A China Horse Marines patch

[Patchcollector]

Hi all,
While browsing eBay I came across this interesting piece.Hand painted on leather and dated 1937,it is 5 inches round.

 

I've never seen a China Marine patch so I thought I would post it for review.Any comments,opinions,info,etc.. is welcome.

 

Here is a link to the auction:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Pre-WW2-1930s-USMC-China-Marine-Horse-Marines-Patch-Shanghai-China-4th-Regiment/312041732803?_trkparms=aid%3D888007%26algo%3DDISC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D44039%26meid%3D82c65e5619c14f45910a3f209ce45bb4%26pid%3D100009%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26sd%3D192421075085&_trksid=p2047675.c100009.m1982

 

Here is the sellers description of the item:

 

From my personal and well known collection of 20+ years is this vintage 1930's or 1940's China Marine leather souvenir patch of the "Horse Marines". Probably one of a kind and done for trade or souvenir. Paint is dry and will crack if bent. A historical museum piece. Measures just over 5

[Patchcollector]

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[Patchcollector]

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[Patchcollector]

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[Patchcollector]

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[Teamski]

Pretty slick! Thanks for sharing. You just won't see something like that every day!

 

-Ski

[bobgee]

Unusual, to say the least! Hard to date. Semper Fi.......Bobgee

[KurtA]

Hard to date.

 

Yes. I can't decide between 1982 and 1985. Chinese did silk, not leather. And if "leather" from that part of the world, it would be goat skin, not stiff pig skin from Mexico (which appears to have been cooked just a tad too long in the oven.)

[usmcaviator]

I am selling the patch, my whole collection of USMC is for sale as a matter of fact, which includes some substantial China material and has been subject of many great reference books on USMC.

Who said Chinese only worked in silk? They also worked a lot in Silver....and wood.... and enamel glass....you get the point. Who ever said Chinese made it?

Not sure what "type" of leather it is....pig skin, goat, cow or dog?? It isn't stiff, it is actually still quite supple, however bending it cracks the paint. It came from a significant and prominent "China" collection that was sold off at auction (not E-bay) and that (surprisingly) went unnoticed by this forum in 2016. It spanned Boxer Rebellion to 1940's and there was a lot of Shanghai Volunteer Corps, British and International Military Items and also a lot of non-military China items. I wanted to post the collection/collector name for provenance but couldn't find it at time of listing, I will keep searching. I know that still isn't a measure of authenticity. Admittedly, I am not sure anyone can be rock solid on a piece like this, but always will defend my stuff to open conjecture.

 

Any of the old patch guys ever see that stamp before?

I stand by it as old and very unique and I thought it was good enough to have in my collection.

Mike Manifor

[vintageproductions]

Mike-Are you talking about the collection that went through Live Auctioneers, Auction Zip and the other company. The guy lived in upstate NY and collected everything to do with China, French Foreign Legion and Devil's Island stuff? I think by the time it was done they had three separate auctions of his estate. He collected everything not just militaria? I think the auction company was named STERLING.

 

I bought some great stuff out of that auction also, but there were some questionable items, not many.

 

That eagle stamp was used by someone in the 60's - early 70's that made re-union type squadron patches. I can't remember the name, and I could be wrong, but there are also a few AAF & USN patches with this same stamp on the reverse.

[firefighter]

The stamp on the back, upside down, looks to be an eagle with spread wings with shield grasping olive branches & arrows. Not sure why a Chinese maker would use an American eagle as their trade mark.

[ChuckyD]

I'm the proud new owner of the patch! Thanks Mike! It's now the centerpiece of my China Marine Collection!

SF
Chuck