that consumers wanted to project identity through their cars, and they responded with mascots that encapsulated the values of luxury, performance, or refinement. It is estimated that between five and eight thousand different mascot models were produced worldwide, ranging from the whimsical to the sublime.

Left: Indian with Yellow Lucite Head, creator unknown, Pontiac (American), 1953. Chrome-plated zinc with illuminated Lucite head. This ornament, produced at the height of Pontiac’s Art Deco influence, honors Chief Pontiac and symbolizes power, unity, and speed. Right: Minerva, by Pierre de Soete for Minerva (Belgium), ca. 1929. Silver-plated bronze. Designed for the Model 40 CV limousine, this regal figure embodies wisdom and refinement in high Art Deco form.

The artistry and craftsmanship of these mascots varied widely. Most were cast in metal using the die-casting process, molten zinc alloys forced under pressure into intricate molds, but the finest examples were created through the cire-perdue or lost-wax method, the same technique used for fine bronze sculpture. These pieces, often plated with nickel, silver, or chrome, displayed remarkable detail and sculptural finesse. A few manufacturers turned to glass, producing ethereal mascots that glowed in the light of passing headlights. René Lalique’s glass mascots, made in France, remain the most celebrated of all, blending the luxury of automotive design with the artistry of fine glassmaking.

Left: Stork, by François Bazin for Hispano-Suiza (Spanish), ca. 1920. Chrome-plated bronze. Created by a former French fighter-pilot sculptor, this mascot became the enduring emblem of Hispano-Suiza’s grace and engineering excellence. Right: “Hibou” (“Owl”) by Édouard Marcel Sandoz. The Swiss sculptor’s stylized form merges natural observation with the geometric elegance of Art Deco design. Cast by Susse Frères, Paris.

Mascots, like all forms of art, mirrored the cultural and stylistic movements of their times. Early designs of the 1910s and 1920s often featured naturalistic depictions of women, animals, and mythological figures. With the arrival of Art Deco, design language shifted toward streamlined forms, geometric symmetry, and dynamic motion. The sleek lines of modernity found expression in chrome-plated figures that appeared to leap forward into the future. As automobiles themselves became more aerodynamic in the 1930s, mascots evolved into what became known as “hood ornaments,” integral to the car’s sculpted design. Classic motifs such as Pontiac’s Indian, Dodge’s Ram, and Peugeot’s Lion carried forward the tradition into the midcentury, before fading from prominence after 1960.

Left: Goddess with MotoMeter, by Joseph E. Corker for Packard (American), 1926–1928. Silver-plated zinc. The first “Goddess of Speed” mascot introduced by Packard, representing elegance, movement, and the company’s pursuit of refinement. Right: Spirit of Ecstasy, by Charles Sykes for Rolls-Royce (England), 1911–1914. Silver-plated bronze. Perhaps the most iconic car mascot ever created, modeled in the lost-wax tradition to embody grace, dignity, and quiet power.

Zoler’s collection reflects this entire evolution. It includes examples of the finest glass mascots ever made, along with rare bronzes and chromed sculptures from both major marques and obscure makers. His expertise has not only preserved an art form but also elevated it to the realm of cultural history. In recognizing these mascots as genuine works of art, Zoler aligns himself with a growing movement that views automobile design as an extension of sculpture, engineering, and modern aesthetics. His collection invites viewers to reconsider these objects not merely as automotive accessories, but as artistic expressions of the 20th century’s fascination with motion, luxury, and innovation.

Left: Petty Girl, by George Petty for Nash Motors (American), 1955. Chrome-plated zinc. Designed by the famed pin-up illustrator, this streamlined figure merges glamour and aerodynamics in mid-century style. Right: Leaping Gazelle, by Herbert V. Henderson for Chrysler Imperial (American), 1931–1932. Chrome-plated zinc. A dynamic expression of speed and luxury, designed for the prestigious Imperial series.

Zoler is the author of The Art of the Car Mascot, Evolution of American Car Mascots and Hood Ornaments, Evolution of British and European Car Mascots, and Glass Car Mascots. His work has been exhibited at major automotive museums, including the REVs Automotive Institute in Naples, Florida, and the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum in Indiana, where hundreds of examples from his collection have been on view. Through his dedication and scholarly insight, Jon N. Zoler has ensured that the once-overlooked car mascot now holds its rightful place among the great sculptural traditions of the Art Deco era and beyond.

Left: Façade of the Folies Bergère theater in Paris, designed by Maurice Pico in 1926. The sculptural relief of a dancer embodies the exuberance and rhythm of French Art Deco architecture. Right: Car mascot modeled after imagery from the Folies Bergère poster by Maurice Pico. Its streamlined forms capture the romance and sophistication of French Art Deco design.

Additional Images

This special collection was made in the 1920s and 1930s by François Roques, who worked for Hermès. These pieces were produced in very limited numbers, sold through Hermès, and known examples numbered approximately 1 through 14. They were later acquired directly from the Roques family, who settled in Argentina.

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Meet the Collector

Jon N. Zoler, whose decades of collecting and research have helped elevate the car mascot from automotive accessory to a recognized form of sculptural art.