WPO Communications run by Tony Bailey - Jaguar Automobilia, all about the first ever SS Cars Ltd Jaguar mascot by F Gordon Crosby!

♦ Home ♦ Jaguar Mascots ♦ Jaguar Memories ♦ Jaguar Posters ♦ Mike Hawthorn ♦ Mike Hawthorn - Golden Boy ♦ D-Type at Goodwood
TB Pics For Sale ♦ JEC XKR Sports Exhaust ♦

WPO Communications
Web Site Design and Motor Sport Photography - Tony Bailey

My Jaguar Automobilia

As well as being a programmer for over 30 years, I'm a dedicated Jaguar fan and for many years, I collected Jaguar Automobilia covering the period from the earliest days as Swallow in the 1920s through SS Cars Ltd and on to Jaguar. If you ever wondered about the history of the original Jaguar mascot then read on ....

The Gordon Crosby Jaguar Mascot

It's well known by now that when William Lyons, SS Cars Ltd Managing Director in the 1930s, spotted a Desmo mascot sitting on the radiator cap of an SS Saloon that was in for aervice at the factory, he took an instant dislike to it - "Looks like a cat shot off a fence!" he remarked and promptly ordered a more suitable replacement be designed. The job went to Frederick Gordon Crosby - a well known artist and sculptor. He had already designed Bentley's 'Flying B' emblem and a number of other emblems and badges - and he owned several SS Saloons.

Later, a small item near the bottom of page 1204 of the 23 December 1938 issue of Autocar announced: “Priced at two guineas, this Jaguar mascot has just been produced especially for the SS Company. It may be obtained from any SS agent.” A contemporary sales aid made the Gordon Crosby connection very definite. Over a photograph of the mascot were the words “Jaguar Mascot. Designed expressly for SS Cars Ltd – manufacturers of the Jaguar car – by the eminent artist and sculptor, F. Gordon Crosby.”

The only surviving original prototype bronze mascot is shown above and bears quite a few differences to the final production version.

I am selling much of my Jaguar Automobilia collection - the link below shows what is on eBay at the moment:

You can select any item in the scrolling selector above or go directly to Jaguar Memories to view everything in the Store

Select the RSS image to view the store listings in RSS format and/or to subscribe to this RSS Feed

My Homepage

♦ Home ♦ Jaguar Mascots ♦ Jaguar Memories ♦ Jaguar Posters ♦ Mike Hawthorn ♦ Mike Hawthorn - Golden Boy ♦ D-Type at Goodwood
TB Pics For Sale ♦ JEC XKR Sports Exhaust ♦