Today is an unusual holiday – the day of exchanging mascots (lucky charms). It is believed that mascot can bring good luck, warn of danger, improve health, etc. It is also believed that a mascot badly attuned to its owner can pose a serious threat, as well as other persons’ mascots.

One can believe or not believe in the magical properties of mascots – each one decides for himself. Nevertheless, for many centuries our ancestors believed in the magic of talismans. We know that authentic talisman is not bought for money, it can either be made by yourself, or found, or received as a gift. It is important that each talisman should necessarily have its own story. People since ancient times believe in the magical power of amulets, talismans and mascots. These items accumulating protective powers were widespread in Ancient Egypt (scarab beetle, cylinder), in Hellas and Ancient Rome (amulets made of lead); satchels with short quotations from the Bible were popular in the Middle Ages.

Usually a talisman is an object that brings its owner good luck (in his understanding of this word). Any item can be a talisman or mascot: a piece of clothing, a stone, a coin, etc. In the modern world, there are still talismans of both people and companies.

A talisman-character, mascot (from English mascot – ‘a person, animal or object that brings good luck’) is practically any recognisable character, anthropomorphic and not so anthropomorphic, representing a certain group: a school, sports team, community, military unit, event or corporate identity. Talismans (mascots) are often used as characters representing certain goods and services to consumers.

A mascot in the automotive industry is a piece of jewellery, a figure of a person, animal, natural phenomenon or object located on the front part of the car bonnet. The tradition of decorating the bonnet or radiator of a car with a figurine can be connected with the latrine (bow) figure – a decoration on the bow of a sailing ship. Mounted on sailing ships, this figure symbolised protection from evil spirits and malign force.
René Lalique, an outstanding French interior decorator, jeweller, medallist, glass and enamel artisan of the Art Nouveau, Art Nouveau and Art Deco periods, became fascinated by automobile mascots, starting to cooperate with the most famous manufacturers of automobiles – Hispano Suiza, Isotta Fraschini, Bugatti, Bentley. He designed and produced thirty exquisite figurines. The first glass mascot ‘Five Horses’ was made by René Lalique in 1925 for Citroen.

Mascots of Rene Lalique could be one-of-a-kind, unique or commissioned, for example, by representatives of the British Crown. Such is the case with the ‘Greyhound’ mascot. After the production of such models, the manufacturing mould was destroyed in order to avoid fakes. In their majority, Lalique's mascots are small series, with a certain number of copies created. Once such a series was produced and sold, the company's records said, ‘Series exhausted.’ However, the series could be started again, repeating the template pattern.

A thematic photo album ‘Lucky Mascots of René Lalique’, which features mascots for car radiators, produced a limited series at the enterprise of René Lalique in 1928-1930 is posted in the ‘Photo Gallery’ of the museum. Lalique created several themed series of mascots for various car brands, all of which have been a great success.