The life-size rubber cow's head that presided over Svoboda's bar was
"Elsie", originally produced by Borden's as an animated advertising
display.  She was one of many animated displays located throughout
Svoboda's.

I acquired Elsie for my collection when Svoboda's closed, and John
Hovancak drove her to his home in Wisconsin for safekeeping until
I picked her up the next time I was in the Midwest.  He told me she
attracted quite a lot of attention sitting between him and a friend in
the cab of his pickup driving down the highway.  Eventually, I sold her
through a James Julia auction. I don't know where she lives now. I've
never seen another example, but a visitor to my shop once said he saw
another one that was able to moo.

Just for fun, I included a picture of her supervising my employee
Bob Grunow on p. 46 of my book "Player Piano Servicing and Rebuilding,"
published in 1985.  She's also pictured at Svoboda's in my article that
appeared in the MBSI Journal (see my previous MMD posting for dates).

Art Reblitz

 [ David William Reid was the lead member of the team that created Elsie
 [ the Cow, one of the top advertising icons of the last century; see
 [ http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/12/19/BAG5J3QVLG1.DTL 
 [ -- Robbie