BMW – original vintage 1960s vitreous enamel keychain badge with replaced keychain – collector’s item

An original vitreous enamel BMW keychain badge which will have been produced in the 1960s which we have provided with a new keychain as can be seen in the photos.

We have just this one keychain to offer – when this keychain has been sold this listing will be cancelled.

We would not usually describe a keychain badge with a replaced keychain as a collector’s item –  but this badge is such a significant item that we have made an exception in this case.

One of the earliest BMW keyrings ( keychain badges ) which we have ever listed with the early classic ‘BMW’ font – very different to the font used in later badges .

This vitreous enamel badge is in excellent condition but the original keychain was missing – so we have fitted a new keychain & splitring using a new old stock keychain & splitring which will probably date from the 1970s .

We know that the badge dates from the 1960s as we have very occasionally seen similar keychains for other makes of vehicle – mainly Jaguar  – with a badge with these markings on.

Bud Marston in USA has written a very well known book on the subject of Vintage Jaguar Keyrings ( running to some 280 pages ! ) which can be seen in the Jaguar section here in this website shop.

Bud has seen Jaguar keychain badges like this BMW one with the same markings on – but has never discovered who they were made by .

The marking is an elongated ‘B’ within an oval together with a smaller ‘C’ within a small circle.

It has been suggested that the ‘ C ‘ relates to ‘copyright’ but this has never been proven.

‘Made In England’ also marked on the back of the badge – at that time almost all keyrings/ keychains for the world’s cars were made in England – it became quite an industry centred on the badgemakers of the jewellery quarter in Birmingham where this badge will almost certainly have been made.

BMW motor cars were rare on British roads in the 1960s – and hardly any keyring manufacturers bothered to make BMW keyrings which adds to the rarity of this item .

If this was one of the Jaguar keychains we have mentioned and in this condition then the value would be very significantly more  – and this BMW item is much rarer than it’s Jaguar counterpart !

The keychain in the photos is the actual one which you will receive.