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Kinney Company of Providence, RI: examples and patterns


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This is a very special badge to me. When I started collecting US Military Aviation insignia 1913 – 1945 exclusively a year and a half ago, I remember coming across some of the most beautiful silver work I had ever seen in a few examples of the wings I had now made a commitment to collect. Kinney Co was one of the first wings that really struck me as something far outside the usual talents of aesthetic metallurgy worked upon pilot wings in general. Luxenberg and of course Blackinton were two wings which in all their different models, stood out from the rest with exemplary artistry. There was something different about Kinney though and it stuck with me.

 

 

The wing comes with no Makers Mark which is indicative of the 20s and early 30s wings as well as some of the very early World War II wings like the thinner more delicate maker him mark free Blackinton pilot wings that were on a post I did not too long ago which I thought were early 20s but the cognoscenti of our forum taught me that the Blackinton wings that I had were actually early 40s. I am still trying to understand what the wings look like in the 20s and 30s for Blackinton, or if they made them at all. We may just find out here. These wings have the typical early three angle design with the vertices at the 2 mid wings and of course mid shield which I think is one of the most beautiful designs for these thinner struck early wings. As most of you know I like to clean my more stunning designs and this is one of them for sure!

 

 

 

Well just the other day when my wife was about to get home and I was going to make us up some dinner… after several weeks of dry wing selection on eBay…. BOOM! There it was. I picked it up on a Buy it Now and it was truly a blessing my fellow Wingers. I think you all know what I mean …. The rear of the wing has what I believe is a period pin and hinge replacement of great quality as it has a solid stop at around 94°. The pin catch seems to be original as there are no markings indicating any manipulation at all, of the pin catch original brazed position. Well enough of my usual jabbering, here it is and thanks for looking and is always Blessings in Your Collecting Endeavors Gentlemen…..

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BILL THE PATCH

wow, they are nice. even though i'm a patch collector, i do apreciate wings they make the uniform. thanks for sharing

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  • 4 months later...

Kinney's aren't very common and the feathering pattern is very nice, very similar to Blackinton. However $700+ is a bit over the top. But hey, somebody really wanted it.

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Patrick often mentions being patient in pursuit of wings because a better priced piece can often be found. I picked one up last year for $350. IMHO, this price has the "I've got to have it right now" premium added in.

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Ebay is just like live auctions. Sometimes one can pick up a bargain and in another auction, two guys get in a bidding war and pay an unbelievable sum for something. Set a good price for it and if it goes beyond that, walk away. I sat in a live aucion two years ago and watched a guy pay $16,000 for a Civil War drum that could be purchased from the highest priced dealer for $5,000.

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Kenney Co was selling wings pre-war. More than likely the wings themselves were made by Blackinton using Blackinton dies.

 

As a pre-war wing, it is rather rare, but not in the 700+$ range of rare. But I have seen a number of crazy prices being spent for some of the earlier wings for some reason.

 

I grabbed my wing off of ebay for a buy it now price of ~150$. Patience, patience, patience. They aren't going to spoil.

 

P

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I have a sterling silver bracelet which incorporates a beautiful miniature wing by Kinney. It's marked US Army Air Corps.

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General consensus is that Kinney did not make any wing badges after the mid to late 1920's.

 

I have noted three variations in back marks on Kinney pilot wings; no hallmark, Kinney hallmark,

and Kinney hallmark + sterling mark.

 

It is a completely different pattern then the Blackinton and encountered far less often.

 

John

 

Below is Kinney hallmark circa 1931

 

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question----- is it pre war and did kinney make other variations???

 

Costa, regarding your question as to Kinney Co. wings being produced "pre-war", let me share my ideas on the subject. I've always considered roughly 1935 thru 1941 as "pre-war" for U.S. involvement in the Second World War. As John mentioned above, I too believe the Kinney Co. hallmarked Pilot wing you've posted and all other similarly marked full size Kinney Co. aerial badges were produced during a very short time span immediately after WWI. So, the wing you've posted is a wonderful example of a very early 1920's "inter-war" period Pilot badge.

 

Like the Link Company, in the early 1920's Kinney Company produced a very limited and select number of aerial badge ratings...hence their strong desirability amongst collectors. It appears Kinney Company changed their production focus in the late 1920's to include prop/wing collar pieces, bracelets and sweetheart pieces, but discontinued their line of full size badges. I believe they went out of business in the early 1930's.

 

 

Russ

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Beautiful set of wing badges Russ, all very rare.

Also, Ian, nice piece and typical of Kinney...finely made and high quality.

Here is my set of Kinney pilot wing badges.

All are from the same die, but with varying back marks and some very slight

differences in findings.

 

John

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