Locomobile Vanderbilt Cup Mascot Sells for $2,550 on EBay
Revised: January 3, 2010: A Locomobile Vanderbilt Cup mascot (missing a radiator cap) was sold for $2,550 on EBay last night.
As noted in this August 2008 post, the mascot was issued by Locomobile Company to celebrate their 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race victory and cost $1.50 without a radiator cap.
The mascot with a radiator cap was sold for $2.25 in 1909 and was proudly placed on the hoods of many Locomobiles.
January 4, 2010 Update: This is the Locomobile brochure announcing the radiator mascot. As noted below by Joel Finn, a dinner cup version was also given out at a Bridgeport banquet in November 8,1908 to celebrate the Locomobile victory.
Comments
Howard;
The Locomobile piece was first made in Sterling Silver and given out as favors to the invited attendees at the Vanderbilt Cup victory dinner held at the Stratfield Hotel in Bridgeport, CT on November 9, 1908. These were never made available for sale to the general public.
In March 1909, Locomobile began offering two different versions made in pewter to owners of their cars. When the cup was supplied with a radiator cap the price was $2.25. If the owner wanted a cup to install on his existing radiator cap the price was $1.50. Both prices included mailing.
From a memo by the sales department in October 1910, it was stated that almost 900 had been sold to that point.
The piece sold on eBay was the Radiator Cup without the cap. It was not the dinner cup. Regards, Walter
Joel and Walter:
That’s for information!
Howard
That is an amazing auction result. As a collector of Bridgeport memorabilia, that would be my “holy grail”. I see another cup is on ebay now http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140373482675&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT This one has the threaded screw for the radiator cap. Thanks for the information about the cup.
Thanks J.D. for the heads up!
Howard
Thanks for this information. I just found the Cup with the radiator cap in my fathers collection. Makes me wonder how many survived.