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Iceland Forces Patch?


1stMinn
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Thought this one was for Alaska, but the young collector said Iceland when he pasted it into the album. Any ideas?

Stephen

 

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US Marines in Iceland wore this patch. They adopted the British design. This particular patch is a 1940's made-for-collectors "Patch King" example. Most larger 1940's era patch collections were put together with purchases through companies such as Patch King and the Hobby Guild. They sold surplus patches and had others (i.e., the more exotic units) made for the collector market. The very nice collection you were fortunate to acquire was clearly built in the 1940's with many purchases through these two companies.

Kurt

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Thanks for the quick reply. Hopefully a few of the scarce ones will be the real deal!

No worries - you definitely have some really nice ones in the collection.

Kurt

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normaninvasion

How can one tell its a Patch King? I also thought Patch King was a supplier to the Armed Forces, before the collector?

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How can one tell its a Patch King? I also thought Patch King was a supplier to the Armed Forces, before the collector?

 

That is a very deep question and one that would take a lot of explaining. As mentioned elsewhere, the Patch King and others like the Hobby Guild sold a combination of original and repro patches to the public through their catalogs. If you find WWI era patches made in the same fashion as immediate Pre-WWII or WWII patches, then they are Patch King repros (ala the 18th ID patch you have). Other patches like the Phantom WWII units, Cav Divisions and hard-to-get units were also made for collectors. That topic is a tough one to argue as these patches were made close to the time they would of been worn.

 

Your collection is a classic example of a WWII collection. It is a really cool time capsule.

 

-Ski

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I'll just add to Ski's excellent summary that a pre-WW2 design, embroidered on felt with cheesecloth backing has an extremely high likelihood of being a "Patch King*" remake for collectors. After seeing enough WW2 era collections and studying the period catalogues, you get a sense of what is what. Most stateside WW2 collections (as opposed to the collections built by nurses overseas) have the typical commercially purchased patches with a few patches actually worn or obtained from vets sprinkled-in. That totally outstanding 101st Airborne is an example. Is that on a piece of jump jacket?

Kurt

 

* I use the term,"Patch King" in the generic sense for whatever company(s) made, or had these made, in the mid to late 1940's for the collector market.

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Just posted a bigger photo of the 101st patch in the Latest Finds category. Not sure if it's a piece of a jump jacket, or a field jacket, but more likely the latter.

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Thanks. Looks like the one pasted in my album is definitely a 1945 collector copy. (But I still don't think I'll return the collection for a refund!)

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My friend who collected the patches during WWII told me that he bought the Iceland patch, and a few others from a small retail store in St. Louis around 1945. This was to fill out his collection once his overseas suppliers came home. So that explains the Patch King pieces.

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  • 1 month later...

Here is my Polar bear collection. A few month old photo, as I have now found the oposite metal patch and 3 more original embroided head down types. Please note that the head up type was used by the 49th West Riding division after leaving Iceland.

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Hi Henrik,

Outstanding collection of the Polar Bear. Curious if you collected as British formation sign and or as US Marine insignia?. What do you know of the blue background version?. Last question is the metal badge considered to be officers badge of West Riding regiment? Thanks Mort

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Mort, I collect all and anything WWII Iceland related. I think some of these are Patch king as I have not seen there oposites.

The blue backround big is one on those. I never saw the head facing to the right one. But, I do have a wartime photo that

shows a high ranking British Officer wearing one just like it in Iceland. I will scan it and post here.

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Mort, I collect all and anything WWII Iceland related. I think some of these are Patch king as I have not seen there oposites.

The blue backround big is one on those. I never saw the head facing to the right one. But, I do have a wartime photo that

shows a high ranking British Officer wearing one just like it in Iceland. I will scan it and post here.

 

Please do! The Patch King version is in my wartime Patch King album.... As posted elsewhere....

 

-Ski

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Hi hi,

 

I will try to scan the photo tonight and take new photos of my updated patch collection. In the mean while, here is an

original unmolested USMC dress blues still with the bears on it, pre war dated and named.

post-5556-1234801318.jpg

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Here is the photo. It was taken in 1941 when the Americans were taking over from the British. Gen Curtis on the left and Gen Bonesteel in the middle. Man on the right is US embassador McVeigh. After I scanned it and zoomed in on the patch I see its not the "pig" type, but still it looks a bit strange.

post-5556-1234825446.jpg

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Another rare one. Jacket that belonged to USMC Gen John C. Marston, dated 1941. He was the first US General to enter Iceland, as far as I know.

post-5556-1234825794.jpg

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Here is a nice USMC Greens jacket that has a non-regulation placed polar bear on the lower left sleeve. The other patch was in the inside pocket!

There was a post here recently about this recently.

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