Harry S. Wosk questions

[Panzerjunky]

Just another dumb question for Yall 

a few years ago, I got a couple USMC chevrons with the Woks tag on them and thought " How cool still has the original tag in place" And from San Diego I drive by those addressed at least once a week. Then later I got a wosk tagged Guadalcanal patch. And as I started looking for them, they are everywhere. I have purchased them from Main to Cal.  

So, my question is this why so many tagged with the wosk tag, but you rarely see others. Was Wosk a manufacturer or just a distributor. I am now so infatuated with them I have a couple Rikers full. 

Does anyone have any other mfg. marked patches? I have a couple of the usual Gemsco or Lions bros.  The Lion's Bros is mostly Navy rates.

Lastly why do I only see MFG dates on U.S. Navy dated rates of 44 or 45 I have a couple 43 but they are far and few between and nothing earlier. were they dated earlier??

Thanks jerry

[CUBUSMC]

I see no one answered yet.  I will give a quick explanation.  Wosk was actually a military store at the end of WWII and yes they put Wosk price tags on many of their patches, making them rather collectible today.  Several years ago Donna Wosk, I think daughter to the owner, started liquidating all the items consisting of patches and pins and some rather rare items. I have seen other surplus/military clothes stores mark their patches, but usually with a small sticker.  
  To your other question, yes several manufacturers placed their names or symbols on the back of navy rates.  And there are other dates on rates other than WWII dates.  I have seen as early as 1938?  But a rate collector will know more.  I am sure the reason you see so many WWII marked rates is due to the huge number manufactured during WWII as compared to other eras.  Anyway, I know that there are articles on this Forum that discuss all these topics, just put them in the search box. Semper Fi- Jeff

[Panzerjunky]

2 hours ago, CUBUSMC said:

I see no one answered yet.  I will give a quick explanation.  Wosk was actually a military store at the end of WWII and yes they put Wosk price tags on many of their patches, making them rather collectible today.  Several years ago Donna Wosk, I think daughter to the owner, started liquidating all the items consisting of patches and pins and some rather rare items. I have seen other surplus/military clothes stores mark their patches, but usually with a small sticker.  
  To your other question, yes several manufacturers placed their names or symbols on the back of navy rates.  And there are other dates on rates other than WWII dates.  I have seen as early as 1938?  But a rate collector will know more.  I am sure the reason you see so many WWII marked rates is due to the huge number manufactured during WWII as compared to other eras.  Anyway, I know that there are articles on this Forum that discuss all these topics, just put them in the search box. Semper Fi- Jeff

Thanks 

I have searched and got bits and pieces. I'm sure I'm posing my question incorrectly. I just got my John Stacy book this week, so this weekend I'll do a deep dive into that. 

Thanks For the help, Sir