Authentic "Hallmarked" Lion Brothers Vintage NASA Apollo 15 Mission Patch

DESCRIPTION

Manufacturer: Lion Brothers Co. (Owings Mills, Maryland).

Subject: Manned space mission crew patch for Apollo 15.

Origin and Date: United States, early 1970s.

Format: Fully embroidered cloth mission patch.

Dimensions: Approximately 4 inches in diameter.

Obverse Text: "APOLLO 15" across the top margin; crew names "SCOTT WORDEN IRWIN" across the lower margin.

Lion Brothers Hallmark: Features an upside-down "15" meticulously woven in silver thread at the lower edge of the central embroidered scene, positioned directly above the "D" in the name "WORDEN".

Condition: The borders and surface show only the normal, minor peripheral fraying typical of an unsewn, securely stored vintage patch.

SUMMARY

An exceptional, vintage NASA mission patch for Apollo 15, produced by the renowned Lion Brothers Co. The emblem visually features a stylized red, white, and blue chevron (representing the spacecraft) soaring over a heavily cratered lunar surface. Unlike standard souvenir variants produced by competitors such as A-B Emblem, this specific patch is a highly sought-after "hallmarked" edition. To distinguish their superior craftsmanship, Lion Brothers subtly wove a secret mission number into the silver thread pattern above the crew names, serving as an embedded marker of authenticity.

BIOGRAPHICAL & HISTORICAL NOTES

Operating historically out of Owings Mills, Maryland, Lion Brothers was a premier supplier of embroidered emblems for the military and national space programs. The "secret" hallmarks were an ingenious anti-counterfeiting measure and a distinct point of pride for the Maryland-based textile manufacturer.

This specific patch commemorates Apollo 15 (flown in the summer of 1971), a historically significant mission that marked the first of the advanced "J-missions" and introduced the first use of the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) on the moon's surface.