Agree with Gil, but what should be pointed out is this was embroidered on a computer loom. If you look at the stitch patterns this should stand out, as everything is way too crisp and clean.

Many thanks for your input.

 

This Fake Vietnam Insignia is a bit of a "Mine Field"

 

:fear:

Hi, got this patch from ebay a few months ago.

Didnt pay much since im pretty sceptic about Vietnam war insignia.

Just got a puppy that i called Snoopy, hehe, so i took a chance.

If it is fake, i certainly learned a lesson. I dont get a good feeling holding it :thumbdown:

So any information would be welcome.

MACV patches.

 

The one on the left is an "ORIGINAL" cut edge. On the right, looks like a "locally" produced "copy" with cheese cloth backing" ?

 

Is this analysis correct ?

 

 

This patch on the left is not a cut edge...

 

The above is not official, The Fourth Infantry Regiment did not serve during the Vietnam war. The DUI is also in the wrong orientation.

I just wanted to add some pictures of some repro River, riverine patches. Most of the ones on this first page are hand embroidered and fairly well done. The biggest mistake is they are way smaller than originals. A few are scary. If you have any questions or comments fire away.

Regards, Mitch

Here are a few more repros. They are closer to the right size.

This is the last of 3 posts ofrepro River, Riverine etc .Any questions or comments , feel free to .

Regards, Mitch

If any member here was in any of these groups posted , I will be more than happy to send you the patch for free.

Thanks, Mitch

I just wanted to add some pictures of some repro River, riverine patches. Most of the ones on this first page are hand embroidered and fairly well done. The biggest mistake is they are way smaller than originals. A few are scary. If you have any questions or comments fire away.

Regards, Mitch

 

I've got a number of these... and they are fairly well done. It's a good thing the vendor did not do their homework, because if they had been full sized they would have fooled a lot of people.

 

Interestingly, a number of the ones I got were artificially aged. I soaked mine in Woolite or Wisk or somethin similar, let them sit a couple of weeks, and then ran them through the gentle cycle of the washing machine. They came out fairly clean and aside from being too small they look right pretty!

This is the last of 3 posts ofrepro River, Riverine etc .Any questions or comments , feel free to .

Regards, Mitch

If any member here was in any of these groups posted , I will be more than happy to send you the patch for free.

Thanks, Mitch

 

 

I just wanted to thank you for posting these. This is a wonderful educational tool. Strangely I've never collected these even tho I was around these guys constantly.

 

Mel

it's easy to get a copy with some bucks to get in war surplus market

in Saigon.I remember the guy whose name is Út Bảnh ( handsome guy)

While trying to research prices for some handmade patches that have fallen into my hands, I came across this guy on eBay (here is a link: http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=handma...r-collectibles) selling tons of what he claims are "Vietnam war handmade patches." But they only sell for $15 or $16 apiece. Skeptical, I wrote to him and asked if they were theater made during the war and this was his reply:

 

 

"Yes, these hand made patches are original from Vietnam war.

Thanks

 

- vietnam-war-collectibles"

 

I've browsed the topic here, and don't see this guy specifically mentioned, but if there is some kind of catch and these aren't what they appear to be, should he be allowed to sell these on eBay? Or is it possible that there are really that many of these out there? Was I mistaken to think that they are rare?

I wouldn't buy anything from him, esp the patches. The vast majority of his patches are computer embroidered and artifically aged. If he told you they were made during the war, and are originals, I would be careful of getting poked by his growing nose......

Thanks so much for your reply. My hope is that others won't buy the patches from him and then turn around and sell them for more money as originals to unknowing customers.

Thanks so much for your reply. My hope is that others won't buy the patches from him and then turn around and sell them for more money as originals to unknowing customers.

 

By the way, here are the patches that I was trying to research. Can anyone tell if they are fakes? Are the pictures clear enough?

 

Great thread must have missed it the first time around.

Gidday all

 

 

I got these in the early-mid 90's (Auckland NZ) they measure about 2 inches x 2 inches, back then there wasn't too much to go off and they didn't cost that much ,$5 if i remember correctly.

 

The ones I thought could be been legit were the top 3.

 

I don't know why i kept them but i thought I would add to the thread with an approx date.

 

Phill

 

 

All are copies.

Yes they are

 

Phill

Yes they are

 

Phill

 

What is interesting though is the level of hand embroidery. They have gotten away from this lately, with more of them being made by machine process, which apparently is cheaper. Even in Vietnam, the price of labor is rising!

CAROLINA SERIES

SF AND ELITE UNITS

 

This is a series that is not seen very often, but they do pop up in old collections every now and then.

 

These date back to the 1980's and early 1990's. This goes back to the days when patches were primarily sold by sales lists and at local shows. These seemed to be most common on the East Coast. There were at one time a handful of shops around Ft. Bragg that would make patches in "the old way", and these might be the product of one of them.

 

These patches appear to have layer upon layer of very loose threads, giving them a very distinctive and fuzzy appearance. There is so much thread on the surface of these patches that it distorts the design detalis and lettering. The only thing that these patches come close to approximating is some of the more heavily embroidered patches from Thailand. But the Thai patches used a finer thread and also did a better job of tacking down the surface threads.

 

Despite copying fairly simple designs, most of these are undersized and misshapen, possibly to imitate the look of worn patches.

 

It almost goes without saying that these patches are totally impractical for actual wear.

I'm slowly putting together my own personal reference book of Fake VN patches. I got these recently from a seller in Queensland Australia. I believe these were recently produced in Vietnam and artificially aged. I'm hoping I'm correct in my assessment and I would appreciate any opinions.

 

Close-up of the construction on the above three patches.

 

You are correct sir. These are cheaply produced on a computer controlled large loom machine. Nice sample.

Thanks Gil. As silly as it sounds I'm having fun trying to find the different fakes...lol