Bristol - original vintage 1950s/ 1960s mint condition keyring with 'Bristol' triangular shaped keyfob - collector's item

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 keyrings over the years and this particular one is in mint condition .

The keyring in this listing is an original vintage Bristol keyring dating from the late 1950s or 1960s .

The badge ( which we understand is plated in electroless nickel ) is mounted onto a keyfob in genuine goatskin leather with the characteristic ‘pebbly’ appearance of goatskin.

We cannot be certain who made these keyrings for Bristol –and assumed that the maker would most likely be Castles Unit Development Co. of Castle Gate, Leicester .

They were one of the only concerns making keyrings of this quality at that time and also the only manufacturer using goatskin.

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 – particularly as the keyfob is in goatskin which so far as we know was not used by Frays and was only used by Castles.

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.