What was The Winslow when Phil met him, first?

A discarded plushie in a trashcan.

No purpose. A thrown out children's toy. To be forgotten like so much waste. Gone, faded, and forgotten.

Phil decided to help the Winslow be known. Felt others had to see this creature he saw and the magic he saw in it.

So he made the Winslow powerful. Unforgettable. Timeless.