Scarce, Sterling & Enamel "Avions Voisin" Lapel Badge
SOLD
Scarce and beautiful lapel badge (pin) made for the aircraft and luxury car manufacturer "Avions Voisin" (Voisin Aircraft).
This original badge is made in sterling silver and enamel and is in the form of the Voisin logo (a winged scarab) and bears the inscription, "Avions Voisin". The badge is mounded on a pin fastener and it's reverse is stamped, "sterling". Width : 38mm. Very good condition. Comes with a period jeweller's box.
In 1904 after expressing an interest in flight, the French architecture student Gabriel Voisin was hired by Ernest Archdeacon to pilot a Wright type glider that he was testing. In 1905 they formed the Syndicat d'Aviation with the intention of building aircraft. They built two gliders one of which was for Louis Bleriot. Later that year he joined Bleriot and started the Bleriot-Voisin Company. As well as working with Bleriot, Voisin also helped Alberto Santos-Dumont build the aeroplane "14bis" which Santos-Dumont successfully flew in 1906, being the first controlled, powered flight in Europe. After this event the partnership with Bleriot broke up. Voisin retained the factory and invited his brother, Charles to join him, forming "Voisin Frères" which became the world's first commercial aircraft manufacturer. They built an aeroplane for Henry Kpferer and then one for Léon Delegrange in which Gabriel Voisin achieved flight in 1907. They then built an aeroplane for Henry Farman which was the first to fly a kilometre circuit. Voisin then built another for Farman, but instead sold it to Moore-Brabazon. This infuriated Farman so much that he established his own company to compete with Voisin. In 1912 Charles Voisin was killed in a car crash, but Gabriel continued with the business, building bombers throughout W.W.I. After the war, when orders dried up, Voisin designed and built the world's first prefabricated houses. In 1919 he turned his attentions to Automobiles producing luxury cars which were amongst the most advanced in the world. During W.W.II. the German owned company, Gnome Rhone took-over Voisin's factory but required him to remain to supervise. After the war he was accused of collaboration with the Nazi's and the French government siezed the opportunity to take-over his company. He was later exonerated, but came close to bankruptcy. Voisin died in 1973 at the age of 93.
For more information on Voisin automobiles and image of his first flight, please click on the links below:
This badge is also listed in the aviation section of this web site (item A-52)
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