Caterpillar Club Pins
Caterpillar Club Pins are small but mighty tokens of military history, and as such perform exceptionally well at auction. The diminutive size of these 9ct gold pins shaped like silkworms, with red gem or enamel eyes and engravings to the reverse belie stunning feats of bravery, life-saving leaps and the most perilous of wartime conditions.
The Irvin Caterpillar Club was founded in 1922. Created by Leslie Irvin of the Irvin Air Chute Company of Canada, these pins were to be awarded to every person whose life had been saved by an Irvin parachute. Named the Caterpillar Club after the silk threads that made the original Irvin parachutes - and indirectly saved the lives of thousands of airmen across the world.
Above: An example of a Caterpillar Club certificate of membership, presented alongside the pins. These are not frequently seen with the pins at auction.
The Caterpillar Club was an exclusive group of survivors, with pins reserved for those who had bailed out of a disabled aircraft in order to save their lives, and awarded only upon company verification of each incident, these pins were accompanied by a certificate and bore the name of the recipient to the reverse of each pin.
The Irvin Caterpillar Club remains in existence and continues to award pins to qualifying candidates to this day!
Notable club members include aviator Charles Lindbergh and retired astronaut John Glenn. Recently, a Caterpillar Club Pin awarded to Bram Van der Stok, of whose story inspired the film The Great Escape sold at auction for over £3,000. So, if you have a family history connected to the Air Forces, or have discovered a curious caterpillar badge, do get in touch for a free auction valuation and entry into one of our Fine Jewellery & Watch Sales.
For a free auction valuation of your Caterpillar Club pin, contact our qualified specialist Liz Bailey
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Caterpillar Club Engravings
Hand inscribed to the reverse of each pin with the ranking and name of each individual member of this exclusive club, Caterpillar Club pins offer the opportunity for wonderful research into the tales of each remarkable recipient. Pins can be consigned to auction from family collections, together with detailed descriptions and documentation detailing each bailout and circumstance, and equally pins can enter the saleroom with no accompanying information or tangible link to the original holder of the pin. The stories behind these fascinating pins are the very reason for their success at auction, and appeal not only to militaria collectors or jewellery lovers, but interested parties around the world.
Other Caterpillar Club pins exist in addition to the Irvin Caterpillar Club, awarded by other parachute makers such as Switlik Parachute Co., and these are cast in varying, gold, silver and enamel designs.
Above: An example of a letter from Irvin welcoming a recipient into the Caterpillar Club, signed by Leslie L. Irvin. These are infrequently seen still with the pins.
