Posted 12 years ago
Hardbrake
(30 items)
I found this hood ornament laying on a store room floor about 45 years ago. It had fallen out of a storage box. I have made it the center piece of my dresser for the last 35 years before it was the center piece of my head board. She is made of cast steel and chrome plated and porcelain coated. She has been hit on the nose and chin which chipped the porcelain a little. She sets under glass on my dresser in a lighted beer bottle display which I converted to her display. On the base is her name "Betty" and on the back it reads the copyright mark and HDG or a C 192?. The last number is unreadable due to the heavy chrome. This belonged to my step dad who placed it on his car in the 1920's. I do not know if she is named Betty for Betty Boop and she looks ART Deco to me. All I do know is she is a Hood Ornament. What company and is Betty, Betty Boop? She was manufactured before the hot rod age came into its own she is more model T, but still hot in my book. The 21st, of July, 2013 I identified "Betty" as being made to show support to a "Betty Becker Pinkston" a young California, woman whom earned a Gold and a Silver medal in the 1924 Olympic Games in Diving. She also earned a Gold medal in the 1928 Olympic Games. One of the members of Collectors Weekly "Phil David Alexander Morris" is directly responsible for providing me the information that help me identify "Betty." Once armed with a name identifying Betty was simple. I believe that "Betty" was manufactured by the National Novelty Company. Thank You Phil. Hardbrake
Hello again, I believe what you have is another deco figure in the style of Frankart. This one was probably produced by a another deco artist Betty Beck. I have a 1920's ashtray by her you can see here to the right of the lamp.
http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/47910-bradley-and-hubbard-slag-glass-lamp?in=user
for more information check this out, 3rd paragraph
http://luxurymodernhome.hubpages.com/hub/Art-Deco-Figure
They just don't make things like they used to....LOVE THIS!! Mich
So glad to see your item. We have one very much like yours, except ours has a green dress and green boots, also with the name "Betty " on the bottom and a date of 1923. Have you found out any new information on this item? Do you have any idea at all about it's value? We haven't had much luck gathering info on ours, and we've done a ton of research. Thanks!
Thank you for the information but I have not found out anything as of yet. Several years ago I was told that there was two types of Betty hood ornaments but I have not found any info other then that. I will keep looking Please let me know if you find out anything Hardbrake
Thanks for the information and offer but "Betty" and I have been a pair so to speak for over 40 years and she sets in the middle of my dressers top and lights up the dark when ever I turn her on. I would not know how to replace her or what to replace her with, What I would like to know is a few things about her past. Who produced her? From 1923 to what year was she produced? Is she named after the famed "Betty Boop" or just "Betty" because the manufacture liked the name? What is the name of your friends book and when was it printed. Thanks Hardbrake
Thank you for the information I will continue my search about "Betty." I glad to know that Betty has nothing to do with Betty Boop. If you could remember the name of the model it would be of great help to me, thank you once again Hardbrake aka as John
Thank you very much Phil, I learned more today about "Betty" then I have discovered in the last 40 years. I truly appreciate the information that you have given me. I will now discover all the information I can about Betty Becker Pinkston. It's members like you that make me stay on as a member of Collectors Weekly, Hardbrake
ONCE AGAIN THANKS PHIL
Well done Phil, nice to see CW members helping each other out!
^ditto!
It's the first I have seen of this sort nice like the unusual
Regarding the "Betty" hood ornament. Like you, we presumed that the "Betty" was Betty Pinkston, but there is something strange about the reported date of 1923 on the original sculptures because Betty Becker Pinkston was relatively unknown in 1923 and had moved to the east coast. However, there was another "Betty," Betty Williams - who was a star professional diver and swimmer for Madison Square Garden. The image of her that appears in the New York Tribune from 1921 bears a striking resemblance to the "Betty" hood ornament. I'm inclined to believe that the ornament is not of Betty Pinkston, but Betty Williams. You can see for yourself at the link below. By the way, our "blonde and brunette" Betty's are ceramic reproductions as we have been unable to find any originals.
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030214/1921-08-14/ed-1/seq-51/#date1=1920&index=0&rows=20&words=MADISON+MERMAIDS+SQUARE&searchType=basic&sequence=0&state=&date2=1922&proxtext=mermaids+of+madison+square&y=12&x=10&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1
When I say she was relatively unknown in 1923, there were several other divers who were much more well known, having won Olympic titles in 1920. Moreover, Betty Pinkston was not from California. You can learn more about Betty Pinkston on our Hall of Fame website below. http://www.ishof.org/Honorees/67/67bbpinkston.html
The background of "Betty" Williams however, is a mystery - but her picture in the Tribune article is remarkably similar to "Betty".
Thank you for the information and I agree with you, your ceramic reproduction are very close to my Betty. I found a decal for sale on e-bay which had a drawing of Betty Pinkston on it and it was close to my Betty also. This Betty was owned originally by a Mr. Macolm DeWeese who purchased it for his model T's hood in the 1920's. He lived in San Bernardino, California at the time. I will continue to look at any other information that comes my way. Your opinion obviously carries a lot of weight based on your knowledge and it has given me a lot to ponder. Thank you if you discover anything more I would love to hear it, I hope your New Year is an outstanding one, Hardbrake.
I've posted an article on this "mystery" on out website. I've never seen a photo of Betty pinkston in bathing shoes like the Betty mascots. But the ones worn by Betty Williams in the Tribune article are exact. Then there is the hair. A question for you. How tall is your original? Here's the link to my article
http://www.ishof.org/pdf/betty-hood-ornaments.pdf
Thank You for the link: I measured Betty at about 5 1/4 tall and 3 1/2 at the widest part (finger tips to finger tips). I did not measure the mounting bolt as I would have to remove parts of the stand that it's mounted on. Hardbrake
Thanks Hardbrake. We made a lucky guess and our reproductions are almost exactly the same size. I've only seen your and on the internet the blonde that we also copied. Do you have any idea if there are any others out there? They are clearly an interesting bit of swimming history trivia, which is why have them in our museum.
To answer your question if I have seen any other out there the answer is simply NO. I have looked in 100's of Antique stores and never seen a one. One person sent me a e-mail saying that they had a blond Betty but I have not seen it. Hardbrake
I have a Betty hood ornament of mascot or? Different than above in that she is 8 5/8 tall and 5 1/2 to finger tips with a base of 2 3/8. Has a bolt to screw to something and square nut. Also is marked "Betty" but at the back C for Copyright, and Del Cand LA 1923. I believe Los Angeles. Also looks like the one in the Betty sticker pic posted by swimminghalloffame. I was about to put this on ebay but figured I needed more info. Not much info out but looks more like Williams. Note has the lace up booths not shoes. Material, very heavy, maybe steal? She is solid!
Outhousepatrol: Gee I wish I could help you and I guess I can and here how. Go to hood ornaments on Collectors Weekly and find a posting by PhilDavidAlexanderMorris, he has several or contact him at his e-mail address - carmoscot@hotmail.com. Please tell him I suggested him. He would more then likely would know something about it.
Thanks was fun reading all this. I found another area with other info but nothing about the company that made mine. I've had it for years, almost want to keep it but time to pass it to a collector that is more into hood ornaments than I am. Yours with paint is great. Mine has no paint. I cant figure how to put up a picture here.
Post a picture is simple just make sure it is not a big file and go to post and item and it will direct you as what to do. I have an attachment to mine almost like a pet or buddy I had her so long. You can e-mail me at goldendigor@gmail.com if you have any question also you can send a picture that way to me, thanks.
outhousepatrol, I'd love to talk to you about your hood ornament and if possible, see a picture. You can email me at bwigo@ishof.org to establish direct contact. Hardbrake, thanks for your postings....
I will send you an e-mail in a second or two.
After a very close examination the date on Betty is 1924 not 23.
My original comment of 12 years ago disappeared when I deleted my account. My original info to Hardbrake was to give him info on this rare mascot which is probably less than 25 left in the world. You never see it for sale and I have only seen it about 1 time in all my years. She is in great shape for all her years. I don't put info from the internet as it is often removed in a few years as all info it seems is so temporary on the internet and I prefer the info in books. I have some more info in one of my newer books on mascots of which I have so many books and mascots for that matter !~