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Odd Hood Ornament Similar to Cormorant
#1
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Packard Don
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I've been speaking with the owner of this odd ornament that is clearly not Packard but also does not look like any aftermarket ornament I've ever seen. It's almost Art-Deco in appearance. The body looks like those of the late '40s to '52 but is lying down as part of the base and the wings are very sharp-edged. Does anyone here know what it might be?

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Posted on: 2018/4/18 18:52
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Re: Odd Hood Ornament Similar to Cormorant
#2
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Owen_Dyneto
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Difficult to comment without a photo

Posted on: 2018/4/18 18:59
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Re: Odd Hood Ornament Similar to Cormorant
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Packard Don
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Oops! Photo added.

Posted on: 2018/4/18 19:08
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Re: Odd Hood Ornament Similar to Cormorant
#4
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Ozstatman
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Are the wings mounted backwards?

Posted on: 2018/4/18 20:15
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Re: Odd Hood Ornament Similar to Cormorant
#5
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Packard Don
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I was wondering that too so I'll ask the owner if she can reverse them and send another photo. She said that it was in with her late grandfather's items, who was a huge Packard fan and even owned a coupe many years ago but she didn't know anything about them herself as to what they were.

Posted on: 2018/4/18 21:06
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Re: Odd Hood Ornament Similar to Cormorant
#6
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Packard Don
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The owner took off the wings to try to reverse them but discovered that they are keyed to install only in one directly so they are not reversible.

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Posted on: 2018/4/19 10:56
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Re: Odd Hood Ornament Similar to Cormorant
#7
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Leeedy
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Quote:

PackardDon wrote:
I've been speaking with the owner of this odd ornament that is clearly not Packard but also does not look like any aftermarket ornament I've ever seen. It's almost Art-Deco in appearance. The body looks like those of the late '40s to '52 but is lying down as part of the base and the wings are very sharp-edged. Does anyone here know what it might be?


There were lots and lots and lots of aftermarket hood ornaments that imitated the Packard bird ornament. These knock-off aftermarket ornaments were made for decades. Some had cast bodies with sheet metal wings. Some had fully cast designs. Others had cast bodies with plastic wings-some of which went as far as to have a bulb inside to illuminate the wings. Most were universal-fit, but some were made for cars... some were made for motorcycles and some were made for bicycles. And there were several varieties of these sub-catefgories of the sub-category! So anything is imaginable.

Probably the most prolific of the manufacturers of these ornaments (all of them) was a company called Gem Manufacturing out of Illinois. No idea if they are still in business. I have several of their old catalogues. Of course you can also find knock-off Packard ornaments in J.C. Whitney, Western Auto and Pep Boys catalogues, as well as other retail outlets that sold automotive items.

Try turning the ornament over and take a good, clear photo of the underside. There ought to be a maker's logo under the bird.

Posted on: 2018/4/19 17:01
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Re: Odd Hood Ornament Similar to Cormorant
#8
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Packard Don
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Great info which, of course, I already knew in general (some of the specifics were new to me) but this particular one caught my attention due to its Art-Deco look and laying-down position of the bird so I was thinking that it might have been another odd Earle C. Anthony custom piece. However, I was just about to post that one nearly identical but with illuminated plastic wings has surfaced so I agree that this is just another of the quasi-knock-offs.

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Posted on: 2018/4/19 17:10
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Re: Odd Hood Ornament Similar to Cormorant
#9
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Leeedy
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Quote:

PackardDon wrote:
Great info which, of course, I already knew in general (some of the specifics were new to me) but this particular one caught my attention due to its Art-Deco look and laying-down position of the bird so I was thinking that it might have been another odd Earle C. Anthony custom piece. However, I was just about to post that one nearly identical but with illuminated plastic wings has surfaced so I agree that this is just another of the quasi-knock-offs.



Like I said... a knock-off with plastic wings that were illuminated. Probably made by Gem. They made a bunch of these. Wings came in red, pink, green, yellow, blue and possibly other colors.

This would certainly not be an Earle C. Anthony ornament. And there were two categories of ECA radiator/hood ornaments:
1.) Designed for retail sales to Packard customers... Examples of this would have included a cast peacock and the combination cast & tubular or wire bird with flowing wings that were a radio antenna.

2.) Designed/intended for ECA staff members only and not sold to general public...Example (comical) would be a cow standing on its own udder with a slogan around the base saying "So you think you've got troubles?" Dreamed up by EC himself. I have one of these ornaments.

Posted on: 2018/4/19 17:36
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Re: Odd Hood Ornament Similar to Cormorant
#10
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Packard Don
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I looked it up and see that Gem Manufacturing is still around! I used to have one of their Bugler Swans that I bought in the '60s or early '70s from J.C. Whitney and used it on my 1940 Packard as it was safer than parking it unattended with its Flying Lady ornament!

Posted on: 2018/4/19 17:38
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