Bristol - original vintage 1950s/ 1960s keyring with 'Bristol' triangular shape keyfob - well used condition

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

An original vintage Bristol keyring which will have been produced in the 1950s or 1960s.

When this keyring has been sold this listing will be cancelled.

We are also currently offering a mint condition example of this keyring ( unless now sold )

and we are also currently offering another similar original Bristol keyring with the same badge but with a different shaped keyfob ( unless now sold )

The keyring in this listing has a particular ‘triangulated’ keyfob shape which Bristol used for it’s keyrings in the 1950s and 1960s.

We have seen & listed several examples of these over the years and have sold them all at rather higher prices than the price which this keyring is listed at.

This keyring is in very well used condition ( although still perfectly serviceable ) but cannot command the price of a mint condition example.

Having said that – many customers now seem to appreciate keyrings which ‘have had a life ‘ and do not look for mint condition perfection.

This example certainly qualifies in that respect !

The keyring is still in perfectly serviceable condition – but shows all the signs of having covered many, many thousands of miles during it’s long life.

The badge ( which we understand is plated in electroless nickel ) is actually in mint condition- quite remarkable considering the wear evident on the leather keyfob.

The badge is still securely mounted to the genuine leather keyfob which is very well worn and supple with many years of use – rather like leather horse harness becomes after years of use .

We cannot be certain who made these keyrings for Bristol – and assumed that the maker would most likely to have been Castles Unit Development Co. of Castle Gate, Leicester . They were one of the only concerns making keyrings of this quality at that time.

The keyring has one of the smallest keyfob badges ever – with a diameter of just 16mm.

If Castles did not make this particular keyring then Bristol could have had the badges made independently and then commissioned a leather workshop to mount the badges onto these keyfobs.

This is entirely feasible as Bristol commissioned us to make some special keyrings for them some years ago- rather than have them mass produced in the Far East as most other manufacturers now do.

However a former Bristol owner from British Columbia, Canada has made contact to say that a similar pair of keyrings were supplied by Bristol in 1966 together with a new Bristol 409 shipped to Victoria B.C. Canada .

Those keyrings had ‘J.FRAY B’HAM ‘ on the badge reverse which had a pebbled background .

J. FRAY of Birmingham is a maker well known to us and could well have carried on making these keyrings for Bristol after Castles stopped making them .

Frays always marked the reverse of their badges with their details – so we think that this particular keyring in this listing predates the keyrings made by Frays .

We are very grateful to the Bristol owner from Canada for his contribution – without owners like him much of the ‘lore’ surrounding these early keyrings would by now have been lost forever .

This keyring is original & correct for use with any 1950s or early 1960s Bristol motor car and is a very rare item.

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

When it has been sold then this listing will be cancelled. SMOSO 00/531 05/23