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The Patch King


Teamski
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Since we have been talking about the Patch King pretty often, I had a question as to who he was. Two names pop up. The first, as identified in the 1948 Collier's article was Sol Parks. He had patches made for units he couldn't find. He worked out of NYC, in no doubt because of the easy access to insignia manufacturing. The next Patch King to pop up right out NYC is Al Maller, identified by a fellow forum member who frequented his shop in NYC in the early 1970's. He is also referred to at the Patch King in the credits of the 1st Edition Britton and Washington patch book of 1975. So can we assume that Maller bought the business from Parks?

 

I know that the article on the Patch King is coming out in the ASMIC TP, but it would be nice to get the forum involved.

 

-Ski

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Somewhere in my files I have an early Patch King catalog, and I’m sure I will find it some day while looking for something else. The following link is to a 1946 magazine ad for his wares (Patch King the First, if there were two).

 

http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/11/03/...the-patch-king/

 

Does anyone besides me recall that military insignia were included as the “prize” in the boxes of at least one breakfast cereal in the early ‘50s? As a kid, I put together my first collection of patches (now long gone) this way. I wondered if there might be any reference to this practice on the Internet and found this:

 

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/1953...r-patches-lot-2

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Yep, I remember getting patches and unit pins (in the form of lapel buttons) in cereal boxes. The pin back buttons were fantasy pieces with squadron insignia. I can't recall which cereal had them though. I do remember they were encased in celophane envelopes within the boxes.

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Does anyone besides me recall that military insignia were included as the “prize” in the boxes of at least one breakfast cereal in the early ‘50s? As a kid, I put together my first collection of patches (now long gone) this way. I wondered if there might be any reference to this practice on the Internet and found this:

 

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/1953...r-patches-lot-2

 

I'm too young to remember them, but I've picked up a few over the years in their original packaging.

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Yes, some were in Kellog's Frosted Flakes - the patches were GRRRREEEEAAAATTT! Screw the cereal.

 

The Sugar Smacks premium was before my time.

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When I was a kind in the mid 70's, one of the bubblegum machines was full of ribbons. For a quarter, you got a single pin back USN/USMC size 1/2" ribbon.. I still have a WWII victory and a USN GC somewhere I got from it. Patches are before my time tho. Pretty cool tho.

 

Fins.

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In the 1970's, I bought patches from the Patch King. They used to advertise in Boy's Life, the Boy Scout magazine. You would buy 100 patches for 99 cents or something like that. If I can find a copy of the ad, i'll post it.

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In the 70s I remember buying patches out of the bubble gum machines at the supermarket or department stores, was always trying to get the screamin eagle but never did..dont know if they were Patch King or the real deal, always seemed to get the 7th Army patch.....mike

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With those bubble gum machines, I spent a lot of quarters in them. Too many of the plastic bubbles had rank chevrons in them or even worse, overseas stripes.

 

The Patch King offer in Boys Life was something like 100 patches for $4 or something like that. (Or was it 40 patches for a $1). Anyway, when the envelope finally came, again about 2/3 or more were rank chevrons or overseas stripes, plus a mix of Patch King felt repros. But youi still got a number of WWII or postwar insignia so you couldn't complain too much. Of course, you also got a Patch King pricelist/ order blank.

 

Now I wish I'd been a little more dedicated in spending my allowance.

 

One odd thing I remember is they seemed to have a number of numbered US Air Force patches (8th AF, etc.) in bullion. I'd love to know where those were actually coming from.

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With those bubble gum machines, I spent a lot of quarters in them. Too many of the plastic bubbles had rank chevrons in them or even worse, overseas stripes.

 

The Patch King offer in Boys Life was something like 100 patches for $4 or something like that. (Or was it 40 patches for a $1). Anyway, when the envelope finally came, again about 2/3 or more were rank chevrons or overseas stripes, plus a mix of Patch King felt repros. But youi still got a number of WWII or postwar insignia so you couldn't complain too much. Of course, you also got a Patch King pricelist/ order blank.

 

Now I wish I'd been a little more dedicated in spending my allowance.

 

One odd thing I remember is they seemed to have a number of numbered US Air Force patches (8th AF, etc.) in bullion. I'd love to know where those were actually coming from.

 

I remember offers in Boy's Life in the 70s for 25 patches for $2 or $3. You were right lots of chevrons mixed in but I do distinctly remember one patch that I still have, the 44th Infantry Division. I also remember the patches in the gumball machine, unfortunately I grew up in a small Nebraska town so my trips to the big city, Lincoln, where these could be found were few and far between.

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In the late 60's/early 70's my parents took me to a restuarant regularly that had a large barrel full of small toys/candy/ and hundreds of patches that kids could take from after their meal - I usually took the patches but at the time really didn't know alot about what I was taking, I still have some of those patches - lots of Air Corps and chevrons. If I had only known what to look for then :unsure:

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88thcollector

Hi,

 

In the early 1980's, there were still bubblegum machines around here with patches.

 

In the 1970 - 1980's, I always heard stories about a legendary warehouse in Manhattan that was full of patches. You had to make an appointment with some old man and you had to agree to spend at least 500. I wonder if that was the remaining inventory of Patch King.

 

On a similar note, the reprint of the 1920's Bannerman's Arsenal catalog has a two pages with small outlines of patches across the top edge. It says something like "We have the insignia of the Great War in stock or can have examples made for you if not in stock." Does anyone know what these were? I don't have Bannermans now.

 

Steve

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Hi,

 

In the early 1980's, there were still bubblegum machines around here with patches.

 

In the 1970 - 1980's, I always heard stories about a legendary warehouse in Manhattan that was full of patches. You had to make an appointment with some old man and you had to agree to spend at least 500. I wonder if that was the remaining inventory of Patch King.

 

On a similar note, the reprint of the 1920's Bannerman's Arsenal catalog has a two pages with small outlines of patches across the top edge. It says something like "We have the insignia of the Great War in stock or can have examples made for you if not in stock." Does anyone know what these were? I don't have Bannermans now.

 

Steve

 

That might of been Al Maller. Warroom visited his shop in the 70's. He might be able to shine a light on the subject.

 

-Ski

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88thcollector
That might of been Al Maller. Warroom visited his shop in the 70's. He might be able to shine a light on the subject.

 

-Ski

 

 

Hi,

 

I think that is the name I had many ages ago. I was in NY but could not connect with him.

 

Steve

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In the late 70's you could buy some Revel plastic model kits that would also have a patch in them. I think I picked up an 8th and 9th AAF that way. Anyone else remember this?

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normaninvasion

Thanks, unfortunatly I think thats the post office. Thought it might be interesting to walk by and see whats there now ;)

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Anyone know the address of The Patch King Store in NYC and when it closed?

 

Funny you should ask. I was talking to a fellow board member about this very thing today. Here's what I got. Al Maller was the Patch King and dealt in patches since before WWII. (It is possible that the name Sol Parks in the Colliers article was an alias, but that is purely conjecture) When our fellow member met Al Mallor in the early 1970's, Mallor was the owner of Global Insignia. His shop was somewhere on East 16th St in Manhatten. At that time, Maller was making non-military novelty patches on small machines as a side business. Later, Global Insignia moved to Broadway and 15th. When Al Mallor got ill, in the late 1970's, he passed the business to Eddie Glassman, who wasn't doing too well himself. Around 1982 or so, the business finally folded and assets were sold to none other than Richard Smith of Pelz and Smith patch book fame. There were rumors that Jay Saunders got his assets by beating out Jerry Zabach of Dover Army and Navy (who had a verbal from either Maller or Glassman that he would get the assets), but it looks like Smith got the loot. Now what happens after that, I don't know.

 

Please note that the above is just what one person knows, so some details may be off.....

 

Hope this helps!

 

-Ski

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