A rare Rolls Royce Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament was boldy stolen in the UK recently. A vintage Rolls Royce was parked safely in its garage when it was broken into and vandal(s) made off with the kneeling Spirit of Ecstasy emblem from the bonnet. Special edition Rolls Royce badges and emblems are tempting to take, it would seem!

The kneeling Spirit of Ecstasy

The Spirit of Ecstasy ornament is a woman leaning forward with outstretched arms, her clothing billowing behind her like wings. It creates a nice effect from the hood, hinting at power and speed. She is also known as Emily, Silver Lady or Flying Lady and was designed by Charles Robinson Sykesand. She represents an old love story and also the Rolls Royce brand. She is now rare, as the kneeling pose was discontinued following the Silver Dawn, Phantom IV and Silver Wraith models in favor of the more upright pose.

The kneeling version was unveiled in January of 1934, perched atop the Phantom III for the 1936-1939 models. The photo above shows the difference between the kneeling version and the more upright one.

The modern Spirit of Ecstasy emblem extends about three inches in length, and is mounted with a spring-loaded mechanism designed to retract instantly into the radiator shell if struck from any direction. Owners can press a button to safely stow the Silver Lady while parked in public, or in the garage, as is obviously necessary!

The special emblem is described as the heart and soul of the marquee

Rolls Royce Spirit of Ecstasy badge

Find out which models we have available and rent a Rolls Royce for your next special occasion! Nothing sets the tone quite like an ultra-luxe car fit for royalty!

 

Post by Imagine Lifestyles Luxury Rentals