A Post War Royal Automobile Club Associate Car Badge
This post war Royal Automobile Club Associate car badge, numbered N-9348, is a collectable piece of British motoring history. It was issued to a vehicle registered in Pall Mall, London, and was used as a record of membership and insurance cover. The badge is intended to be fixed to the radiator or bonnet of a car, and it carries the full name of the club in raised lettering around the outer rim.
Design, Construction and Notable Features
The badge is die-cast in a silver-tone alloy with an oval outline and a crown finial at the top. The name “Royal Automobile Club Associate” runs around the top and sides of the rim, and a laurel-style wreath surrounds a central roundel. The roundel is set with a vitreous enamel Union Flag, overlaid with a red cross, and framed by a pierced ring of radiating slots. A winged figure motif sits beneath the roundel, above a rectangular plate stamped with the membership number N9348. The reverse is fitted with a threaded mounting bolt and two hexagonal nuts, which are included with the lot.
Condition, Originality and Collector Appeal
The badge shows the expected wear for its age, including an even patina to the alloy, light surface marks and some oxidation around the recessed areas of the lettering. The enamel to the Union Flag roundel appears largely intact, though there is minor wear to the edges. The mounting bolt and nuts show signs of age and use, and the badge should be regarded as an original period piece rather than a restored example. Its original membership number and the documented link to a Pall Mall vehicle add to its interest for collectors of motoring memorabilia, RAC badges and post war British car accessories.
