About this piece
back to topA good-quality early 20th century bronze Royal Navy boat badge for the HMS Furious (47), from the collection of the late John Ritchie (1944-2025).
The HMS Furious was launched in 1916 for the First World War as a Courageous-class battlecruiser before being converted into an aircraft carrier in 1925. Following various military expeditions across the globe, Furious was decommissioned in 1945.
The pentagon-shaped badge displays an eagle’s head on a black backdrop within a gold border as pictured, this one marked ‘Furious’ to the reverse. A similar example can be found in the Royal Museums, Greenwich which notes the pattern was approved in November 1919.
‘Furious’ is just one of a selection of ship badges we have acquired from John Ritchie’s collection which will make interesting pieces for the modern collector of British naval history.
The John Ritchie Collection
John Ritchie was an eminent figure in the world of maritime antiques for over 40 years. In his lifetime, he served in the Merchant Navy and travelled the globe, developing a passion for maritime collecting and history. In later years, he became proprietor of Books Afloat in Weymouth, a second-hand bookshop dedicated to all things nautical.