Fine Antique & Rare John Hassall “Robert Policeman” Car Mascot — Signed & Number
Description


Fine Antique & Rare John Hassall “Robert Policeman” Car Mascot — Signed & Numbered — c.1920s

Overview
Offered here is a rare and highly collectible English automobilia mascot designed by John Hassall RI (1868–1948), popularly known as “Robert Policeman.”
With one arm extended in the instantly recognisable stop-traffic gesture, this is a wonderfully witty, optimistic interwar design—a miniature sculpture that captures the character of British motoring when the road system, traffic control, and car culture were all rapidly modernising.
What makes this example especially appealing is the combination of named designer authorship, strong sculptural silhouette, clever period engineering, and published/auction references—all in one compact, displayable object.

Historical Importance
Car mascots are far more than ornaments: they are small sculptures born from a specific cultural moment. In the early 20th century, as motoring shifted from novelty to ambition and everyday identity, mascots became a way for owners to express status, humour, personality, and style. They sit at the intersection of:
Design history (miniature sculpture for mass culture)
Motoring heritage (the “face” and personality of a vehicle)
Advertising and visual culture (characters and recognisable note-making gestures translated into objects)
“Robert Policeman” is especially meaningful because it transforms a modern urban figure—the traffic policeman, symbol of order and the new road culture—into a witty emblem. The result feels distinctly British, distinctly interwar, and unmistakably of the period.
The adjustable porcelain head adds a further layer of significance: a playful, tactile feature reflecting the era’s appetite for mechanical charm and mixed materials—turning the mascot into an object that invites interaction rather than remaining static.

About the Designer: John Hassall RI (1868–1948)
John Hassall is widely regarded as one of the most important British illustrators and advertising artists spanning the late Victorian, Edwardian, and early 20th-century era. Born in Walmer, Kent, he trained in Europe before establishing himself in London at the exact moment when modern commercial advertising was becoming a dominant visual force.
He is celebrated for enduring poster imagery including “Skegness Is So Bracing” (1908) and the original Kodak Girl (1910) —images that helped define the golden age of British poster art and public-facing design. His election in 1901 to the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours and the Royal Society of Miniature Painters underlines the esteem in which his draughtsmanship and design intelligence were held.
Because Hassall’s reputation rests largely on two-dimensional work (posters, print advertising, illustration), genuine three-dimensional objects tied to his designs are comparatively scarce. A mascot like this therefore functions as an unusually desirable crossover: poster art + design history + motoring culture in one authentic period artefact.

The Mascot: “Robert Policeman” This mascot is superbly cast in brass, presenting with a rich, attractive patina and an engaging mixed-material feature: a distinctive spring-loaded enamelled porcelain head. The head can be adjusted by subtly tilting the helmet, allowing small changes in expression and attitude—an interactive mechanical detail that gives the piece “life” when viewed from different angles.
The pose is brilliantly judged: the policeman’s arm reads clearly at a distance, creating a bold outline that would have been effective on a radiator top as well as in a cabinet. It is precisely the kind of mascot collectors pursue—humorous, instantly legible, and deeply of its time.
Historically, the model was distributed through Smith’s Motor Accessories and remains one of the more charming and culturally specific British mascot designs of the early motoring period.

Materials & Craftsmanship
Body: cast brass with well-developed antique surface colour and wear consistent with age
Head: enamelled porcelain (period taste for mixed media)
Mechanism: spring-loaded / adjustable head movement (adds personality and display versatility)
Overall effect: a miniature sculpture that balances character with engineering ingenuity, typical of high-quality interwar automobilia

Markings ️
Signed “Hassall” to the side
Numbered underneath
These details are central to desirability, supporting authenticity and helping distinguish a serious collectible example from later decorative pieces.

Size
Compact, but with strong presence—ideal for a classic car radiator, desk display, shelf, or collector’s cabinet.
Dimensions (in cm):
Total height: 11.5 cm
Width (widest point): 6.5 cm
Depth: 5.5 cm
Despite its modest scale, the design has an excellent visual “read” due to the silhouette, gesture, and face detail.

Provenance & Published References
This model is unusually well documented:
From the notable auction house Richard Edmonds Auctions on 26 November 2022.

Antiques Trade Gazette, Issue 2576, 21 January 2023, p.30 (“The Web Shop Window”), illustrated and described as “Robert Policeman” (copy supplied with the item).


Why You’ll Love It
Rare, characterful early motoring mascot
Designed by John Hassall RI—major British poster/advertising artist
Signed and numbered for collector confidence
Brass with attractive patina + spring-loaded porcelain head
Published reference in Antiques Trade Gazette
A standout automobilia conversation piece with strong display appeal

Condition ️
In attractive antique condition with surface wear and patina consistent with age and use. The brass shows honest period ageing. The porcelain head shows normal age-related wear. Mechanism present and visually effective. Overall, a very appealing, authentic example.



Reserve: $1,241.00

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