Art Deco Desmo Dragonfly Car Mascot Mother of Pearl C1934

Rare British Art Deco DESMO Dragonfly Car Mascot Mother of Pearl c1934

A rare British DESMO dragonfly radiator mascot, circa 1934, with chrome plated brass body, four mother of pearl wings and registered design number 787192. Documented Richard Edmonds Auctions provenance.

Highlights

Rare British Art Deco DESMO radiator mascot.

Registered design dated 1933 in Bonhams cataloguing.

Model historically dated circa 1934.

Chrome plated brass and mother of pearl wings.

DESMO maker's mark on supporting stem.

Registration number 787192 beneath left rear wing.

Historic black circular display base.

Earlier numbered label 46.

Richard Edmonds Auctions, March 2023, Lot 283.

Introduction

An uncommon British Art Deco motor car mascot by DESMO of Birmingham, depicting a dragonfly in flight.

The elongated chrome plated body is complemented by four iridescent mother of pearl wings, creating an elegant example of interwar automotive ornament.

The sculptural design combines naturalistic insect modelling with the streamlined forms characteristic of Art Deco craftsmanship.

Catalogue Details

Maker: DESMO Limited, Birmingham

Date: Circa 1934

Period: British Art Deco

Material: Chrome plated brass and mother of pearl

Registration: 787192 beneath left rear wing

Mount: Black circular display base

Catalogue Note

DESMO was established in Birmingham in 1922 and manufactured automotive accessories and decorative radiator mascots.

The dragonfly is particularly distinctive for its elongated body, broad wings and incorporation of natural mother of pearl.

Historical Research

Bonhams Goodwood, 5 July 2019, Lot 43, catalogued a comparable DESMO dragonfly as registered design 1933, number 787192, with a 16 cm wingspan.

Bonhams Greenwich, 31 May 2015, Lot 64, catalogued another example as dating from 1934.

Richard Edmonds Auctions recorded an original retail price of 42 shillings. This claim remains unverified against a DESMO price list.

Original 1930s DESMO correspondence is preserved in the Rolls-Royce Experimental Archives. The company operated from Stafford Street, Birmingham, with a London depot in Shaftesbury Avenue.

National Trust research associates George Seymour and I.M.A. Limited with DESMO mascot production. DESMO mascots are represented in the Fairhaven Collection at Anglesey Abbey. No direct connection to this dragonfly is established.

Provenance

Earlier ownership unrecorded.

Richard Edmonds Auctions Limited, March 2023, Lot 283.

Acquired by Cheshire Antiques Consultant, original invoice dated 7 March 2023.

Subsequently held by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD.

Historic numbered label 46 retained on the base. Its origin is unknown.

Dimensions

Height: 8 cm

Wingspan: 15.7 cm

Body length: 10 cm

Base diameter: 10 cm

Weight: Approximately 500 grams

Condition Report

Antique condition with scratches, patina, oxidation, chrome plating wear and localised mother of pearl losses.

The display base shows wear. Its precise date is unconfirmed.

Please examine the photographs carefully.

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