Golden Spirit

Some would say that this the most recognisable bonnet emblem in the history of automobiles, and it's hard to disagree with that.

Resplendent in 24 carat goldleaf and 22.5 carat champagne leaf I have recreated my rendition of this iconic yet beautiful piece of bonnet sculpture.

The Spirit of Ecstasy, The Flying Lady, The Silver Lady or simply Eleanor has adorned many Rolls Royce cars since John Walter Edward Douglas-Scott-Montagu 2nd Baron Montagu of Beaulieu commissioned his sculptor friend, Charles Robinson Sykes to create a personal sculpture for his 1909 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost.

The model Sykes chose was Eleanor Velasco Thornton, then the secret mistress of the Baron and his secretary at the motoring magazine, The Car Illustrated.

The initial sculpture was named The Whisper, as one hand was held to the lips as a nod to the secrecy of the couples affair.

Upon viewing the sculpture other owners commissioned their own pieces to adorn the Rolls-Royce's, so much so that the company decided  to have their own piece commissioned so that the right and proper bonnet sculpture would compliment their vehicles. Sykes was again commissioned to create this piece and so a silver lady had been on the front of a Rolls-Royce ever since, in one form or another.

For all of the above I just had to recreate my own vision of this most iconic of emblems. From preparing the glass, through to the initial sketch, sandblasting, glue mixing and application, stencil cutting, chipping, gliding, painting, polishing, frame mounting, and even fixing the name plate and frame hardware to the frame, its all done be me.

The only parts of this creation I don't make is the frame itself, as I don't have a professional frame making machine, but then again, most artists are the same, as I prefer to concentrate on what I am good at, and farm out the more specialist aspects of my work.

Due to the very special nature of the glue chipping, each artwork is individually hand crafted to order, and thereby totally original, no two pieces are the same, as the glue chips the glass individually on each application. Each chip is between 0.2mm and 0.5mm deep, but when gilded the chipping takes on a sculptural appearance and becomes almost theatrical.

Quite appropriate for this piece.

This random alchemy is what makes this process so attractive and beautiful, and ensures that each piece that I create is a genuine original piece of artwork.

Each artwork is individually hand crafted to order.

The artwork is created in 4mm float glass and is framed with a stain black frame with a gold sight line to enhance the beauty of the gilded glue chipped glass.

All pieces are supplied with an individually engraved brass nameplate, screwed to the back of the frame. This details the title of the artwork, the creation date, and the collection number.

All pieces are also supplied with an ethically sourced document folder, which holds the certificate of authenticity, an insurance valuation, gold leaf certification, and where appropriate, a data sheet from the carbon fibre manufacturer for full material traceability

Complimentary shipping worldwide.

White Glove delivery option available,

Please contact me or a quote if you would prefer this option.

Lead time: 6-8 weeks.

Size:    66cm x 76cm

           26" x 30"