PLEASE NOTE: WE ARE IN THE OFFICE Through TUESDAY 09/16,
AFTER That Date, We Will Be OUT OF THE OFFICE from WEDNESDAY 09/17 until TUESDAY OCTOBER 7th!!
Ron Will Be OUT OF THE OFFICE from WEDNESDAY 09/10 until FRIDAY OCTOBER 10th!!
So there MAY be SHIPPING DELAYS on MILITARIA Orders Placed AFTER 09/10 through 10/10!!
BUT We Will DEFINITELY Be ABLE TO SHIP Orders Placed Through TUESDAY 09/09,
And MIGHT Be ABLE TO SHIP ORDERS Placed through MONDAY 09/15, But After That we CANNOT SHIP Until TUESDAY 10/07!!
Update 09/09/25: WE ARE STILL EXPERIENCING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES WITH non-PayPal CREDIT CARD PURCHASES!!
BIG WEBSITE CHANGES are in the works and this Issue WILL BE CORRECTED sometime in OCTOBER!!
If you would like to PAY for an Artifact valued at OVER $100.00 with a CREDIT CARD, please email and I will get an invoice emailed to you ASAP!
We are HAPPY TO ACCEPT YOUR ORDERS during this time, and we will promptly SHIP MOST orders within ONE Business Day of Receipt of Payment!
And, as always, if you would like to fund your $100.00+ order through a Bank that offers ZELLE, ASK ABOUT our ZELLE DISCOUNT!!
That DISCOUNT also applies to PayPal GIFT (Fee-Free), Check, and Money Order payments!!
Thank you for visiting. We hope you will find some vintage artifacts here on our site to add to your collection.
We look forward to serving your collecting needs, Ron & Kanae
ARTIFACT:
This badge, circa summer 1941 was initially made up for a Civilian Squadron of Pilots of then-called General Purpose Aircraft (think Flying Jeep!) for the Tennessee and Texas Army ManeuversÉ The Grasshopper was a light 800 lb. aircraft and had a small wingspan of only 37 feet, which made it quick and needed little room for takeoff and landing, it was able to land safely on a narrow road. According to an article in Popular Science (1942), a trained pilot would need less than a few hours to learn how to fly the craft. The Grasshopper was used for message carrying, running errands, traffic direction, taxi, and worked alongside the troops behind the line. The insignia is a grasshopper wearing a silk top hat, and was made by Johnson National Insignia Company Inc. of New York City. The pin comes on its original card which has pen handwriting that reads: "GRASSHOPPER INSIGNIA OF COW PASTURE PILOT". The insignia is a green grasshopper wearing a top hat, and was made by Johnson National Insignia Company Inc. of New York City. The pin comes on its original card.
This article is from January 1942, so what it did not know was that the aircraft were pretty much used for Liaison Service once the war got fully underway, and a similar Grasshopper became the insignia of the Liaison School where pilots of these small aircraft were trained. But this was the very first insignia, and it is very rare.
https://books.google.ca/books?id=DCcDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA63&dq=popular+science+january+1942+grasshopper&hl=en&sa=X&ei=C0EEUe-yLsXe0gGFnoDwBw#v=onepage&q=popular%20science%20january%201942%20grasshopper&f=false
VINTAGE:
Circa early WWII
SIZE:
Pin: approximately 9/16" in height and 7/8" in width; card: approximately 1-5/16" by 1-7/8".
MATERIALS / CONSTRUCTION:
Gilt brass, enamel; oaktag card.
ATTACHMENT:
Horizontal pin with drop-in locking swivel catch.
MARKINGS:
JOHNSON NATIONAL N.Y. on reverse of pin; JOHNSON NATIONAL INSIGNIA CO. INC. 314 WEST 14TH STREET NEW YORK CITY on card; handwriting on front of card.
ITEM NOTES:
This is from a USAAF insignia collection which we will be listing more of over the next few months. VBJX12 LX12/12 SLFGEX6/15 SFJJX9/15
CONDITION:
7+ (Very Fine+): The pin has a few very light abrasions; the pin took a hit at the center and has some flaking to the enamel there, but no chunks missing. The tag has some light wear.
GUARANTEE: As with all my artifacts, this piece is guaranteed to be original, as described.
