WWI Air Service Collar Device by B.B.B.

[flyingfortress]

I recently acquired this WWI Air Service collar device at a local flea market. I was quite surprised to get it because military stuff is highly competitive and this market reeks with people looking for military. However, I always look in woman's jewelry cases because you never know what you'll find inside. Most guys pass them up thinking it's just jewelry. Anyway, this woman sold it to me as an art deco pin for $10. Not a bad price. Apparently, she polished the propeller. Why do women seem to always polish sterling...drives me crazy.

 

The back of the pin has 3 different hallmarks: (1) STERLING at the bottom of the propeller, (2) BB & B on the left side, and (3) BRONZE on the right side. The pin is about 1 9/16" across. Enjoy the images.

 

Regards, George

[flyingfortress]

Back of pin

[pconrad02]

Very nice! I have a matched pair of these and the props look just like this one

[John Cooper]

Sweet find - CONGRATZ!!

[KurtA]

What's important is she didn't polish the bronze. Nice find.

Kurt

[Gary Cain]

Very nice find! And I agree you can find the most amazing things in jewelry cases!

[cwnorma]

Note the clasp.

[Terry K.]

Great find!

Isn't that post WW1? I thought the clasp wasn't used till after WW1

[VMI88]

Great find!

Isn't that post WW1? I thought the clasp wasn't used till after WW1

Most WWI-era insignia uses an open catch, but the locking catch was used by certain high-end manufacturers.

 

Bill

[pfrost]

Most WWI-era insignia uses an open catch, but the locking catch was used by certain high-end manufacturers.

 

Bill

I have a very similar wing from BB&B that has the open C catch.

 

I actually see a wide variation in the hardware used, from nice expensive T style pins that are similar to the ones used on expensive European jewelry to simple safety pin style hardware. I even have a few that have loops on the back for being directly sewn to the uniform. Frankly, I don't think you can really make all that strong a correlation with the hardware, they seemed to have used what was available.

 

Patrick

[tarheelyankee]

Great looking collar device. Too bad it is not a matched pair, but hell for $10 you did excellent. Want to double your money? LOL :thumbsup:

[pfrost]

Here is a collection of WWI collar wings. A BB&B and a Shreve marked wing are lurking in this collection. I knew a collector who was picking these up for years and had a huge collection that he had a very modest investment in at the time. The prices for a matched set is rather high, but I still manage to grab one or two of these a year for less than 20$ each. I could have more, but I am cheap and picky.