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Author
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Topic: Apollo 11 patches of various manufacture
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moorouge
Member Posts: 2485
From: U.K.
Registered: Jul 2009
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posted 10-18-2009 10:43 AM
   
Does anyone recognize this patch (found on a New Zealand auction site) as to when and by which company it was issued? |
moorouge
Member Posts: 2485
From: U.K.
Registered: Jul 2009
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posted 10-21-2009 02:42 PM
Some time ago I read that an Irish collector had 28 versions of the Apollo 11 patch. Gene Dorr shows seven on his site and Chris Spain has 13 variations on his site. To these may be added the one shown in my previous post. So what are the missing ones? Can anyone add anything please? |
spaced out
Member Posts: 3172
From: Paris, France
Registered: Aug 2003
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posted 10-22-2009 01:36 AM
This patch looks like a 3" version, is that correct? |
moorouge
Member Posts: 2485
From: U.K.
Registered: Jul 2009
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posted 10-22-2009 03:31 AM
Sorry don't know the size. It wasn't stated on the website. If it is a 3", how many versions of these were made and would their addition account for the grand total of 28 claimed? |
benguttery
Member Posts: 548
From: Fort Worth, TX, USA
Registered: Feb 2005
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posted 10-22-2009 10:18 AM
This patch looks smaller than 3 inches. Perhaps 2 or less. Almost looks like a scouting award patch. |
Dougin SoCA
Member Posts: 111
From: Aliso Viejo, Ca, USA
Registered: Jan 2011
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posted 03-29-2011 07:01 PM
I've picked up three of the Apollo 11 mission patches along the way (all over 15 years ago). Here are scans of all three, I was just wondering if any of them were more unique or valuable than the others (not expecting any of them to be of any real value). I'm sure they are among the most replicated patches ever made. It's interesting how different they are. Thank you for your input.  
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Liembo
Member Posts: 736
From: Bothell, WA
Registered: Jan 2013
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posted 07-22-2013 07:21 PM
Apollo 11 seems to have the overwhelming number of variations and knock-off patches, that is for sure. I have been trying to document as many as I can for the Space Patch Database, including purchasing a few of my own which helps make for clearer scans. Below are a a few other modern Apollo 11 patches I've acquired from auctions. Some are better than others, some are fairly crudely made. I do not know the manufacturer of any of the following, which is a shame, as a few are nicely made, particularly #2. All of the patches below were scanned with the same pass so their comparative colors should be accurate:  
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J Blackburn
Member Posts: 237
From: Riner
Registered: Sep 2011
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posted 07-23-2013 06:32 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Liembo:
I do not know the manufacturer of any of the following...
The third from the top is an Eagle Crest. |
Gonzo
Member Posts: 598
From: Holland, MI, USA
Registered: Mar 2012
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posted 11-14-2013 04:33 PM
I have a red bordered Apollo 11 patch that appears to be an AB Emblem patch that I've never figured out where it came from. Any suggestions on it? I understand that part of the front is not filled in (near Earth), but in all my years of collecting, I've never seen a red bordered one like this. Anyone have any ideas?  
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spaced out
Member Posts: 3172
From: Paris, France
Registered: Aug 2003
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posted 11-29-2013 12:42 PM
I've just added an image of the Lion Brothers Apollo 11 3 1/2" Masonic symbol patch to my website.This is the first example of this patch I have seen apart from the one shown in the black and white photo of the 3" and 3 1/2" specialty patches from the Retro Space Images disc. I'm not sure at this point if the owner intends to sell the patch but I'll mention it here if he does. Needless to say I will be advising him to list it as an auction without a buy-it-now option. |
BlueHalo
Member Posts: 21
From: Boynton Beach, FL
Registered: Oct 2013
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posted 12-02-2013 04:23 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Gonzo:
I have a red bordered Apollo 11 patch that appears to be an AB Emblem patch that I've never figured out where it came from.
The red merrowed patch is called a Kedge or Kirk Edge patch. The late Bob Kirk and three others who worked with him used to grab up and buy 50 gallon drums of over-runs, error, typos, missing embroidery type patches and would put a finished edge on them. Every patch they ever made or finished had some issue with it. They always used a color that was not the original merrow color so "certain" collectors in the circle could easily identify these types of patches. And off they went into unsuspecting collectors hands. |
spaced out
Member Posts: 3172
From: Paris, France
Registered: Aug 2003
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posted 12-02-2013 05:46 AM
I'd never heard of that but it would likely explain the yellow bordered Apollo 9 and silver bordered Apollo 15 AB Emblem patches that turn up occasionally. |
Gonzo
Member Posts: 598
From: Holland, MI, USA
Registered: Mar 2012
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posted 12-02-2013 12:07 PM
Very interesting and thanks for the info!I've never heard of Bob Kirk and his crew, but it's interesting to find the answer to this patch. I've had it for a while, always with a question on why the red border. Now I know and will mark it accordingly in my collection. Thanks again for solving this mystery! |
BlueHalo
Member Posts: 21
From: Boynton Beach, FL
Registered: Oct 2013
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posted 12-02-2013 07:55 PM
Well you learn a few things, the people and what they have done from being in the business over the years. Glad I could shed some light on things like that. |
BlueHalo
Member Posts: 21
From: Boynton Beach, FL
Registered: Oct 2013
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posted 12-24-2013 02:37 PM
In just about every case where a "Kirk Edge" or "Kedge" patch shows up there is always something wrong with the actual patch itself. They are all errors and/or rejects. If you study the patches and know what they are supposed to look like, you will always find the missing or corrupted embroidery in it.Most runs (especially those manufactured on a Schiffly Embroidery machine) back in the day were manufactured with a 10 to 15 percent over-run. So when they finished them by adding the substrate backing and merrowed edges the client would be guaranteed through quality control their quantity of the ordered run. The over-runs, errors, incomplete, rejects, bird-nested patches etc., were discarded. |
spaced out
Member Posts: 3172
From: Paris, France
Registered: Aug 2003
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posted 11-29-2015 04:24 AM
Just when you think there can't be any more vintage 4" Apollo 11 patch versions out there, along comes another one. I've added this to my site as AS11UNK12. The overall design is similar to the AB Emblem and the Dallas Cap & Emblem ("Grumman") versions but with distinctive brown fill on the Earth, prominent serifs on the "11", and more black detailing on the tail and legs. I'd be interested to know how many other examples there are out there. Incidentally, I don't own this one. It was discovered by Charles Jeffrey as part of an impressive collection of mostly rare vintage space patches. As I understand it these patches are going to be sold as part of a U.S. Space Walk of Fame Museum fund-raising auction next March. |
Gonzo
Member Posts: 598
From: Holland, MI, USA
Registered: Mar 2012
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posted 11-30-2015 05:19 AM
Interesting, Chris. As I've posted elsewhere, I have about 18-20 variations of the 4" patch, so details on this one would be interesting to add to them. |
CMikeW
Member Posts: 89
From: United States
Registered: Apr 2013
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posted 10-01-2016 11:43 PM
I just picked up two Apollo 11 patches I think they are AS11UNK9. Can anyone confirm this? Thanks. 
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spaced out
Member Posts: 3172
From: Paris, France
Registered: Aug 2003
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posted 10-02-2016 04:52 PM
No, that's the Dallas Cap & Emblem 'Grumman' patch. |
CMikeW
Member Posts: 89
From: United States
Registered: Apr 2013
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posted 10-02-2016 07:52 PM
Thanks for the help. I couldn't make up my mind between the two. The website photo of the Dallas Cap and Emblem patch shows the back as totally white vs the AS11UNK9 which shows scrim cloth. |
Liembo
Member Posts: 736
From: Bothell, WA
Registered: Jan 2013
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posted 09-01-2017 11:49 AM
Michael Collins' BIG suit on display at Johnson Space Center has an anachronistic patch applied to it to replace the BIG patch the crew gave to the recovery crew. It appears to be one of the patches from earlier in this thread (which seems like an odd choice for a museum display). If this isn't an exact match, then the patch below is a modern reproduction of the patch that is affixed to the suit.  
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Besixdouze
Member Posts: 236
From: Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Registered: Jan 2011
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posted 09-01-2017 12:46 PM
I'd always assumed, from photographs taken at the time, that those BIG suits were blue so how come this one appears to be brown? |
Liembo
Member Posts: 736
From: Bothell, WA
Registered: Jan 2013
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posted 09-01-2017 01:12 PM
It could be the lighting. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 47029
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 09-01-2017 01:14 PM
The biological isolation garments were military (or Army) green; the lighting, as noted, is giving the impression it is brown. You can see another photo of the same suit on display here. |
Besixdouze
Member Posts: 236
From: Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Registered: Jan 2011
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posted 09-01-2017 01:42 PM
I see it. Checked out Aldrin's; still has a green tinge but no patch. Armstrong's looks the same shade of brown but at least has a genuine Apollo 11 crew patch attached to it. Thanks for the info. |
SXPatches
Member Posts: 141
From: Port Orchard, WA USA
Registered: Jul 2020
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posted 08-24-2020 02:01 AM
I picked up a nice modern replica from its creator in Poland. |
SXPatches
Member Posts: 141
From: Port Orchard, WA USA
Registered: Jul 2020
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posted 08-24-2020 09:49 AM
I have searched this forum, but failed to find any information about these two mini (3 inch) souvenir Apollo 11 patches that are frequently sold on eBay. Does anyone have any information on the manufacturer?  
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LM1
Member Posts: 833
From: New York, NY
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 09-06-2020 06:08 PM
I just discovered that an Apollo 11 patch that I have in my collection is not on eBay or on Google Images. It is an Apollo 11 3 3/4" patch with a black border and a light blue border with a dark Navy Blue space background. Is this a Lion Brothers patch and is it rare?NOTE: This patch is similar to the AS11UNK10 patch on the Crew Patch website, but there are many differences such as the color of Earth, colors on the lunar surface and coloring on the back.  The back of the patch is shown here.  |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 47029
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 09-06-2020 08:04 PM
To me, it looks to be a match for Universal Commemorative patch variant AS11UC3. |
LM1
Member Posts: 833
From: New York, NY
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 09-06-2020 08:20 PM
Thanks Robert. It appears that you are exactly right. I have compared the patch in my hand with AS11UC3 and I do not see any differences. Is this a rare patch? |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 47029
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 09-06-2020 09:07 PM
As Chris Spain writes on his site, it is considered "scarce" (and he cites a 2018 sale). That said, its scarcity does not necessarily mean it is in demand, high or otherwise. The market for such a patch probably does not extend beyond the few collectors who are seeking to own one of every type, given it is a variant of a souvenir with no direct connection to the mission or NASA. |
SXPatches
Member Posts: 141
From: Port Orchard, WA USA
Registered: Jul 2020
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posted 09-07-2020 03:12 PM
I am pleased to add the AS11UC3 patch to my collection. I am one of "those" collectors that Robert describes.  |
SXPatches
Member Posts: 141
From: Port Orchard, WA USA
Registered: Jul 2020
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posted 09-10-2020 08:06 PM
Sharing my findings. I identified this patch as being produced by Dallas & Cap Emblem as matched to the same patch found on the Crew Patch website.
This patch was part of set of 3-inch patches produced by A-B Emblem, purchased at Kennedy Space Center.
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Pete Sarmiento
Member Posts: 75
From: Fort Washington, MD, USA
Registered: Mar 2006
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posted 11-26-2020 05:48 PM
Way back when I was still with NASA, they say that the original patches worn by the Apollo crew have a hidden code? Example, on the Apollo 11 patch there is a 11 hidden in the design. Is that really true? |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 47029
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 11-26-2020 07:05 PM
The Lion Brothers' souvenir patches, which were contemporary to the flights, had hidden mission numeral hallmarks. However, the hallmarks did not begin until Apollo 12. You can read more about them here. Although Lion Brothers was never the official producer of patches for NASA, the quality of space patches they produced, both in terms of artwork and embroidery, is generally considered to be among the best of the Apollo era. |
MartinAir
Member Posts: 110
From:
Registered: Oct 2020
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posted 06-09-2021 03:13 PM
Is this the Universal Commemorative (AS11UC1) patch? |
p51
Member Posts: 1729
From: Olympia, WA
Registered: Sep 2011
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posted 06-09-2021 04:00 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Liembo:
I have been trying to document as many as I can...
I wish you luck with that. I wouldn't even want to try to consider how many runs there have been made of that patch. When I was in Italy before the pandemic, I was walking around Rome and I saw a frame of random patches for sale and there was the most dreadful Apollo 11 patch knockoff I've ever seen. I should have taken a photo of it, you all would have gotten a good laugh from how poorly done it was. |
SXPatches
Member Posts: 141
From: Port Orchard, WA USA
Registered: Jul 2020
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posted 06-16-2021 12:33 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Liembo:
Michael Collins' BIG suit on display at Johnson Space Center has an anachronistic patch applied to it to replace the BIG patch the crew gave to the recovery crew.
I purchased this same patch on Amazon in December 2020. It appears to be an exact match to the one shown on Michael Collins suit. The manufacturer is Eagle Crest, Inc. in Jacksonville, FL. Another example of the same patch found on eBay 234046201767. This patch is identical to mine except the back is different, and the price of $4.99 suggests it was probably sold in the 90s, maybe?  |
Liembo
Member Posts: 736
From: Bothell, WA
Registered: Jan 2013
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posted 06-16-2021 05:55 PM
The one on the Michael Collins suit was replaced at some point with this horrific example, which I believe is of very modern manufacture (1990s) by Cape Kennedy Medals. |
davidcwagner
Member Posts: 896
From: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Registered: Jan 2003
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posted 09-15-2021 11:56 PM
Any info on this red twill version of the Lion Brothers patch? I have never seen the red background before (source: eBay 154601085757). |
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