They just don't make 'em like they used to

April 8, 2006 8:38 PM

Hood ornaments: streamlined chrome from a bygone era in automotive design. From stylized trains to jet planes these tiny icons chronicle America's transition from the jazz age to the space race. Lots more here.
posted by sergeant sandwich (13 comments total)

Nice! but I wish they had actual photos of all of them, they only have sketches of some of the older rarer ones.
posted by Devils Slide at 8:59 PM on April 8, 2006

The Mascot Mania site is very comprehensive. Thanks ss.
posted by Devils Slide at 9:40 PM on April 8, 2006

Sarge, I salute you. (Yes, I know I know, you're not an officer you work for a living, still: great stuff)
posted by IronLizard at 9:51 PM on April 8, 2006

I love the old art deco ones. Very cool.
posted by caddis at 11:48 PM on April 8, 2006

how funny that you posted this...i just saw this hood ornament in intersection magazine that is so freaking wicked that i've been telling everyone i see about it...here's another shot of it, but the one in the magazine from head on does it much better justice...the ripples in the hood must have been modelled in a computer from wind tunnel data on the figure...WANT IT
posted by sexyrobot at 4:10 AM on April 9, 2006

posted by Acey at 5:01 AM on April 9, 2006

Maybe you could rob it, sexyrobot?
posted by Acey at 5:01 AM on April 9, 2006

Sargeant - you rock.

I started to put an FPP on this just two days ago - I've collected for some time (mainly deco ones). A fun obsession - some of these were so beautiful.
posted by parki at 5:29 AM on April 9, 2006

Sarge, keep posting like this, and you'll be First Sergeant Sandwich with a side of chips.
posted by eriko at 6:24 AM on April 9, 2006

Great post!
posted by yoga at 10:19 AM on April 9, 2006

OOOOoooooh. I like. I've been known to wander around the Henry Ford Museum just looking at the hood ornaments. Very nice. thanks!
posted by jlkr at 12:02 PM on April 9, 2006

Nice links on an interesting topic, sergeant.
Unrelated observation: Nice that Mefi has sergeants in charge of both sandwiches and serenity.
posted by madamjujujive at 10:31 PM on April 9, 2006

Oh man, hood ornaments used to be such a thing of beauty. If only I had a car sweet enough to grace with one of those. Of course, it'd need to be an electrified hood ornamant to discourage hoods from nabbing it.
posted by Durhey at 4:40 PM on April 10, 2006