Rolls Royce - original vintage mid 1950s keychain - collector's item

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

An original vintage Rolls Royce keychain which will have been produced in the mid 1950s .

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

Keychains like this one were used in cars in the 1950s just before leather keyrings as we still know them today came into common use in the very late 1950s & 1960s .

They were generally made in the jewellery quarter in Birmingham at the time.

The badge is in excellent condition in red & black enamel and measures almost 1.5″(35mm)  in diameter .

Interestingly the black enamel has a domed cap of translucent enamel cast over it – to protect the gold Rolls Royce logo within .

The badge is connected to the split ring for attachment of the car keys by 3 heavy nickel plated links – this is quite a substantial item .

The back of the keyring contains what is possibly the initials of the maker – GD – together with a capital C within a circle.

Bud Marston in USA – the author of the book ‘Vintage Jaguar keyrings’ which is featured in the Jaguar section in this website – has noted similar marks on the back of Jaguar badges of the same period.

This has perplexed Bud – but he never found the identity of the maker and concluded that the capital C within a circle possibly stood for ‘Copyright’ .

These 60+ year old keychains are very rare items – very few have survived for any make of car after all these years .

A superb item and the only one which we have ever seen and listed over the last 10 years .

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

When it has been sold this listing  will be cancelled . SMOSO  00/572 01/23