Austin Healey – original late 1950s/ early 1960s chequerboard keyfob badge remounted onto a new leather keyfob – collector’s item

NOW SOLD – sorry this keyring has now been sold and can no longer be ordered

An original Austin Healey keyfob badge which we would date as having been produced in the late 1950s or early 1960s which we have remounted onto a new leather keyfob as can be seen in the photos .

We have just this one keyring with this badge to offer – when it has been sold this listing will be cancelled .

What a superb badge – and only the 2nd one which we have ever seen of this design over the years …………………and only the first one which we have ever listed !

Original keyfob badges like this one do not appear every day – particularly for Austin Healey where very few keyrings & keyfob badges were produced at the time .

We would not usually describe an original keyfob badge remounted onto a new leather keyfob as a ‘collector’s item – but this keyfob badge is a significant item and can only be described as such .

The nickel plated badge with vitreous enamel detail is in really excellent condition for it’s age – with black enamel chequerboard squares and translucent red enamel within the Austin Healey script .

The reverse of the badge bears the initials :- F & S .

Very occasionally we have seen these initials before on the reverse of a keyfob badge and do not know who they relate to .

We would think that this badge will have been made in Birmingham at the time – probably by one of the smaller badgemakers who have left no trace – there were dozens of them at the time .

The particular ‘ wide spread’ of the Austin Healey wings design on the badge and the script is correct for Austin Healey 100, 100/6 & early Mk I 3000 .

Automotive keyrings only came into general use in the very late 1950s so in the case of 1953 – 1956 Austin Healey 100 an owner would buy a keyring to use as keyrings became available in the late 1950s .

In that case we would regard this keyring badge to be original & correct for use with Austin Healey 100 – also early 100/6 .

The period of production of this keyfob badge would coincide with later 100/6 and early Mk I 3000 .

The keyring in the photos is the actual one which you will receive .  SMOSO  00/522  09/23