BRM - original vintage late 1950s/ early 1960s torpedo keyring - collector's item

An original BRM torpedo keyring which will have been produced in the late 1950s or early 1960s .

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

We have only ever listed one other original BRM torpedo keyring which sold in 2019 and was not in as good condition as this example.

Some of these BRM torpedo keyrings would have been distributed during the course of racing activities, whilst others would have been supplied with cars sold from May’s Garage which was in Bourne in Lincolnshire .

This keyring is a very important historic item in the history of British motor racing and we could not hazard a guess as to how many more of these will have survived – very few we would think.

One can only wonder at the roads and mileages it must have covered over the years- and the circumstances surrounding its original issue or presentation- most probably by Raymond Mays himself to a customer buying a vehicle from his garage or to a friend or colleague at a race meeting.

This keyring is in very good used condition and is around 60 years old .

The vitreous enamel badge is in very good condition without any significant chips in the enamel.

The badge is mounted onto a torpedo keyfob in genuine black goatskin leather which is in good serviceable condition considering it’s age with good tight stitching and a securely fitted brass eyelet for the splitring .

The leather keyfob is marked on the front where the badge has rubbed ( most torpedo keyrings of this age with hinged badges display similar marks ) and there is a wrinkle in the leather on the reverse of the keyfob .

The all important leather hinge attaching the badge to the keyfob is in excellent shape and could even have been replaced at some stage in the past – although we very much doubt if this would have been possible without re-stitching the top of the keyfob which has certainly not happened.

The keyring was made by Castles Unit Development Co. of Leicester.

Castles were the original manufacturers of torpedo shaped keyrings ( so prized by collectors today )

Their torpedo keyrings very quickly went out of fashion in the late 1960s when keyrings as we know them today were introduced.

Castles seem to have disappeared very quickly at about that time.

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