TCSchultz Posted April 23, 2017 Share #101 Posted April 23, 2017 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCSchultz Posted April 23, 2017 Share #102 Posted April 23, 2017 And here's a close up of the hallmark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted April 24, 2017 Share #103 Posted April 24, 2017 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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCSchultz Posted May 21, 2017 Share #104 Posted May 21, 2017 Thanks and I do, I had never seem them before and I agree it's the feathering that makes it pop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mds308 Posted November 10, 2018 Share #105 Posted November 10, 2018 Hi, Both pins are stamped 1/20 10K. I'm assuming both are WWII period. Any thoughts? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mds308 Posted November 10, 2018 Share #106 Posted November 10, 2018 The Air Force Star has a makers mark on the back. Anybody know this mark? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mds308 Posted November 10, 2018 Share #107 Posted November 10, 2018 I just found the mark on another thread as Kinney Co. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stratasfan Posted November 10, 2018 Share #108 Posted November 10, 2018 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Ragan Posted November 10, 2018 Share #109 Posted November 10, 2018 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfrost Posted November 10, 2018 Share #110 Posted November 10, 2018 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Costa Posted December 10, 2018 Share #111 Posted December 10, 2018 just looking and saw this. already bid is at 500. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve L Posted December 10, 2018 Share #112 Posted December 10, 2018 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denfly Posted December 11, 2018 Share #113 Posted December 11, 2018 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-17Guy Posted December 12, 2018 Share #114 Posted December 12, 2018 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Costa Posted December 12, 2018 Share #115 Posted December 12, 2018 is it worth that much Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-17Guy Posted December 12, 2018 Share #116 Posted December 12, 2018 A legitimate Kinney Co Airship Wing Badge will generally sell in the $2000-$3000 range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-17Guy Posted December 17, 2018 Share #117 Posted December 17, 2018 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-17Guy Posted December 18, 2018 Share #118 Posted December 18, 2018 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwnorma Posted December 18, 2018 Share #119 Posted December 18, 2018 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfrost Posted February 18, 2019 Share #120 Posted February 18, 2019 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mghcal Posted February 19, 2019 Share #121 Posted February 19, 2019 I vote senior civilian flight instructor. Superb wing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Costa Posted February 19, 2019 Share #122 Posted February 19, 2019 nice Pat----------- would it be safe to assume that badges (pilot) gold color are instructor oriented?? all pilot badges?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfrost Posted February 19, 2019 Share #123 Posted February 19, 2019 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5thwingmarty Posted May 28, 2019 Share #124 Posted May 28, 2019 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Costa Posted May 28, 2019 Share #125 Posted May 28, 2019 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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