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:
Rare circa 1950 New York City Airways Radio Dispatch Service taxi driver hat badge. Airways Radio Dispatch was established by a disabled veteran taxi driver who assisted during a plane crash at LaGuardia Airport in May 1947. His assistance, driving injured to nearby hospitals saved at least one life, but Edward Lamothe knew that more lives could have been potentially saved if there were more radio-telephone equipped vehicles who had known of the accident. Lamothe started the Airways Radio Dispatch Service (ARDS) very shortly after the plane crash, he started a taxi firm with approximately 20 independently owned vehicles and taxi drivers who were former GIs. Lamothe also realized the United Hospital Fund was in need of additional vehicles properly equipped with radio-telephones. Much of the ARDS service provided was transporting the sick and handicapped to hospitals and care organizations and because of the number of pregnant women expected to be transported, the careful selection of drivers included basic obstetric training. Being a handicap himself, Lamothe trained his drivers not to show sympathy to the passengers, in an effort to let them feel as equals, many doctors approved of this and encouraged "transportation therapy". The center of the badge is a round enameled disc in red, blue, and blue detail. The center shows a telephone receiver and an electric bolt against a background of red, the outer blue ring reads: "AIRWAYS RADIO DISPATCH SERVICE".
VINTAGE:
Circa 1950
SIZE:
Approximately 2-1/4" in length, x 1-7/8" in height.
MATERIALS / CONSTRUCTION:
Enameled sterling silver.
ATTACHMENT:
Single post with screwback and two stabilizer pins.
MARKINGS:
None.
ITEM NOTES:
This is from a bus and taxi collection which we will be listing more of over the next few months. MAEJL04 LCGEX2/16
CONDITION:
8- (Very Fine - Excellent): The badge shows minor to moderate wear and tarnish, much of the enamel details remain intact, overall very fine condition.
GUARANTEE: As with all my artifacts, this piece is guaranteed to be original, as described.
