Hinrik WD Posted February 16, 2009 Share #26 Posted February 16, 2009 The pants also included a "non-regulation" belt attached! haha.. Looks like the belt from some overalls of field jacket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
normaninvasion Posted February 16, 2009 Share #27 Posted February 16, 2009 Hinrik, thank you for posting this invaluable reference, just outstanding. Perfect timing, just picked up an Iceland patch myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hinrik WD Posted February 16, 2009 Share #28 Posted February 16, 2009 And here finally is an updated photo of my polar bear patch case. Hope you all like this. It has taken me about 15 years to find this all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hinrik WD Posted February 16, 2009 Share #29 Posted February 16, 2009 Normaninvasion, You are quite welcome. Can you post a photo of the patch you just got? I have a few more patches, a set on uniform and a single one that came out of a USN firemans footlooker along with all his stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
normaninvasion Posted February 16, 2009 Share #30 Posted February 16, 2009 Here you go, I'll start by assuming its an old collectors copy untill told otherwise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
normaninvasion Posted February 16, 2009 Share #31 Posted February 16, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hinrik WD Posted February 16, 2009 Share #32 Posted February 16, 2009 Its a copy. I have one similar in my box, but since I have never seen this type in use, on old WWII photos, nor have I ever seen the oposite bear with the head facing to the right, then in my opinion this is an old copy. Regards Hinrik Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hinrik WD Posted February 17, 2009 Share #33 Posted February 17, 2009 Compare this one to yours. Note the difference in the head. I think this one is an old copy, but I have only recently seen your type surface on Ebay. Some people sell it as original, others as a reproduction. Hope this helps. Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
normaninvasion Posted February 17, 2009 Share #34 Posted February 17, 2009 I assumed my was a patch king or the like , it is defintely period and has the typical scrap book residue. Head is very diffirent from yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hinrik WD Posted February 17, 2009 Share #35 Posted February 17, 2009 I will try to see if I find one similar for sale and send the link to you. The problem is, that there are so many different types, because they were used by the British, Canadians and USMC. I even have 2 that I know for sure are made in Iceland by the locals and sold to the troops as any other goods. Here is an advert from them: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
normaninvasion Posted February 17, 2009 Share #36 Posted February 17, 2009 http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...&hl=iceland Hinrik dont know if you saw this post but should be of interest. Your a wealth of Iceland information Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IBC Posted February 18, 2009 Share #37 Posted February 18, 2009 Nice image from Sparta clothing shop where did you find it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hinrik WD Posted February 19, 2009 Share #38 Posted February 19, 2009 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 Mort, I did not answer your question about the metal bear patch. Answer (in my opinion) = No, as I have 2 photos showing low ranking USMC soldier and a British 49th WR div. grunt wearing them in period photos. I am not 100% on the British guy actually having the metal version, but I will dig it out and scan it for further research. I have no idea who made them or when. They are quite rare. I was offered a matching pair for $150 8 years ago, but I refused as I thought it was a "cleaver fake" Biting my arm off now over that one.... IBC (Tryggvi) I saw this Sparta advert on www.fbi.is But I did already know about it as Sævar (70 year old detective and long time collector in Iceland) told me about this and showed me his uncut sheet of 8 patches that came from the family of former Sparta shop owners. I also have heard rumors about Icelandic seamstress ladies that mended and cleaned the troops clothing handmade some patches....and I think I have one of them... Regards Hinrik Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamski Posted February 19, 2009 Share #39 Posted February 19, 2009 Hinrik, you are up way too late, bud! -Ski Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hinrik WD Posted February 19, 2009 Share #40 Posted February 19, 2009 Hinrik, you are up way too late, bud! -Ski Ha ha....I am an Aircraft Engineer by trade. Work 21 days on duty and 21 off = 6 months of work per year = I have time to restore my motorbikes and 1942 GPW jeep and...and take care of my collecting bug that has almost turned into a job on its own with the museum we are trying to open. Here is a photo link to my BSA M20 1942 motorbike that I have already restored: http://jsl210.com/spjall/viewtopic.php?t=1362 And the ongoing restoration of my Willys 1942 Ford made GPW jeep: http://jsl210.com/spjall/viewtopic.php?t=1878 Text is in Icelandic (oldest of the Scandinavian Viking languishes) but, like they say, a picture tells a 1000 words.... Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamski Posted February 19, 2009 Share #41 Posted February 19, 2009 Rough life!! -Ski Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hinrik WD Posted February 19, 2009 Share #42 Posted February 19, 2009 It´s not easy work under our current conditions, but normally in my line of work you work 4 on, 4 off, 7-7, 15-15 or in my case 21-21. Your avatar is nice. You like the P-51? I have actually flown one. a D model with dual cockpit, greatest ride of my life. On the issue at hand in this thread, I will help anyone I can regarding Polar bear patches, but note I am not an expert on this, only I have a big collection of them and lots of photos of them in use to assist me in making my opinions. Me next to "The Miricle Maker" a P-51D that I flew when I was in Aeronautical Collage in USA, 1999. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamski Posted February 19, 2009 Share #43 Posted February 19, 2009 Yeah, I like P-51's. I like C-17's better, though, hehehehe.... Nice photo, though Hinrik! -Ski Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FriscoHare Posted February 19, 2009 Share #44 Posted February 19, 2009 Compare this one to yours. Note the difference in the head. I think this one is an old copy, but I have only recently seen your type surface on Ebay. Some people sell it as original, others as a reproduction. Hope this helps. Regards I have one of those pig headed looking like ones as well. It was one of the first patches that I got when I was starting out. I thought mine was interesting because it seemed to be sewn on to something. Should I assume then that it was sewn on to a patch blanket or other medium other than a uniform? Here some pictures: Front: Close up: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hinrik WD Posted February 19, 2009 Share #45 Posted February 19, 2009 I have one of those pig headed looking like ones as well. It was one of the first patches that I got when I was starting out. I thought mine was interesting because it seemed to be sewn on to something. Should I assume then that it was sewn on to a patch blanket or other medium other than a uniform? Hello, I think many collectors consider this an earlier copy or patch king, since this version of the patch has not been seen in the "head facing to the right" type. How ever, I do have somewhere a wartime photos that shows a soldier wearing a polar bear on his uniform with the head of the bear facing aft. Which was not the normal way to wear this patch. This is an interesting subject as not much information seams to be availble. Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torch Posted March 1, 2009 Share #46 Posted March 1, 2009 Hi, this is my first comment to this site. You guys make for an interesting Forum, thanks. I checked out "Heraldry at War" Lt.Col Howard N, Cole, 1947 edition. He shows both the head-up, and the head-down version of the Polar patch for the 49th Div (West Riding). According to Cole the head-down patch was the 1st version, and head-up was the 2nd version used throughout the rest of the war after the 49th left iceland. He also shows the head-down patch for the "Iceland Force" which faces in the opposite direction to the 49th version. Adding that it was worn by ALL non-Divisional British troops under its command. I'm going to attempt a scan upload of these pages for reference. Not done this before so please be patient. Hope this helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamski Posted March 1, 2009 Share #47 Posted March 1, 2009 Hi, this is my first comment to this site. You guys make for an interesting Forum, thanks. I checked out "Heraldry at War" Lt.Col Howard N, Cole, 1947 edition. He shows both the head-up, and the head-down version of the Polar patch for the 49th Div (West Riding). According to Cole the head-down patch was the 1st version, and head-up was the 2nd version used throughout the rest of the war after the 49th left iceland. He also shows the head-down patch for the "Iceland Force" which faces in the opposite direction to the 49th version. Adding that it was worn by ALL non-Divisional British troops under its command.I'm going to attempt a scan upload of these pages for reference. Not done this before so please be patient. Hope this helps A very warm welcome to the board!!! Remember that the British wore opposing pairs, so they had bears facing both ways.... -Ski Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torch Posted March 1, 2009 Share #48 Posted March 1, 2009 Thank you Ski-point taken. I only added this info for those who might be unaware of the opposing SSI for Brits, and to indicate that there were two different versions of this patch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hinrik WD Posted March 6, 2009 Share #49 Posted March 6, 2009 Hi, this is my first comment to this site. You guys make for an interesting Forum, thanks. I checked out "Heraldry at War" Lt.Col Howard N, Cole, 1947 edition. He shows both the head-up, and the head-down version of the Polar patch for the 49th Div (West Riding). According to Cole the head-down patch was the 1st version, and head-up was the 2nd version used throughout the rest of the war after the 49th left iceland. He also shows the head-down patch for the "Iceland Force" which faces in the opposite direction to the 49th version. Adding that it was worn by ALL non-Divisional British troops under its command.I'm going to attempt a scan upload of these pages for reference. Not done this before so please be patient. Hope this helps Welcome Torch, thanks for your input. I do how ever have a wartime photo shwing a solider wearing a patch on his shoulder, head facing backwards, which was not the normal way to wear it. Reg Hinrik Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torch Posted March 11, 2009 Share #50 Posted March 11, 2009 Reg, I wonder how that soldier passed inspection, or is it a reverse neg photo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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