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Author
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Topic: Identifying initialed Apollo-Soyuz patches
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Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 56669
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 01-03-2006 04:48 PM
   
I was recently shown an Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) patch that appeared to be of the type A-B Emblem created for Vance Brand with his initials (i.e. VDB).An example consigned by Deke Slayton's family was sold by Aurora in 2003. Using the Slayton ("DKS") example as an authentic guide, I created a quick morph from the Slayton patch to the Brand emblem in question. I'd be curious to get others' opinions as to whether the Brand example is an original A-B or a modern knock-off. Thanks!  |
Danno
Member Posts: 572
From: Ridgecrest, CA - USA
Registered: Jun 2000
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posted 01-03-2006 05:26 PM
That was a slick idea with the gif. The differences really pop out at you: - Different colors on the Earth
- Rays of Sun in different directions
- Different shape of space vehicles
- Different color threads in the outer colors
If I were a gambling man I'd say that these patches were not made at the same time. |
Bill Hunt
Member Posts: 406
From: Irvine, CA
Registered: Oct 2002
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posted 01-03-2006 05:38 PM
Frankly, I think the differences you're seeing are just artifacts of the differing quality of the images - slightly different lighting, angle of photography, etc. I see nothing in the patch in question that would lead me to believe it's not authentic. There have been a number of such ASTP "proof" patches offered on eBay lately, in all three initialed versions (VDB, TPS and DKS). My guess is that small supplies of extra AB stock from the initial production have recently made their way onto the secondary market for whatever reason.I own both an example that I know to be genuine vintage and samples purchased on eBay more recently. In side-by-side comparision, they are identical in every respect, save for the sorts of very minor variations that naturally appear between patches within the same production run. It's worth noting that the original patches were obviously made on period embroidery machines, and the patch in question definitely has that vintage quality about it. In my opinion, duplicating the luster and exact look of such embroidery on current machines would be difficult in the extreme, if not nearly impossible. I suppose it's possible that these samples are from second AB production runs done shortly after the initial run for the crew, but there's no way to know. Personally, I'd pick up the patch for a pittance and be thrilled that you've gotten a helluva deal. As you know, similar patches have fetched over $1,000 in recent auctions. That's my take at least. Anyone else care to weigh in? |
spaced out
Member Posts: 3224
From: Paris, France
Registered: Aug 2003
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posted 01-04-2006 02:14 AM
Looking at them close-up they are high quality pieces and certainly don't look like modern knock-offs.Bill is in the perfect position of being able to compare examples of each side-by-side and that for me would be the deciding factor. I would take a good look at the back if I were Bill. If the thread patterns across the back - especially the long threads that go all the way across - look the same then I'd say it's part of the same batch. That said, even if these patches are the real deal it doesn't mean they'll be worth the same as the DKS examples sold on Aurora. Three were originally sold in a series of auctions and the price dropped rapidly as each new one appeared. Now with plenty of these patches appearing their value will tend to reflect their relative abundance. |
Bill Hunt
Member Posts: 406
From: Irvine, CA
Registered: Oct 2002
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posted 01-05-2006 01:25 AM
Agreed. Also, I'm guessing the Aurora auction patch came from Slayton's collection or has better "pedigree" so to speak.In looking at the backs of the patches I have, they're all identical. All are waxed/plastic-backed, but you can see some long fly-away threads through the plastic. It seems to me that waxing, as of the time of ASTP, was starting to become more common, so I don't think that necessarily means they aren't vintage. I would be interested to know if anyone has a 5" ASTP patch that's unwaxed. Sorry, when I said they weren't waxed, I was thinking of my 5" Apollo 17 patches! |
spacesoup patches
Member Posts: 70
From: Dale Hollow area of Tennessee
Registered: Nov 2005
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posted 03-25-2006 01:36 PM
I hate to beat on this subject, but Bill asked a question about the backs of these patches that is an important part of the story! Does anyone know if the "known" DKS patch sold in the Aurora auction had a coated or uncoated reverse side? Who owns this patch now? And can they help? Have any other ASTP initials (VDB, TPS) patches surfaced before the 2005 eBay frenzy? I was talking to another collector who insists the DKS patch sold at the Aurora auction was an uncoated, 4 1/2" patch. The 2005/06 eBay ASTP initials patches are closer to 5" than 4 1/2" and all coated with a waffle pattern plastic coating. The coating is consistent with other mid to late 70's AB emblems that are coated. Still worth the research effort if someone can help! Drives me crazy!! |
Russian
Member Posts: 696
From: France
Registered: Nov 2012
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posted 06-11-2026 12:27 PM
Valery Kubasov's personal patch (12,8 cm of diameter): 
Thomas Stafford's patch:  Alexei Leonov's patch:  |
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