Do you remember any particular decor that your mom or dad had on the dashboard of the car? My dad had a statue of Saint Christopher. I have seen fluffy dice hanging from the mirror, a trend started in the 1950s that continues to this day for kitsch value. I really love the sway of a dashboard spring-hipped plastic hula dancer, another trend that started in the 1950s when military members sent them home. Car decor is considered automobilia, defined as collectible items relating to cars.
The outside of a car might also be decorated as well. My car has a funny coffee themed bumper sticker from a local roaster, which is not too much really. We had a buyer who drove a van covered with artistic swirls of all sorts and sizes of buttons! I recently acquired a nifty license plate topper (collectors just call them “toppers”) prompting me to jump into the research about what other sorts of decor and accessories were used over a the past hundred years or so. Collectible automobilia covers a huge range of interesting vintage items.
1920s Automatic Traffic-Cop
This 1920s automated tin traffic cop was listed by me and sold in a heartbeat. The advertisement explains how it is used on the rear window of the car and is activated by momentum to warn the car behind when the driver brakes or slows down. It was made in Buffalo, NY.
Model T Bud Vase
What a charming way to include flowers in a day of driving on country backroads! Popular in the 1920s and 1930s, luxury cars may have come with installed car vases, but most were aftermarket add-ons. If you are driving a Model T, the Ford Company might be pleased to see this attractive and fragrant addition to your auto. Available on Etsy in the shop Returning Home for $125.
For more information about the history of automobile vases, the Antique Automobile Club of America site has an interesting discussion with lots of period advertising. One advertisement from 1924 prices a cut glass car vase at $3.50. That would be $64 in today money.
Antique Picnic Basket and Picnicware
Imagine going for a drive with your beau in the 30s or 40s and rather than stopping at a restaurant or diner, you bring your own food and enjoy it under the shade of a beautiful tree. Don’t forget to bring a blanket! I just discovered that Beetleware was an early form of compression molded plastic made from urea formaldehyde. It was used for molded cups and dishes as well as other useful items to hold food and beverage. What fun! Find this in The beez kneez vintage shop on Etsy for $160.
Art Deco Hood Ornament “Victoire” Green Uranium Bohemian Glass
The very look of this vaseline uranium glass hood ornament titled “Victoire,” shows the other name, “Spirit of the Wind,” with the hair of blown straight back from the head as the car moves, tied to the road but looking very much as if it is flying. Art Deco 1930 Glass has this available for your collection online for $210.
Vintage License Plate Topper
This will eventually be in my shop. I do not remember seeing these as a kid, but cars didn’t really interest me until I could drive. This is from the 1930s or 1940s, and was created to advertise Jackson Motors in Oxford, MA, a dealership that sold and serviced Fords. If you search for vintage antique license plate toppers, you can see an array of designs for places, sports teams and more. Mine is steel with a silvery coating (tinned?) on the back and paint on the front. Beware, toppers are being faked! Who knew?
You may be wondering, what’s the difference between automobilia and petroliana collectibles?
Automobilia pertains specifically things related to cars and motor racing. It includes things like steering wheels, dashboard compasses, advertising posters, hood ornaments, clothing and collectibles relating to racing car drivers. Petroliana pertains to things related to the gas and petroleum industry. Collectible petroliana includes gas pumps, gas station signs, road maps, oil cans, gas station advertisements and just about anything relating to or found at a gas station.
