Citroen – original vintage early 1960s keychain badge with new keychain

An original Citroen keychain badge which will have been produced in the late 1950s or early 1960s which we have attached to a replacement keychain ,

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

This original nickel plated Citroen keychain badge is in virtually mint condition with black vitreous enamel detail but came to us without the original keychain .

In that case we have provided it with a replacement nickel plated keychain and splitring – these replacement items are themselves probably 40 years old but not quite as old as the badge .

Keychains like this one were produced for a short period from the mid 1950s and were the first car ‘keyrings’ before leather keyrings came into general use .

The reverse of the badge is marked ‘MADE IN ENGLAND’ and there is an elongated ‘B’ within a circle together with a small ‘C’ within a smaller circle .

Bud Marston – the author of ‘Vintage Jaguar Keyrings’ featured at the beginning of our Jaguar section here in our website shop shows similarly marked Jaguar badges in his book.

He suggests that they date from the late 1950s but wonders if the ‘C’ stands for ‘copyright’ in which case he feels that the badges could date from the 1960s .

We have very occasionally seen the elongated ‘B’ on the reverse of keychain badges but have never found the identity of the maker .

In the 1950s & 1960s there were many small badgemakers in the Birmingham area producing vitreous enamel badges and we can only assume that this badge will have been produced and mounted onto a keychain by one of them at the time.

This badge is a rare and useable item for any 1950s or 1960s Citroen motor car – or a valuable addition to a collection .

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