A Rare Late Victorian Novelty Mechanical Blinking ‘Goo Goo’ Pinback Badge c.1900

SOLD
Origin: English
Period: Late Victorian
Provenance: Unknown
Date: c.1900
Diameter: 1.75

The very scarce pin back metal badge, with painted central green eye and surrounding skin, to a pull string which activated the eyelid to open and close revealing the words ‘Goo Goo’, to let a member of the opposite sex know you are an admirer, with stamped mark Pat Pending, the whole in working order and surviving from the latter part of Victorian period England.

The badge is in excellent working order which is pleasantly surprising, with the original pin in place protected with cork, with the whole having expected wear to the painted decoration. The pull string would be a later replacement.

The definition of ‘Goo Goo’ eyes is looking at someone with adoration or love, with suitors sometimes sending love letters with these badges affixed upon "because you made Goo-Goo eyes:!"; though there is very little information about these badges or who made them. We can only find one other having been sold which was American.

A humorous, rare and beautiful curio that would make a wonderfully original gift to the one who makes you ‘Goo Goo’.
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