Bentley - original vintage early 1970s new old stock hinged torpedo keyring in tan pigskin leather - collector's item

An original new old stock Bentley keyring which we would think will have been produced in the early 1970s .

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

What a superb keyring – where do we start ……………..?

This keyring is in new old stock condition with a nickel plated badge with vitreous enamel detail mounted onto a keyfob in genuine tan pigskin leather .

The badge is identical to those produced by CUD ( Castles Unit Development Co. of Leicester ) in the 1960s and fitted to their famous torpedo keyrings .

This leads us to believe that the keyring will have been produced by them but the badge is mounted onto a hinged torpedo keyfob rather than one of their usual torpedo keyfobs .

Additionally they did not usually produce keyrings in pigskin leather – usually goatskin .

CUD were still producing their torpedo keyrings in the very late 1960s but abruptly ceased production as conventional keyrings took over .

The CUD torpedo had the splitring mounted at 90 degrees to the surface of the keyring which meant that the keyring did not hang well against the dashboard .

CUD then produced a few keyrings with a peardrop shaped keyfob ( still with the awkward splitring ) and by the early 1970s had disappeared or been taken over .

We do wonder if this particular keyring could have been one of their ‘ last gasps ‘ – with an attempt to rectify the awkwardness of the 90 degree splitring .

The method of construction of the keyfob with an internal strengthening section and the stitching layout is identical to CUD’s torpedos .

Even the little half inch diameter splitring is the same size as those used with their torpedos

Pigskin leather was ( and is ! ) an expensive luxury material prized for it’s appearance and durability and was occasionally used for keyrings for prestige cars ( usually Aston Martin & Jaguar ) at the time but hardly ever used since .

The keyring in the photos is the actual one which you will receive and is the only one of it’s type which we ever seen & listed .

This keyring would be a superb addition to any Bentley motor car of the period .