Looking for a cool holiday gift for the military brat or gov’t nerd in your life? Well, here’s some good news: In addition to being serious vintage watch heads, we also have a deep-set love for anything bearing an issue number or a government seal. Need proof? Just check out the set of neat goodies we have on hand, waiting for the right collector to come along!
From pewter and aluminum aircraft models to nuclear submarine-themed tie bars; from U.S. Naval Intelligence-themed money clips to ‘Jitterbug’ stopwatches, our highly curated mix of ephemera, souvenirs, and genuine issued equipment is sure to satisfy even the most hardcore of surplus seekers, re-enactors, and Saving Private Ryan re-watchers. Dig in!
Bell AH-1 "Cobra" Table Lighter - Pewter ($325)
Bell AH-1 "Cobra" Table Lighter - Pewter - IN THE SHOP
Add a bit of bite to your desktop with this Bell AH-1 “Cobra” table lighter! Even if you don’t smoke, it’s tough not to be taken in by its substantial pewter body, collapsible rotor blades, and removable push-button lighter. Modeled after one of the most fearsome aircraft ever designed, it’s the ideal office accessory for someone who’s seen Apocalypse Now one too many times.
F-100 Super Sabre Desktop Model - Aluminum ($650)
F-100 Super Sabre Desktop Model-Aluminum - IN THE SHOP
Machined from aluminum and set atop a handsome marble base, this model of an F-100 Super Sabre celebrates one of the premier supersonic jet fighters of the 1950s. Finished with U.S. Air Force decals — and even the name of its pilot and its serial numbers — it’ll look smashing atop a bookshelf lined with copies of Jane’s Aircraft Recognition Guide.
Sikorski S-62 Helicopter Tie Bar by Kinney ($75)
Sikorski S-62 Helicopter Tie Bar by Kinney - IN THE SHOP
A unique amphibious helicopter with a boat fuselage, the Sikorsky S-62 served as a coast guard rescue platform from the 1960s through the late 1980s. Reduced down to a neat bronze tie clip produced by Kinney Co. in Providence, R.I, it still packs plenty of heft. Throw it on whenever you want to honor the intrepid men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard — and their signature helicopter.
USS Nautilus Memorial Playing Card Set - NOS ($75)
USS Nautilus Memorial Playing Card Set (NOS) - IN THE SHOP
If you’re gonna play a few hands of bridge, why not play them with this wildly neat playing card set from the USS Nautilus Memorial in Groton, CT? In NOS condition, it’s emblazoned with the ‘radioactive’ logo of the first American nuclear sub in the Navy’s history. Well preserved, it’ll make a perfect gift for someone who’s watched The Hunt for Red October one too many times…
Victorinox Swiss Army Knife for Lockheed Martin ($145)
Victorinox Swiss Army Knife for Lockheed Martin - IN THE SHOP
Red-livery Swiss Army Knives are a dime a dozen, but we challenge you to find one as cool as this steel 1980s version kitted out with the Lockheed Martin logo. Fitted with only the bare necessities — knife, scissors, and nail file — it features the old-school winged-star symbol of the American aeronautical juggernaut.
U.S. Naval Intelligence Money Clip Pocket Knife by Zippo ($165)
U.S. Naval Intelloigence Money Clip Pocket Knife by Zippo - IN THE SHOP
What might look at first glance like a lighter given its Zippo presentation box is actually a steel money clip emblazoned with the logo of the U.S. Naval Investigative Service, a branch of U.S. Naval Intelligence — pretty freakin’ rad. In excellent condition, it hides dual blades — one with a nail file — within its stealthy confines. Honestly, is there a better way to store a few bills?
USS Nautilus Keychain ($59)
USS Nautilus Keychain - IN THE SHOP
For a surefire way to spruce up your keyring, try this awesome brass keychain whose grey and red livery honors the USS Nautilus, the world’s first nuclear submarine and the second American vessel to carry that name. In excellent condition, it’ll signal to all and sundry that while you might be driving a Volvo, you’d much rather be piloting a 320-ft. submersible.
Aristo A-8 'Jitterbug' Stopwatch ($350)
Aristo A-8 'Jitterbug' Stopwatch - IN THE SHOP
Issued to bomber crews in the 1950s, this humble little timer features a hand-wound movement beating at an astonishing 144,000 vibrations per hour — three times the frequency of most mechanical watches of its era. Given type number A-8, it’s sometimes referred to as the ‘Jitterbug’ for the way its central 1/10th-seconds hand dances around the dial.
Jaeger US Army Air Forces Stopwatch Tachymeter ($125)
Jaeger US Army Air Force Stopwatch Tachymeter - IN THE SHOP
Calling all mechanical device aficionados — you have to check this thing out: Used to calibrate the famous Norden Bombsight, this little mil-spec device was made in the U.S. by none other than Jaeger, aka the American arm of famed watchmaker Jaeger-Lecoultre. Complete with its original box and paperwork, it’s an awesome vestige of Second World War aeronautical and military history.
Universal Genève HC-1 Bomb Timer by A. Cairelli Roma ($1,360)
Universal Genève HC-1 Bomb Timer by A.Cairelli Roma - IN THE SHOP
This splendid device is a mil-spec collector’s dream: A hand-wound dashboard clock meant for installation in the Fiat G.91, a fighter-bomber-reconnaissance aircraft, it’s double-signed by its maker, Universal Genève, and its retailer, A. Cairelli of Rome. Dating to the 1960s and set within a matte-black housing, it features a luminous tritium dial with 60-minute and 12-hour subregisters.
