Kinney Company of Providence, RI: examples and patterns

[TCSchultz]

I was not familiar with this hallmark until I starting researching a set of 1 9/16" pinback wings that I found in a thrift store for $25.00 this week and came across this thread on Kinney Co. wings here in the forum so I thought I'd start it back up again. Here's the pictures and it was the nice detail on the feathers that caught my eye when I looked at them. That plus the unknown at the time hallmark and the drop in pinback clasp as well as being Sterling marked sealed the deal and happy to have them to add to my collection.

 

 

 

[TCSchultz]

And here's a close up of the hallmark.

 

[rustywings]

I was not familiar with this hallmark until I starting researching a set of 1 9/16" pinback wings that I found in a thrift store for $25.00 this week and came across this thread on Kinney Co. wings here in the forum so I thought I'd start it back up again. Here's the pictures and it was the nice detail on the feathers that caught my eye when I looked at them. That plus the unknown at the time hallmark and the drop in pinback clasp as well as being Sterling marked sealed the deal and happy to have them to add to my collection.

 

MVC-001L.JPG

 

 

 

That's a nice addition to your collection! You've got to love that extra feathering detail Kinney Co is known for!

 

[TCSchultz]

Thanks and I do, I had never seem them before and I agree it's the feathering that makes it pop.

[mds308]

Hi,

 

Both pins are stamped 1/20 10K. I'm assuming both are WWII period. Any thoughts? Thanks.

 

 

[mds308]

The Air Force Star has a makers mark on the back. Anybody know this mark?

 

 

[mds308]

I just found the mark on another thread as Kinney Co.

[stratasfan]

These were a common type of pin, even aside from military motifs. I have one that is a souvenir from the Betsy Ross House, and it is the housefront chained to a flag, with the house saying where it was from.

 

I don't know about the USAF one being WWII, as the star seems more WWII, but did they usually omit the Army from before the AF during WWII?

 

It is common to find different wings or ranks chained to different branch insignia or DUIs.

[Lee Ragan]

I don't know about the USAF one being WWII, as the star seems more WWII, but did they usually omit the Army from before the AF during WWII?

 

It wasn't uncommon to just say "Air Force", during WWII and not "Army Air Force". Few people today realize that the ground work for separating the Air Force from the Army started as early as 1940. WWII came along and postponed that change till 1947.

[pfrost]

Another collector once chided me that Usaaf was for army air forceS with the S. lol.

 

I think that this is most certainly WWII vintage

[Costa]

just looking and saw this. already bid is at 500.

 

[Steve L]

Looks like a real deal Kinney Co. STERLING Airship wing that's seen use, shown by the wavy pin and 'field' repair to the hinge. Some have the "STERLING" mark, some don't. These badges are stunning.

 

 

[denfly]

I read somewhere that the military is bringing back the "blimp" for multiple purposes. Would be interesting if they brought back the airship badge as well.

[B-17Guy]

I read somewhere that the military is bringing back the "blimp" for multiple purposes. Would be interesting if they brought back the airship badge as well.

If you are thinking of the one that was being built by Northrop for the Army, that project was cancelled a few years ago.

 

Looks like the bidding war is really on for the wing.

[Costa]

is it worth that much

[B-17Guy]

A legitimate Kinney Co Airship Wing Badge will generally sell in the $2000-$3000 range.

[B-17Guy]

It sold for $2045.00, very close to what the last one on eBay went for a few years ago.

Only other one that I saw on the market in recent times was one at SoS a few years ago as well.

Ended up being an odd auction to watch, as there were 38 bids, yet a day or so before it dropped to 9.

One of the heaviest bidders withdrew from the auction.

[B-17Guy]

A member PMed me a question about the Kinney wing that I thought I would answer publicly.

Question was, Is the Kinney Airship wing badge the rarest Airship wing?

I would say, no it is not the rarest Airship wing, but most consider it the best looking of all.

In my estimation, the AE Co Airship wing is the rarest, as I have only seen two.

Next I would say From Official Die.

Remember though, all Airship badges are generally uncommon to rare, as there just werent that many Airship pilots.

Thats why legitimate Airship wing badges of any maker rarely show up on the market.

If you are an ASMIC member, there is an article in the Jan-Mar 2015 issue of the Trading Post that I wrote on the history of the Airship wing badge with front/back photos of the wings made by the seven known makers of Airship wings.

Also, Bobs website is an excellent reference, as well as the pinned thread in this wing forum.

 

John

[cwnorma]

John,

 

Thanks for your insights into this very rare badge!

 

I've noticed a few new members have joined in the Wings forum of late and this is just the sort "gold nugget" collectors, old and young need to know.

 

Best wishes and Merry Christmas (or Happy Holidays) to you and your family!

 

Chris

[pfrost]

This is a gold plated Kinney pilot wing (about 1.5 inches). I have no idea what it was used for, could be sweetheart/patriotic jewelry, lapel pin for a suit, insignia for senior civilian flight instructor. But no matter what, it is very nice. The star was likely added some time later.

 

There are similar wings (in Russ' collection, of course!) that are similar.

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/189738-kinney-co-pilot-3in/page-2

 

[mghcal]

I vote senior civilian flight instructor. Superb wing.

[Costa]

nice Pat----------- would it be safe to assume that badges (pilot) gold color are instructor oriented?? all pilot badges??

[pfrost]

No, I don't think the "gold" colored wings are always instructor oriented--and the instructor ones probably represent a small percentage of those wings that you do see. Some gold colored wings were indeed used by a variety of civilian fight schools (Cal-Aero for example) before and during WWII (but you see that the schools tended to become more uniform in what they wore as the war progressed). This was probably because once the US entered the war, and the contract flight schools started up, it seems like they (the instructors and schools) wanted to adopt some sort military like uniforms and insignia to not be seen as slackers. However, these types of little wings and do-dads were also very popular from WWI up to today. You will find in old vintage catalogs, a whole range of small insignia and things that could be purchased in just about any style you would want. Lapel pins were popular (here is a photo of the lawyer F Lee Baily wearing small gold navy wings on his suit).

 

During the interwar years, there were a huge number of civilian flight schools, college flight programs, flying-related businesses, private airlines/airports and various other aeronautical organizations that weren't necessarily associated with the military or military contract flight schools. Any of these could have used any non-military insignia (ie silver wings).

 

I think one of the beauties of wing collecting is that you can pretty much think what you want to think about the meaning or source of these types of wings. On a patriotic-jewelry site, they would probably take the position that these are sweetheart wings. On a military forum, I would be inclined to talk about them as military-related wings of a potential civilian pilot instructor.

 

No way to know for sure.

 

P

 

 

[5thwingmarty]

Wow, $877 for a Kinney hallmarked pilot wing tonight. I wish mine was hallmarked but I'm happy to have even a non-hallmarked one.

[Costa]

to the winner of that wing it was worth it to him. an item is worth what some one is willing to pay for it. there is NO set price.