Weekly World War One Wing #7- Possible Eisenstadt pattern?

[cwnorma]

Last week discussion started with an embroidered Observer wing. That topic quickly migrated into a discussion of Dallas wings and variant makers. Great stuff! Not wanting this to just be a dialog between Patrick and me so please, feel free to weigh in. Any and all comments, opinions, or questions welcome! The whole reason for doing these posts is to generate discussion.

 

This week's World War One wing:

 

This very handsome, and somewhat oversized wing is probably a product of the Eisenstadt Manufacturing Company of St Louis MO. This particular badge bears no maker marks.

 

The Eisenstadt Manufacturing Company was one of the few manufacturers of jewelry from the WW1 era that could boast a national reach. While there is no doubt that aviators from nearby Scott Field would have purchased wings locally from Eisenstadt. There is ample evidence that Eisenstadt had trade relationships with other firms as far away as Houston, TX (Ellington and Park Place Fields) and offices in the Jewelry district of New York City (Hazlehurst, Roosevelt and other Long Island fields). Only a few companies such as Robbins of Attleboro, MA or Bailey, Banks, and Biddle of Philadelphia, PA could compete with Eisenstadt on a national basis.

 

With its massive staff of artisans, Eisenstadt turned out a diverse selection of WW1 badges. Some, like the badge above, were likely one-of-a-kind, bespoke badges. Others were manufactured in significant numbers. Therefore, any discussion of the history of WW1 era pilot and observer badges owes significant weight to the Eisenstadt Manufacturing Company.

 

Chris

 

 

[tarheel1]

Hello Chris,

 

Another enjoyable & fantastic post again this week. Stupid question...what ever became of the Eisenstadt Comapny? I can see where they made costume jewelry and pens into the 20's-(and looks like) 60's/70's then they seem to disappear.

 

Thanks again!

 

TH1

[cwnorma]

TH1,

 

I can't seem to find much current information on the Eisenstadt Manufacturing Co. According to the Securities and Exchange Commission the last trademark applied for by the Eisenstadt Manufacturing Company was granted in 1971. We can probably assume that the company went out of business or was purchased shortly thereafter:

 

https://sec.report/CIK/0000031924

 

According to Google Maps, Eisenstadt's headquarters at 1205 Olive St in St Louis, MO is long gone and appears to have been replaced with a car park.

[5thwingmarty]

One site I found says the family ran the business until the 1920's when a group of company executives bought it. It was then reportedly bought in 1974 by Lenox, Inc.

[pfrost]

M. Eisenstadt Mfg Co used a number of trademarks. Perhaps the one we are most likely to see is the one with a carpenter's square with an "E" on the top.

 

I used to think that the hallmark was an LE but its not. I did check the patent office and trademark office to see if Eisenstadt had any specific patents or trademarks related to military insignia, especially wings. There wasn't anything that I could find.

 

However, as Chris mentioned the link between the 3-feather Dallas wing and Eisenstadt remains elusive, with little direct evidence (such as a hallmarked piece) that Eisenstadt actually made Dallas wings....

 

Except of the rather rare and elusive examples of the "EAGLE" marked badge. According to my sources, this wing was one of the ways that Eisenstadt tried to make a unique type wing. The EAGLE badge has the Eisenstadt hallmark, so there is little doubt that they did try to make SOME Dallas style wings. The EAGLE badge also has 3 feathers in the shoulder, but there seems to be some variations between the EAGLE version and the Dallas style 3-piece version.

[blind pew]

I am confused. The last wing you posted is what one would traditionally think of as being the typical, common Eisenstadt wing. Are you saying that it is not confirmed that these "Dallas" style wings were actually made by Eisenstadt?

 

PS- thanks again for you guys doing these weekly posts. They are very informative and instructive; the information provided far exceeds printed material I have been able to obtain.

M. Eisenstadt Mfg Co used a number of trademarks. Perhaps the one we are most likely to see is the one with a carpenter's square with an "E" on the top.

 

I used to think that the hallmark was an LE but its not. I did check the patent office and trademark office to see if Eisenstadt had any specific patents or trademarks related to military insignia, especially wings. There wasn't anything that I could find.

 

However, as Chris mentioned the link between the 3-feather Dallas wing and Eisenstadt remains elusive, with little direct evidence (such as a hallmarked piece) that Eisenstadt actually made Dallas wings....

 

Except of the rather rare and elusive examples of the "EAGLE" marked badge. According to my sources, this wing was one of the ways that Eisenstadt tried to make a unique type wing. The EAGLE badge has the Eisenstadt hallmark, so there is little doubt that they did try to make SOME Dallas style wings. The EAGLE badge also has 3 feathers in the shoulder, but there seems to be some variations between the EAGLE version and the Dallas style 3-piece version.

[pfrost]

Hi Tom,

 

I think the argument that Chris is making is that there is no DIRECT proof that the Eisenstadt Dallas style wings that we all call "Eisenstadt" were actually made by them. There are similarities between the hallmarked EAGLE wings (which were made by Eisenstadt, apparently) but there are subtle differences that indicates two different dies were being used. Were they just intra-Eisenstadt variations or two separate companies making very similar wings?

[cwnorma]

Im out of town until tomorrow but Patrick summarizes my thoughts on the matter succinctly. When I started researching WW1 wings, one of the things I set out to do was verify what information was out there so as to have a good foundation from which to learn more.

 

One piece of data I have not been able to independently verify is the attribution of that particular badge to the firm of Eisenstadt. Please note I am not challenging the attribution so much as seeking any sources that can actually verify it. So far, I have not found any. Several wing books state it. Unfortunately, none provide a researchable reference to independently verify. So the search goes on.

 

I also am of the opinion that different dies, in the absence of hallmarks or other corroborating information, correlate to different manufacturers. In this matter as well I always seek to disprove the hypothesis.

 

At any rate, thanks to all for carrying on the discussion! When I get home Ill be able post more information on this topic and also get started on this weeks installment of WWWOW.

 

Chris

[blind pew]

Okay- thanks for the information and clarification.

Hi Tom,

 

I think the argument that Chris is making is that there is no DIRECT proof that the Eisenstadt Dallas style wings that we all call "Eisenstadt" were actually made by them. There are similarities between the hallmarked EAGLE wings (which were made by Eisenstadt, apparently) but there are subtle differences that indicates two different dies were being used. Were they just intra-Eisenstadt variations or two separate companies making very similar wings?

 

[5thwingmarty]

I just picked up a copy of the 1918 Scott Field Year Book. I was hoping that Eisenstadt might have been a sponsor of the publication with some illustrated wings, but sadly they were not. At least a few of the men pictured in the book who earned their wings at Scott are wearing ones that might be the "Eagle" style as shown by Patrick, but the photos are not clear enough to make any definitive id's of them.

[5thwingmarty]

Also, in answer to Blind Pew's initial message, I think it was missed that Patrick had noted the Eagle marked wing also has the Eisenstadt hallmark, which to me offers proof that Eisenstadt did indeed make these Eagle marked wings. In addition, I found that Ron Burkey sold an Eisenstadt hallmarked wing which he described as a "Leopold Eisenstadt" wing. This wing was completely different in feather detail from the Dallas wings shown earlier in this thread.

[cwnorma]

Marty,

 

I think it is a relative certainty that the Eisenstadt Manufacturing Co of St Louis, Missouri was the manufacturer of the "EAGLE" badges. After all, as you point out, those "EAGLE" marked badges do indeed bear that company's hallmark.

 

I also think its fairly evident that other "sterling silver three piece" aviator badges were very popular among the young aviators. For his part, Dan Dunham wanted to point this out in his advertisement; one of his badges, the "De Luxe Flyers' Insignia" was the only regulation size badge. Indicating that there were others, but they weren't "regulation size" so you were taking your chances with the Captain if you were going to wear anything else:

 

[5thwingmarty]

This was waiting for me when I got home from the SOS, an Eisenstadt collar insignia. Although not shown with the other hallmarks in this thread, I saw this one in another similar listing of Eisenstadt hallmarks. It is 1-11/16" wide and 11/16" tall. My phone photos make it look less silver than it really is. The feather details also look very clear in hand. It may not be as stunning as the actual Junior Military Aviator badges, but its nice to have a "wing" from the home team.

[5thwingmarty]

I picked up another little (1-3/4") sweetheart wing to add to this thread.  The enameled shield was added to the base wing

 

[5thwingmarty]

Another little Eisenstadt has joined the flock, this one jut a bit over 7/8" in span.  It has the E in the carpenter square hallmark.

 

[cwnorma]

Marty,

 

Very nice!

 

Chris

[5thwingmarty]

Here is another little Eisenstadt wing/pin.  It is a union pin for the International Association of Machinists local 710.  I don't know where local 710 was, but the union was founded in 1891 and had 769 locals by 1905.  Today it is the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace workers.

 

On the back it has both the Eisenstadt LE hallmark and the mark of the International Jewelry Workers Union local 55.

 

[5thwingmarty]

Here is another Eisenstadt sweetheart wing I just picked up.  It is only 1" in span but still has fine detail.  I couldn't get a photo to show it, but the bottom rows of feathers curve down to the bottom edge giving the wing a very thin bottom edge.  I like that this has another different Eisenstadt hallmark compared to my other examples, with sterling fully spelled out.