It is known Blackinton offered these "Replacement" wings in gold gilt and Sterling, although it is unclear why they offered some in Silver Finish. This gold gilt example would have been an authorized replacement for wear in uniform. It is the opinion of many collectors, these Blackinton wings are the closest thing to the original that were all struck in solid 14k Gold. It should also be noted that Blackinton did not add their hallmark to badges until the 1930's.
Were these worn or owned by one of the original 27 Army Aviators? Sadly, we will likely never know for sure. What we do know is that we handle a ton of WWI period militaria and this badge is the closest we've handled or seen to an actual original badge, which as we all know are unattainable by 99.9999% of all collectors or museums.
The original, period-correct C-Clasp functions as originally intended. See our high-resolution photos for exact detail and exceptional condition. If you are looking at this listing, it is likely you are familiar with the original badges, and that there were limited numbers of restikes made in the 1910's for aviators who rated the badge.If you can add anything to this listing, please feel free to reach to and share your opinion. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. Please note these are not restrikes or reproductions made in the 1980's like the Blackinton models with the roller clasps with dulled detail.
There is much more information about these wings online. We are Open To Offers.
Army Military Aviator Wings 1913 Pattern MA Wing WWI 1910's Blackinton" is in sale since Friday, May 3, 2019. This item is in the category "Collectibles\Militaria\WW I (1914-18)\Original Period Items\United States\Medals, Pins & Ribbons"." and is located in Charleston, South Carolina. This item can be shipped to United States.