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Original WWI Balloon Wing ?


Will
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I saw this WWI balloon wing on a uniform being offered for sale on a website.

It looks different to me from known original examples.

Any thoughts on this one?

A variant?

wing.JPG

wing2.JPG

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daniel griffin

The bullion work looks a bit crude and loose to me, certainly not like the originals that I have owned.

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I agree with Daniel,

 

I think someone took another, less expensive and common bullion badge (such as a USN bullion cap badge) and used those threads to make this wing. That is why adjacent threads have rather different colors of patination on them. In an original badge, the colors should be more or less the same, especially in threads that are adjacent. Also, they only used 1 type of bullion thread. Most vintage badges will have multiple types of bullion threads.

 

I wouldn't go too crazy for this one, myself.

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:mellow:

 

I agree in part with both Daniel and Patrick but suspect the wing was made overseas, possibly in Pakistan; however, I've always found the dealer it is coming from to be very reputable.

 

Below is an image of Lt. Earl J. Keenan the officer the uniform is said to have belonged to. Unfortunately it is not a great help because in the picture he is wearing a unique American made pin back wing produced by Dan S. Dunham in Sterling Silver.

 

It's said that the uniform which is for sale came from the original family and had been on exhibit for many years; however, for a couple of reasons I would ask the dealer if he got it from a collector who lives in Pennsylvania or if he got it at the recent Show of Shows event. If the answer is yes to either of the two I would definitely walk away.

 

Cliff

post-4542-0-33112800-1457729396.jpg

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baystatemilitaria

 

I also agree with Cliff that this dealer always seems to have extraordinary stuff for sale. I've never bought anything from them, but they do list some really nice stuff more often then not. Frankly, they probably know more about this than I do...

 

But you are buying the wing, not the story or the reputation of the dealer. I could be wrong, but this wing gives me serious heart burn, and I probably wouldn't even consider a wing like this without much stronger provenance.

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I think Daniel, Patrick and Cliff have it nailed. I feel this is a crude repro based on the color of the tarnish on various strands and the extremely crude bullion shoulders. I have always felt that when you find a bullion wing where one strand is bright and the next one tarnished etc that it is most likely a current reproduction or fake made using bullion from some other source. I would not walk away from this one but run away very quickly.

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  • 4 years later...

Good evening and Happy Thanksgiving! I recently obtained a roll photo of the 26th Balloon Company and believe Lt. Keenan is the officer shown in the roll photo. I would appreciate your opinion that the photo that I have posted is indeed Lt. Keenan.  Also, I’ve tried to get a clear shot of the wings that he is wearing.  38FFF9FA-9626-42EC-8466-B1862FDC0640.jpeg.737aa29cd41361d067127298c8204a93.jpeg5819844F-91B2-4819-B523-344DA320D796.jpeg.fedfee961ce0b72328e1ecadb468851d.jpeg5D61D488-A78D-4961-AA3F-412C4E385533.jpeg.a1aaa3f34e7b00018ff794b5215a3053.jpeg

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Beast,

 

No one seems to have answered this but I will weigh in and concur:  I believe you are correct and that is your man.

 

Chris

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1 hour ago, cwnorma said:

Beast,

 

No one seems to have answered this but I will weigh in and concur:  I believe you are correct and that is your man.

 

Chris

Thanks Chris! LT Keenan was the only 26th Balloon Company officer shown on the ship’s roster when they rotated home, so I was pretty hopeful that it was him.  

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rathbonemuseum.com

It is the same man but not the same wing. The wing in the photograph is stitched completely to to the uniform. Not a pinback. It is also of a different pattern and construction. My guess is that the uniform is likely his and BayState has a great reputation. The original wing was probably removed long ago when these uniforms were not seen as valuable, just the patch or wing. And then a reasonable facsimile was pinned on though I agree, it is a reproduction.

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