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I have one of these archers on my 1918 Custom Bodied Roadster which was restored in 1989. In 1994 we had the car on display at the Meadowbrook Concours. The late Fred Tycher, a long time member of the PAS and past president, came by and commented that my archer was a rare piece and that he too had one. Fred was a well known automotive art dealer in Texas. He said that he thought there had been three made in the casting shop. A little while later a young gentleman came by and asked if he could step over the barrier to take a picture of the archer. We talked and he asked me what I knew about it. I reiterated Fred Tycher’s comments. Well it turns out this young man’s grandfather had worked at Pierce-Arrow during the time and since they cast three to get the one for my car the other two disappeared. His grandfather apparently took one home in his lunch pail.. It had been passed down to the grandson from his father.. Fred came back and the three of us had our picture taken together. I don’t know today if the one on my Roadster is the original one or not . We are aware that at least a couple of people did make some more over the years. Food for thought.
I opened both the first image of Mark’s mascot, and Peter’s ‘Super-Bling’ freshly plated image, and put them side by side, they appear to not be exactly the same mascot.
The unplaced one has the head looking right at the photographer, The super-bling one has the mascot looking
straight ahead.
The small diameter base is domed, and about 1/4″ or 3/8″ thick. The ‘super-bling’ ‘s base is a flat-end taper, and appears to be much thinner.
The multiple metals used I’m sure do not have anything to do with heat, but certainly with strength of the metal needed to support such a tall mascot perched on the radiator cap, vibrating, jerking around with bumps in the roadway, and other forces trying to break that single leg supporting a tall mass of zinc / pot metal.
Greg Long
There were for sure a lot more than just a few of these mascots made. too many have survived.
Ralph, bring your mascot with you to the meet, and I’ll bring mine, and I’ll see if one or two the other ones still surviving might arrive as well, and we can look at them side by side.
Greg Long
Greg,
You should also ask Wayne, Karl K., Mark Wetherbee and Jim Payne to bring theirs and you can hold a regular old Running Archer Comparison Fest!
Peter
Greg,
The photo of the newly plated one is the same mascot as in the first photo that I posted.
I believe that the angle of Mark’s in the photo is deceptive as to where the Archer is looking.
We will see in Indiana, if more than two arrive for comparison.
Will you schedule a separate, last-minute event for the Mascot Fest?
We are all excited about the Meet.
Peter
Wish I had such an ornament to bring to the Mascot Reunion! Best I could do would be a Foss Hughes truck eagle!!
I wish I could make the meeting with mine but I am unable to attend. Hopefully someone will report back about this meeting so that we all see them and their differences. I will forward good pictures of mine to anyone who will be going that is interested in comparison, but it is the camera angle making him look in a different direction.
I wasn’t expecting that question to turn into quite the conversation about this little guy, especially being a dealer accessory which are usually frowned upon compared to factory ones. If anyone knows of a very reputable place to have him repaired and plated please let me know, he’s been on my shelf a long time and deserves to be restored.
I did some Pierce door handles last year, and was concerned about keeping the detail on the pot metal.
Attended a seminar at the AACA meet in Philadelphia, and talked to a plater who specializes in doing pot metal. They strip the part, then his son does a lot of emphasizing the detail, so that when plated the detail is there.
They did an excellent job on the door handles, was very pleased and all detail was kept nicely. Family run business, and owner and son very involved in day to day operations. Obviously I can’t guarantee results, but my experience was very positive.
R&D Finishing, Elizabethton Tennessee. Hopefully the attached to the website will work.
Thank you David, I will look into their services.
A lot of time the buffing eliminates a lot of the detail, here is a pic of some of the work RD did for me…
Mark,
The Gent who did ALL of the plating for the exterior brightwork and a few dozen other things on my Series 80 was Rod L’Italien at Circle Finishing / Polishing in Newburyport, MA.
They do excellent work and did both of my Running Archer Mascots, including the replication and replacement of the broken / missing end of the arrow.
If you get in touch with them, tell Rod that I sent you.
Peter
Peter, that sounds like a better lead for the mascot restoration!