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International Fiberglass Viking Statues

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These Viking statues were produced in the mid-1960s for Viking Carpets by International Fiberglass. There may have only been a dozen or so of these statues produced. Only about nine of them are known to still exist. Originally, these statues all held shields with the wording "Kitchen Carpets by Viking" and the company's logo. The statues were named "Erik the Viking" and were used for promotions. The carpet stores had the option of buying the statues outright. Although there are reports that these statues held swords in their right hands. However, the hand position doesn't seem correct and vintage photos show no evidence of it. These statues are just over 20 feet tall. This photo shows a statue ready for shipping from International Fiberglass [photo thanks Terry Nelson]. These statues may have all had voiceboxes. Although only the statue in Memphis still has one, all of the statues have large holes in their backs where these devices were probably installed. By the mid-1970s, the Viking Carpet Company had gone out of business. International Fiberglass also produced a smaller Viking statue. However, those statues looked very different and none are known to have survived.

Viking
Jensen Beach, FL
This Viking statue was installed at the Jensen Beach Elementary School in the early 1970s. He is nicknamed "Jenguard." [map]

Viking
Nauvoo, IL
This Viking statue was originally located at Rheinschmidt's Carpet Specialists in Burlington, IA. It was moved to Nauvoo-Colusa Junior High School in 1986. The school's sports teams are named the Vikings. Thanks to Alicia Smith of Rheinschmidt's Flooring America for this vintage photo of the statue. In 2023, the statue was knocked over and damaged in a windstorm. It has been restored and reinstalled. [map]

Viking
Springfield, IL
 Viking
Bangor, MI
This Viking statue in Springifled stands above the entry to Southeast High School. Before the statue was installed at the school and transformed into a Spartan, it was a Viking statue at Barker-Lubin Homebuilders. The school was being built in 1967 when the store stopped selling Viking Carpet. The statue was either sold or donated to the school and tweaked as the Southeast Spartans mascot with an altered helmet and the addition of a sword. In the early 1990s, the statue was restored and given a bigger sword. For more, see this website. [map]

This Viking statue in Bangor is installed at Bangor High School. He is the school mascot. The school's sports teams are known as the Bangor Vikings.

Viking
Deerfield, NJ
This Viking statue has been installed at Orr's Carpeting since around 1968. The store closed in 2000 and the statue was moved to the house next door. Another carpet store moved into the empty store and moved the statue back to the store in 2008. The statue's shield is in storage. [map]

Viking
Memphis, TN
The Viking was installed over the entrance of Hillcrest High School between 1969 and 1971. The statue was donated by the Shuler family which owned a Viking Carpet store. The school's sports teams are known as the Vikings and the Lady Vikings. These photos are from 2007. A voicebox inside the statue said "good morning" and "good evening" to students prior to the late 1980s. In 2016, the statue was repainted. There are plans to repair the voicebox. The photos are from 2019. For more, see this website. [map]

Viking
Chincoteague, VA (now Atlanta, IL)
This Viking statue was originally located in Delmar, MD where he stood on top of carpet store during the 1950s and/or 1960s. In the 1960s or 1970s, the statue was moved to Crisfield, MD. In 1997, the Viking was moved to Marion, MD where he remained on his back due to sign ordinances. Around 2001, he was moved here where he stood in a field with an arrangement of carpet squares beneath him. In 2013, the statue was knocked over during Hurricane Sandy. The statue was then restored and reinstalled. In 2015, the property was sold and the statue was removed. It was then laying on his back, missing a foot, by the side of the road. The statue is now owned by a collector in New Jersey. It is being restored and will be on loan and displayed at the American Giants Museum. For more, see this website. [map]

Viking
Cochrane, WI
This Viking statue was originally installed at a Viking Carpets store in Marshfield, WI around 1965. These photos are from 2012. His shield was gone by 2023. [map]

More Viking Carpets Statues:
Phoenix, AZ [gone]
Little Rock, AR (now Galva, IL)
Grand Island, NY
Lake Placid, NY: 1, 2 [was later at Magic Forest in Lake George, NY, now in a private collection]
Irving, TX

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