Vintage 2ft3inch Rolls Royce Spirit of Ecstasy Sculpture mid- 20th Century

A large  vintage decorative Rolls Royce silvered bronze sculpture, The Spirit of Ecstasy, dating from the mid 20th century.

The winged maiden was designed by Charles Robinson Sykes (1875-1950), and she stands on an attractive round black marble plinth base.

In 1910 Rolls-Royce slowly became aware that some owners were affixing 'inappropriate' ornaments to their cars. Claude Johnson's brief to Sykes was to sculpt a mascot for Rolls Royce that embodied 'speed with silence, absence of vibration, the mysterious harnessing of great energy and a beautiful living organism of superb grace' to become the standard emblem of the Rolls-Royce brand and it was Sykes' daughter, Jo (born 1908) that believed it was on the road from London to Beaulieu that her father first became 'Very impressed with the smoothness and speed of the Rolls Royce car.... imagining that even so delicate a thing as a fairy could ride on the bonnet without losing her balance.'

In early 1911 Sykes' presented his mascot, entitled "The Spirit of Speed", to Rolls-Royce. This figurine had her arms outstretched behind her and her gaze firmly fixed forward. She was soon retitled "The Spirit of Ecstasy" by Johnson and became the official symbol of Rolls-Royce automobiles on 6th February 1911.

It is a striking piece thought to be a former Rolls Royce car showroom sculpture.

Condition:

In excellent condition, please see photos for confirmation of condition.

The Spirit of Ecstasy is the bonnet ornament on Rolls-Royce cars. It is in the form of a woman leaning forwards with her arms outstretched behind and above her. Billowing cloth runs from her arms to her back, resembling wings.
The Spirit of Ecstasy, also called "Emily", "Silver Lady" or "Flying Lady", was designed by English sculptor Charles Robinson Sykes and carries with it a story about secret passion between John Walter Edward Douglas-Scott-Montagu, (second Baron Montagu of Beaulieu after 1905, a pioneer of the automobile movement, and editor of The Car Illustrated magazine from 1902) and the model for the emblem, Eleanor Velasco Thornton. Eleanor (also known as Thorn) was the secretary of John Walter, who fell in love with her in 1902 when she worked for him on the aforesaid motoring magazine. Their secret love was to remain hidden, limited to their circle of friends, for more than a decade. The reason for the secrecy was Eleanor's impoverished social and economic status, which was an obstacle to their love. On the other hand, Montagu was married to Lady Cecil Victoria Constance Kerr since 1889.
Eleanor died on 30 December 1915 when the SS Persia was torpedoed by a U-boat south of Crete. She had been accompanying Lord Montagu who had been directed to assume a command in India. He was thought to have been killed too, but survived and was saved after several days adrift in a life raft.

Angelica Kauffman, RA (1741 - 1807)

was a Swiss-born Austrian Neoclassical painter who had a successful career in London and Rome. Though born as "Kauffmann", Kauffman is the preferred spelling of her name in English; it is the form she herself used most in signing her correspondence, documents and paintings.

While Kauffman produced many types of art, she identified herself primarily as a history painter, an unusual designation for a woman artist in the 18th century. History painting, was considered the most elite and lucrative category in academic painting during this time period. Under the direction of Sir Joshua Reynolds, the Royal Academy made a strong effort to promote history painting to a native audience who were more interested in commissioning and buying portraits and landscapes.

Despite the popularity that Kauffman enjoyed in British society and her success as an artist, she was disappointed by the relative apathy that the British had towards history painting. Ultimately she left Britain for the continent, where history painting was better established, held in higher esteem and patronized.

The works of Angelica Kauffman have retained their reputation. By 1911, rooms decorated with her work were still to be seen in various quarters. At Hampton Court was a portrait of the duchess of Brunswick; in the National Portrait Gallery, a self-portrait. There were other pictures by her at Paris, at Dresden, in the Hermitage at St Petersburg, in the Alte Pinakothek atMunich, in Kadriorg Palace, Tallinn (Estonia).

Satinwood

is a hard and durable wood with a satinlike sheen, much used in cabinetmaking, especially in marquetry. It comes from two tropical trees of the family Rutaceae (rue family). East Indian or Ceylon satinwood is the yellowish or dark-brown heartwood of Chloroxylon swietenia.

The lustrous, fine-grained, usually figured wood is used for furniture, cabinetwork, veneers, and backs of brushes. West Indian satinwood, sometimes called yellow wood, is considered superior. It is the golden yellow, lustrous, even-grained wood found in the Florida Keys and the West Indies.

It has long been valued for furniture. It is also used for musical instruments, veneers, and other purposes. Satinwood is classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Sapindales, family Rutaceae.