Facel Vega – original vintage 1960s CUD key wallet – collector’s item

NOW SOLD – sorry this key wallet has now been sold and can no longer be ordered but has been left on view as a rare example of a Facel Vega key wallet

An original  Facel Vega key wallet which will have been produced during the 1960s .

We have just this one example of this key wallet to offer which is unsurprisingly the only example which we have ever listed – probably one of the rarest items which we have listed over the last almost 20 years .

When this key wallet has been sold this listing will be cancelled .

Well……………….what can we say ?

We certainly never expected to see one of these let alone actually have one in stock to list here in the website shop !

This key wallet is in excellent condition although on one side where it has been folded the leather has begun to split along the crease – this can be seen in the enlarged high resolution listing photos .

This is a shame but this is a 60 year old item produced in relatively stiff pigskin leather and is being sold as a rare collector’s item rather than a key wallet to be used on a daily basis in a car .

Provided it is handled with the care which it deserves there is no reason why it could not be used and it would be best used closed with the press studs closed and the ignition key protruding from the top of the wallet as it was designed to be used . Best not to continually open & close the wallet as this could cause the split to enlarge .

The vitreous enamel badge is mounted onto a genuine pigskin leather wallet which is in excellent condition apart from the split mentioned above .

The enamel badge is in very good condition with a small enamel chip in the bottom right hand corner of the badge .

The wallet opens with a couple of NEWEY press studs to reveal 4 sprung steel hooks for securing keys.

In use the ignition key would protrude from the closed key wallet and the key wallet itself would hang down from the key like a keyring .

Any other keys not in use would remain within the key wallet .

Whilst not in use the key would be stored within the key wallet and the wallet would be a more ‘pocket friendly’ item than a key hanging on a keyring – a brilliant design.

This key wallet has a vitreous enamel Facel Vega badge which was produced by Castles Unit Development Co. of Leicester – the very well known CUD Co. famous for making torpedo keyrings .

The only other supplier of key wallets or key cases appears to have been Melsom products who did have some examples produced for other makes of car .

Key wallets may be relatively scarce because they were probably a little more expensive than a simple keyring .

Keyrings themselves had only been generally available for a few years and were still very much ‘de-rigeur’ and were very popular .

The main body of the closed case measures approximately just 3.00″ x 1.75″ ( 75mm x 45mm ) – hardly bigger than most keyrings .

It may well be that CUD actually produced this key wallet themselves as the design with two press studs differs from Melsom’s key wallets with only one press stud and we have never seen a Melsom Products key wallet in pigskin leather .

Melsom’s key wallets were produced by Heath Machin of Walsall who mounted Melsom’s own badges onto key wallets for them . Heath Machin produced their own range of keyrings but did also mount badges for others onto leather keyfobs .

Bud Marston describes a key wallet ( but for a Jaguar car ) in his ‘Vintage Jaguar Keyrings ‘ book .

He remarks on the ‘Newey England ‘ press stud ( snap ) which is exactly the same on our example .

The key wallet in the photos is the actual one which you will receive. SMOSO 00576(00524)0426