Unknown Sweetheart badge or tie Pin?
 

Hi everyone.....This came in a box with five other sweetheart badges I bought at an auction. I can’t find anything remotely similar in books I have....I did think it was possibly American given the wings shape.....I’d appreciate the input from any on here that might have an inkling as to what it is?
Thanks!
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Hi Jill, welcome to the Forum. Your account is active and open for posts.

Hi Jill

Showed your pic to a friend who deals in jewellery. The centre piece may have been changed, but what it is looks to be is either a glass cabochon OR an enamel insert.

The colours are very reminiscent of pieces from the Arts and Crafts period (1900s up to WW1), being transparent blues and greens.

Are there markings to the reverse? I can see what looks like a split pin that you see on cap and collar badges.

I'd suggest a set of wings for a flying club that has been altered to a piece of fashion jewellery, by removing the centre device.

The style of the wings in very similar to the WW2 US Army Air Force - Navigator badges. Possibly the center was enamelled to covert it into a 'sweetheart' item.


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Looks like the wings have been cut off a badge and added to the new centre piece to me, look at the right hand side, perhaps a picture of the back would confirm this.

Rear of badge
 

Hi

Had another look and I think that the original centre device has been filed off and that enamel "button" (and it may indeed be a button) applied over the area.

Another idea: aviation was very much "in" in the pre-war/ wartime era. Possible that this was worn as a fashion item and they deliberately removed the centre device from what was a trade badge.

I think there might possibly be a connection to the "Flying Tigers" of WW2. I seem to recall, in the dark and distant past, seeing a collection relating to them and those wings look familiar.