Wings from the Putnam Green/Sycamore Collection

[rustywings]

Tolzer, I wish I did know who made it?  That’s why I sat-up and took notice of your smaller BMA variation!  

 

Outside of Cliff’s WWI Pilot badge which Bob previously referenced, I’ve never encountered another wing example with that small Ball-Pein hammer texture on the back. 

[cwnorma]

1 hour ago, rustywings said:

I’ve never encountered another wing example with that small Ball-Pein hammer texture on the back. 

 

@rustywings Russ,

 

I've had this BMA since the mid 1990s.  Unfortunately, no information as to original maker or owner.  All I know is it was "picked" from a Florida estate:

 

 

What I know about it:

1) It is sterling but unmarked

2) the bomb tip and US test to 14k

3) while it looks somewhat like a barrel catch in the photos its actually a hand-made safety catch of the "trumpet catch" variety (you can see the button that looks like a trumpet valve key).  Trumpet catches are sometimes associated with turn-of-the-century Mexican silversmiths.  The pin and hinge are also hand-made.

4) The body of the "bomb" is cast with the three fins separately silver soldered (plus the gold US and tip).  The gold tip appears to be "fused" to the body (i.e. not soldered--that I can see under loupe examination).

5) The wings are thick silver, vaulted, and hammered

 

To be honest with the community, I have retained reservations about this badge.  Entirely hand made--including findings, it is crafted well enough that it has remained out of the "box of tears" all these decades... But in the back of my head I have been prepared for someone more knowledgeable than me to come along and express their reservations.

 

Chris

 

[rustywings]

Wow Chris!  You and Tolzer have certainly added serious pieces to a puzzle which I’ve been working on for years!

 

But before I go into details, let me offer up an apology to Tolzer for possibly rerouting HIS thread in a direction he may not want to go? 

 

Tolzer, I’m more than happy to start a fresh thread if all of this new-found BMA info is a distraction to your initial efforts to share more images of your collection?

[Tolzer]

No issues with me RustyWings! That is what this whole topic is about, discussion.

 

When I get some time, I will be uploading more images for the remainder of the wings.

 

So I have the following reference books:

 

United States Army Air Service Wing Badges - Uniforms and Insignia 1913-1918 (Terry Morris)

Thirty Years of U.S. Army Pilot Wings 1917-1947 (Charles Fitzsimmons)

Aviation Badges and Insignia of the United States Army 1913-1946

 

All three of these out of print reference books compliment each other.

 

Is there anything else out there as far as reference books?

 

Maybe it's time for a new book with color pics.

[rustywings]

Thank you Tolzer...

 

As far as wing collecting reference books, “Silver Wings, Pinks & Greens” by Jon A. Maguire... and his two follow-up publications, “More Silver Wings, Pinks & Greens” and “Silver Wings & Leather Jackets” all have merit.  

 

The book “Flight Badges of the Allied Nations, 1914 - 1918” by Robert S. Pandis also has an excellent section dedicated to early US Air Service and USN aviation wings. 

 

With fresh aerial badge information being unveiled on a near-regular basis, there’s always room for another publication!  Especially one with detailed colored images! 

[rustywings]

Chris, I certainly appreciate your expressed caution and reservation. I too have similar reservations!  But when I look at the detail and hand-craftsmanship of the three BMA’s with hammered backs illustrated in this thread, I can’t help but envision a skilled jeweler in a small shop in Houston, sometime in the 1918 to 1920 era, agreeing to “hammer-out” a customer(s) order... (Sorry, poor humor!)

 

These handcrafted BMA specimens sure stack-up well against the larger manufacturers.

 

From top to bottom:  Eisenstaedt hallmark (belonging to Lt. Thomas Hagan; Campbell’s Book, #44).

J.J. Sweeney hallmark (shield encircling the letter “S”).

J.J. Sweeney hallmark (spelled out variant).

Bottom wing not yet identified, (belonging to Lt. William Pickett Harris Jr.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[rustywings]

 

 

Bombing Military Aviator 2nd Lt. William Pickett Harris Jr. identification.  Note his “Bomber” rating.

 

With magnification, you can faintly see a BMA badge outline on his uniform.  Unfortunately, there’s not enough detail to determine if it’s the fully hand crafted variation?

 

 

[rustywings]

I’d like to throw one more small BMA badge into the mix, who’s pattern I don’t believe has yet been identified with a specific maker?

 

This 2 & 3/8 inch wide hand-worked cap badge is nicely detailed, but lacks any markings on the reverse.  Cliff Presley has a similar BMA cap badge illustrated on Bob’s ww2wings.com website.

 

Any help with identifying the maker of this pattern is much appreciated...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tolzer]

Provenance: Rock Island Auction Company; Lot 1466; The Putnam Green/Sycamore Collection; (August 2022). 

 

Sterling

Weight: 12 g

[Tolzer]

Provenance: Rock Island Auction Company; Lot 1466; The Putnam Green/Sycamore Collection; (August 2022). 

 

Weight: 14 g

[Tolzer]

Provenance: Rock Island Auction Company; Lot 1466; The Putnam Green/Sycamore Collection; (August 2022). 

 

Weight: 12 g

[Bull Moose]

Tolzer,

 

Where you able to obtain any history or information on “The Putnam Green/Sycamore Collection”?

 

Who, What, When, Where

[Tolzer]

45 minutes ago, Bull Moose said:

Tolzer,

 

Where you able to obtain any history or information on “The Putnam Green/Sycamore Collection”?

 

Who, What, When, Where

I drove up to Rock Island to pick up these wings. I did inquire about the Putnam Green/Sycamore collections that have been sold by Rock Island Auction since 2010. They stated that they do not release information about those that consign items into their auctions. Once again, a dead end on the provenance. 

[Tolzer]

Provenance: Rock Island Auction Company; Lot 1466; The Putnam Green/Sycamore Collection; (August 2022). 

 

Circa 1920, Observer wing, Observers who have qualified as airplane pilots.

 

Weight: 12 g

 

As per: Aviation Badges and Insignia of the United States Army, 1913-1946, page 24:

 

"The next important change in wing badges came on 12 November 1920, involving veteran pilots who no longer could pass the physical examination to continue piloting , but who were re-rated as observers to stay on flying status. Rather than embarrass them with half wings as other observers wore, War Department Circular 383 stated: "observers who have qualified as airplane pilots" were authorized a full wing with the letters US within the circle. The same pattern was made in bullion embroidery for wear on the service coat. The final postwar changes came on 14 October 1921, who all observers were awarded the full wing with the letter O at venter, omitting the letters US".

[Tolzer]

Provenance: Rock Island Auction Company; Lot 1466; The Putnam Green/Sycamore Collection; (August 2022). 

 

A. Dreher & Son, Newark N.J. Sterling

 

Weight 20 g

[blind pew]

Those Dreher wings are hard to come by! I have a set as well, and am struck by how muted they look in appearance due to being cast, rather than die struck. 

[Tolzer]

Provenance: Rock Island Auction Company; Lot 1466; The Putnam Green/Sycamore Collection; (August 2022). 

 

Weight: 22 g

[Tolzer]

Provenance: Rock Island Auction Company; Lot 1466; The Putnam Green/Sycamore Collection; (August 2022). 

 

Weight: 12 g

 

As per: Aviation Badges and Insignia of the United States Army, 1913-1946, page 16 & 17:

 

"This wing was probably made in either France or England. Cast in three pieces of silver, then soldered to form a one-piece badge with pin and safety catch on reverse. Each of the broad, thick wings is slightly undersized, and when combined with its oversize shield, the badge presents a “stumpy” appearance".

 

[rustywings]

Just one beautiful wing after another!  Thank you Tolzer for sharing your wonderful collection!

 

[Tolzer]

Provenance: Rock Island Auction Company; Lot 1466; The Putnam Green/Sycamore Collection; (August 2022). 

 

Weight: 10 g

 

As per: Aviation Badges and Insignia of the United States Army, 1913-1946, pages 16 & 17:

This wing was identified as #30

 

I still have a few more to post, but so far, so very good!

[Tolzer]

On 9/20/2022 at 11:21 AM, rustywings said:

Thank you Tolzer...

 

As far as wing collecting reference books, “Silver Wings, Pinks & Greens” by Jon A. Maguire... and his two follow-up publications, “More Silver Wings, Pinks & Greens” and “Silver Wings & Leather Jackets” all have merit.  

 

The book “Flight Badges of the Allied Nations, 1914 - 1918” by Robert S. Pandis also has an excellent section dedicated to early US Air Service and USN aviation wings. 

 

With fresh aerial badge information being unveiled on a near-regular basis, there’s always room for another publication!  Especially one with detailed colored images! 

Thanks for the suggestions. I do have those two reference books, good ones for sure. Here is a pic of a book that I have been looking for a very long time. Found it on eBAY Canada for $20.00.

[Tolzer]

Provenance: Rock Island Auction Company; Lot 1466; The Putnam Green/Sycamore Collection; (August 2022). 

 

Weight: 10 g

[Usa1918]

Beautiful Wings

 

Keith

[Tolzer]

Provenance: Rock Island Auction Company; Lot 1466; The Putnam Green/Sycamore Collection; (August 2022). 

 

Sterling

Applied Shield

Weight: 20g

 

I still have a few more to share and will upload as time permits.

 

[rathbonemuseum.com]

Those fat-bottomed Haltom wings are really unique. Such a particular period design with the optical "balloon"effect. Thanks for sharing these Gil.