Two early 20th century lapel pins or brooches produced in the form of Whitehead torpedoes, Fiume.

Length: 62 mm. approx. 1:100 scale.

One is marked: FIUME 1903 KLARA. Is in the form of a 18″ torpedo produced the Fiume factory between 1900 – 1906.

The other represents a 21 inch torpedo, also a produced in Rijeka Whitehead Factory between 1909 – 1918. Unmarked, with detonator propeller mounted on the “nose” of the torpedo.

Both are thought to be made for the Whitehead Torpedo Factory, Whitehead & Co in Fiume, now Rijeka in Croatia.

Robert Whitehead / Whitehead & Co, In1866 Robert Whitehead developed the first automobile or self-propelled torpedo whilst working as manager of the Fonderia Metalli situated in Fiume (Rijeka), today in Croatia. He thus introduced the world to a weapon that almost changed the course of history during both World Wars. In 1875, Whitehead formed the company Torpedo-Fabrik von Robert Whitehead – later Whitehead & Co. When Whitehead retired, the Whitehead family sold the company to Vickers and Armstrong-Whitworth in 1906.