Porsche – original vintage late 1960s/ early 1970s Melsom/ Heath Machin key wallet – collector’s item

The Porsche key wallet in this listing is an original vintage item which will have been produced in the late 1960s or very early 1970s .

Unsurprisingly we have just this one example of this key wallet to offer which is the only one of this design which we have ever listed .

Produced by Heath Machin of Walsall on behalf of Melsom Products Ltd of Birmingham – very few of these will have been produced at the time and this example is the only one which we have ever seen .

A very rare item and only the 2nd example of an original Porsche key wallet of any description which we have ever listed over the years – the last one being listed and sold in July 2023 .

The value of early original Porsche items such as this example has shot up over the last  2 or 3 years in line with the value of the early cars themselves .

Regrettably substantial sums now have to be paid in order to be in a position to be able to offer an item like this one for sale – this is reflected in the listing price .            

Apart from just one keycase -which is different to a key wallet – we only know of the existence of one other example of a Porsche key wallet which is in the hands of one of our regular Porsche customers in USA .

Very few Porsche key wallets will have been produced at the time and those that were produced were probably used by their owners on a daily basis at the time with the result that very few have survived .

The wallets lent themselves to being crammed with keys ( house keys as well as car keys …………. ) which was not an ideal recipe for longevity !

This Porsche key wallet is in exceptionally good condition with the vitreous enamel badge mounted onto the key wallet .

The vitreous enamel badge itself is in jewellery quality vitreous enamel – an absolute work of art in itself .

The key wallet is marked as being ‘TOP GRAIN COWHIDE’ – which is exactly what it is ……….genuine top quality black leather .

Whilst the key wallet remains closed the leather is smooth and un-wrinkled but when the wallet is opened up flat ( as it would not usually be ) the leather displays the most attractive wrinkling as can be seen in the photos .

The black cowhide is lined inside the wallet with a very thin ‘skin’ of what appears to be tan leather but could be another material .

This has worn to a degree where the leather folds over as the wallet is closed . This can be seen in the enlarged high resolution listing photos and the listed price takes this into account .

If this had not been the case we would have thought that the key wallet would have been almost new old stock condition .

This key wallet will have been marketed by Melsom Products Ltd whose details appear on the reverse of the badge but will have actually been made by Heath Machin & Co. of Walsall – who made keyrings for Melsom Products using Melsom’s own badges for the purpose .

The wallet is hardly bigger than a keyring when closed and the ignition key which it is designed to hold would be inserted in the car ignition with the wallet body dangling free .

The wallet measures approximately 3″ x 1.75″ ( 75mm x 45mm ) closed.

Opened up it measures approximately 5″ x 3″ ( 125mm x 75mm )

The press stud ( popper ) snaps shut with precision to close & secure the wallet as they should.

The 4 key hooks within the wallet are strongly mounted onto the leather case.

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

This key wallet would be original & correct for use with late Porsche 356 together with Porsche 911 2.0 litre , Porsche 912 and 1966 onwards Porsche 911 & 911S .