Automobilia is the term for collectable objects associated with motor cars and motoring, other than the vehicles themselves. It includes car mascots, badges, lamps, horns, dashboard instruments, enamel and tin advertising signs, petrol pumps and globes, oil cans, garage equipment, posters, sales brochures, models, trophies and motoring-themed art.
The field reflects the early romance of motoring from the Edwardian era onward, when cars were costly luxuries and accessories were made to a high standard. Radiator mascots are among the most prized items, notably the glass mascots made by René Lalique in the 1920s and 1930s and the Spirit of Ecstasy figure of Rolls-Royce, together with bronze and chromed figures by various makers. Enamel signs for oil companies, tyre makers and motor brands, and items linked to celebrated circuits such as Brooklands, are also keenly collected. Condition, originality and rarity drive value, and buyers should be alert to reproductions, particularly among signs, badges and glass mascots, which have been widely copied. In interiors, automobilia brings character to studies, garages, bars and games rooms, and larger pieces such as petrol pumps make striking statement objects.
