Most Popular Posts
(scored since 11/26/08)
Most Read Posts
(by number of hits)
Blogroll
Scouting Collectors Groups
Patch Collecting Posts
February 8th, 2012
What's Up With Blue Book?
Many of us have been wondering for years what will happen with Blue Book. A new version has not been published since 2006. At 1pm today Jason Spangler will broadcast part one of an interview with Roy More where they discuss the future of Blue Book.
Scouting Hot Finds Radio: Blue Book 2.0 Update with Roy More.
You can listen live at that link. You can also find the podcast there afterwards, or listen through iTunes.
Read the Full Post on blog.oaimages.com
January 30th, 2012
Tschipey Achtu Lodge: Update
Back in 2010 I announced the formation of Tschipey Achtu lodge as a result of the merger of Ty-Ohni 95 and Ganeodiyo 417. At the time I was told they would use the number 397, which is also their council number. This created a bit of controversy as that number is currently in use by Chilantakoba lodge in Louisiana. I also announced their first flap. Other than a 2010 Jamboree issue no further news from this lodge made it to me.
I was talking with a Roger Ward last night who was at the recent Winter South Carolina Trade-O-Ree. He tells me it has not been quiet in that lodge. The use of 397 was problematic. Many wanted to choose a different number. Some wanted to claim the number zero, but that was not well received given the special place Unami 1 holds in the Order of the Arrow. The Scout Executive, I am told, stepped in and told the lodge they will use the lower number from the two merged lodges.
The lodge is now known as Tschipey Achtu 95. I have updated the site to reflect this current information. Several new issues have also been added.
Read the Full Post on blog.oaimages.com
January 6th, 2012
A Guide to Identifying Chinese Fakes on eBay
My friend Jason Spangler, also known as the Santee Swapper and host of the Scouting Hot Finds newsletters and podcast has assembled a free guide to spotting the fake Chinese made OA patches currently appearing on eBay.
A Guide to Identifying Recent Chinese Fakes on eBay
This is an extensive 24 page treatise on these patches, with many illustrations. It documents the fakes produced by various sellers over the past several years. It also discusses the marketing strategies of those who produced these fakes including the stealing of images from this website.
This is a must read for almost any collector who wants to avoid being taken by these fakes.
Read the Full Post on blog.oaimages.com
December 23rd, 2011
Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Flattery (III)
[caption id="attachment_6836" align="alignleft" width="90" border="0" caption="Wahunsenakah 333 Piankatank Chapter Winter 2011 Service"]
I have written several posts on this blog about patch designs that appear to have been copied or "inspired" by other designs, quite often from different lodges. For example see the first and second posts using this same title. Another example is this post on more "inspired" patches.
The patch pictured at the top of this post was a recent chapter event issue from Piankatank chapter of Wahunsenakah lodge. (Editor's note: Please see correction in comments). The lodge is chartered to the Colonial Virginia Council which could easily explain the American Revolution theme of the design. However, the lodge totem is a duck so the hawk's head might appear to be an unusual choice.
A friend gave this to me. He acquired it a Trade-O-Ree and thought of me once he saw the design. It's obviously taken from Tsoiotsi Tsogalii's 2010 SR-7B conclave flaps, listed on this site as S34? and S35?.
Perhaps someone in Wahunsenakah can fill us in on the story behind Piankatank chapter's choice of patch design. The artist of the lodge 70 flaps should be flattered that someone in another lodge was so impressed by his design that he chose to adapt it for his chapter's event patch.
Read the Full Post on blog.oaimages.com
December 22nd, 2011
One of These Things Is Not Like the Other...
"One of these things is not like the others, One of these things just doesn't belong, Can you tell which thing is not like the others. By the time I finish my song?"
How many of you remember this song from "Sesame Street"? I saw a friend of mine at the Winston-Salem Trade-O-Ree last weekend. He usually has a great assortment of patches, many classic material and items from our area. However he wants it to be known that he isn't just interested in old patches, so he puts the frame pictured here on his table. I'll let him remain anonymous unless he chooses to step forward here.
One of those patches seems oddly out of place (really two but one sticks out more!). Do you see it? It's not quite as obvious as recognizing letters and numbers, but still very easy to see! Every time I see this frame I chuckle a bit. It's a good way to start a conversation. Now you all can join me in a good natured chuckle.
Read the Full Post on blog.oaimages.com
Archive for July, 2007
A hotel I worked at had posted in its back office area a list, from the local police department, of signs of potentially suspicious activity. The list was meant to alert the hotel staff to possible illegal activities being conducted by guests in the hotel. Many of the items were completely ordinary and normal, but when several were found together they might indicate some nefarious activity is afoot.
Now mind you, this was a rather nice hotel and not some seedy fly-by-night operation. However, it was on a busy interstate highway and drug trafficking was a concern. The local police requested the desk staff notify them if illegal activity was suspected.
With fakes, overruns, private issues and other items of dubious authenticity becoming common on eBay, I propose a similar list for Scout patches. No single item is enough to brand a patch unauthentic, but when taken together and combined with a healthy dose of skepticism identifying dubious items and sources can become much easier. This list is specifically focused on identifying Order of the Arrow patches.
Continue Reading »
Popularity: 4% [?]
Related Posts:
"There has grown up in the minds of certain groups in this country the notion that because a man or corporation has made a profit out of the public for a number of years, the government and the courts are charged with the duty of guaranteeing such profit in the future, even in the face of changing circumstances and contrary to public interest. This strange doctrine is not supported by statute or common law. Neither individuals nor corporations have any right to come into court and ask that the clock of history be stopped, or turned back."
Robert Heinlein
The 2007 World Jamboree has officially begun.
According to the Sunday Times (London), HRH Prince William of Wales visted the Jamboree on July 28th. Unlike their grandmother, the Queen, who was a Girl Guide as a child, neither Prince William nor his brother, Prince Harry, were Scouts.
Continue Reading »
Popularity: 4% [?]
Related Posts:
"Thinking: The talking of the soul with itself."
Plato
This message was sent to me earlier today from the OA Trading Post Online. It was asked it be passed along to those who might be interested:
*****
Today, more than 1,300 of the Order of the Arrows leaders converged on Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana to roll out the OA’s five-year strategic plan and to prepare for next summers ArrowCorps5 event. In connection with this event, these beautiful nine-color patches have just been released, one for each of next summers ArrowCorps5 sites. Even if you could not make it to Indiana, you can click here to get these ArrowCorps5 patches.
Continue Reading »
Popularity: 4% [?]
Related Posts:
"Where I am, I don't know, I'll never know, in the silence you don't know, you must go on, I can't go on, I'll go on."
Samuel Beckett
Greetings from Florida! I am Robert Mathis, and John has allowed me to write about OA issues from the Sunshine State. Along with David Weda, we write the Florida Collectors’ Newsletter, where we cover Scouting patches and collectibles (OA lodge, chapter, and section, along with council shoulder patches) in the state of Florida. We’ve been publishing for 15 years (think of it as a slowly-updated blog, mailed four times a year). And since 2006 we have been creating an on-line edition, found at http://floridacsp.com/fcn/ .
For our purposes here, I will stick with the lodges of eastern Florida (Seminole 85, Echockotee 200, Aal-Pa-Tah 237, Semialachee 239, O-Shot-Caw 265, Tipisa 326, Timuquan 340, and Osceola 564). I do not have nearly as many contacts in Yustaga 385 to properly report on their emblems, so I hope the Alabama contributor can pick up my slack.
So, for my first entry in the blog for Florida stuff, I’d like to write about two non-OA patches that cannot be explained by The Rule Of Duck.
Continue Reading »
Popularity: 5% [?]
Related Posts:
"It is impossible to experience one's death objectively and still carry a tune. "
Woody Allen
It’s been a while but I have finally updated the membership statistics on this site to use 2007 membership data. I don’t know if the donor of the membership data wants to be publicly acknowledged. So thanks to the anonymous donor.
For those who are interested, the largest and smallest lodges by membership follow.
Continue Reading »
Popularity: 5% [?]
Related Posts:
"Most of our so-called reasoning consists in finding arguments for going on believing as we already do."
James Harvey Robinson
This image of two unusual pieces was recently sent to me. The emailer told me these were in a collection of various other items and had reason to believe that at least the neckerchief might be from Shu-Shu-Gah lodge.
I sent this to Bill Mulrenin, Blue Book editor for New York. He was confident that these pieces did not originate with Shu-Shu-Gah lodge or any of its chapters. Neither of us have a clue what these items are.
Continue Reading »
Popularity: 6% [?]
Related Posts:
"When many work together for a goal, great things may be accomplished. It is said a lion cub was killed by a single colony of ants."
Saskya Pandita
Well, Lola Qam Geela 491 finally beat Wauna La-Mon’Tay to the punch on issuing a set for an event. With three of the ArrowCorps5 projects in the Western Region, Lola is the first to issue a set for the Shasta-Trinity Project.
The set has the old Shasta-Trinity ArrowCorps5 logo on it along with Lola’s improved totem design. This set was well designed and should be in high demand in the upcoming months.
A section item may be in the works since I am on the Section Merchandising Committee, too soon to verify, as I will bring it up at the next section COC. W1A is proud to be the host section for ArrowCorps5 Shasta-Trinity. W1A is the host section. Part of the project is in W3B.
I know that Wauna La-Mon’Tay is going to produce something for ArrowCorps5 and possibly Tsisqan 253 also. I will do a blog on those when that happens.
Popularity: 6% [?]
Related Posts:
"An expert is a man who has made all the mistakes, which can be made, in a very narrow field."
Niels Henrik David Bohr
Never tickle a sleeping dragon.
Those who understand the title and first sentence know what I was doing Friday night and all day Saturday. Those who don’t, or can’t quickly guess, must have been living under a rock for the last several months. 
Continue Reading »
Popularity: 4% [?]
Related Posts:
"Since a politician never believes what he says, he is quite surprised to be taken at his word."
Charles De Gaulle
Darrell Green has sent me images and word of the first two issues from Ca-nu-pa chapter of Atta Kulla Lodge.
The chapter issued two round patches, with the same design both depicting a clock tower.
Continue Reading »
Popularity: 5% [?]
Related Posts:
"Those who trust to chance must abide by the results of chance. "
Calvin Coolidge
Atta Kulla Kulla lodge has issued a second chenille. Thanks to Darrell Green for telling me about this new issue.
The design is similar to the ”C1?”, but the chenilles are not individually numbered. It was planned from the beginning to issue these unnumbered chenilles, once the supply of numbered ones was sold out.
Continue Reading »
Popularity: 5% [?]
Related Posts:
"The greatest wealth consisteth in being charitable, and the greatest happiness in having tranquility of mind. Experience is the most beautiful adornment and the best comrade is one that hath no desire. "
Tibetan Doctrine
« Previous entries Next Page » Next Page »
Recent OAImages News
January 30th, 2012
Tschipey Achtu Lodge: Update
Back in 2010 I announced the formation of Tschipey Achtu lodge as a result of the merger of Ty-Ohni 95 and Ganeodiyo 417. At the time I was told they would use the number 397, which is also their council number. This created a bit of controversy as that number is currently in use by Chilantakoba lodge in Louisiana. I also announced their first flap. Other than a 2010 Jamboree issue no further news from this lodge made it to me.
I was talking with a Roger Ward last night who was at the recent Winter South Carolina Trade-O-Ree. He tells me it has not been quiet in that lodge. The use of 397 was problematic. Many wanted to choose a different number. Some wanted to claim the number zero, but that was not well received given the special place Unami 1 holds in the Order of the Arrow. The Scout Executive, I am told, stepped in and told the lodge they will use the lower number from the two merged lodges.
The lodge is now known as Tschipey Achtu 95. I have updated the site to reflect this current information. Several new issues have also been added.
Read the Full Post
January 14th, 2012
An OAImages iPad App?
Some of those who know me personally, know that I have gone over to the "Dark Side" and have started using Apple products. I bought an iMac a couple of months ago and just recently got an iPad. My brother is trying to tell me that my Droid's days are numbered.
I really like my iPad and started day dreaming about an OAImages app for it. I have no idea how to go about writing this and it would take me into an entirely new area from what I know. It's not something that would happen easily or soon. Here's your chance to give feedback. What do you think about an OAImages app? What would you put in it? Do you have any thoughts on how it would be distributed or how much it would cost?
Please feel free to comment. Comments are moderated for those who have not successfully had a comment published on this blog before in order to control spam. I will do my best to approve comments as quickly as possible in order to facilitate a discussion.
Read the Full Post
October 4th, 2011
Indian Summer and Summit Corps Patches
I have added special pages on this site for the 2011 Indian Summer and 2011 Summit Corps. I still have a few images to add but most of what I have images for is now on the site. Thanks for Rick Horne for most of these images.
To view these items, go to OA Images: National and Special Events Patches page and select either of these events from the "Other Specialties" drop down box.
Read the Full Post
August 27th, 2011
Coming out of Hiding About April 1st
It's kind of odd to come out of hiding to post about a topic like this.
I'm hearing from some brothers that there have been gullible readers to this blog over the years. I would have thought it was obvious from the context of the posts, but the various posts made on this blog throughout the years that have appeared on APRIL FIRST are all satire. None of them are true. Read them and chuckle but please do not complain to your friendly OA National Committee members, Scout Executives, lodge advisers, or official website administrators about the "changes" that are "announced" in them.
Read the Full Post
March 31st, 2011
Comment Spam
This is strictly an "FYI" post for those familiar with the issues facing those who maintain blogs and message boards where readers can post comments.
Recently I had been having issues here with comment spam getting past this blog's filters. I deleted the inappropriate posts as quickly as I could but this was still unacceptable to me, as well as additional work. I since have required that readers register before they're allowed to post comments here. That seems to have stopped the spammers.
I still see a number of probable spammers, mainly from Russian domains, registering on this blog but so far none have had their comments posted successfully.
I may test my luck for a short period of time in the near future. At some unannounced time, I will turn off the registration requirement for posting comments for a day or two. I want to see if the spammers have been chased away, or if they're just awaiting an easy opportunity to push their garbage
Read the Full Post
February 11th, 2011
Change in Comments Policy
This blog is being hit with a large number spam comments lately. There have been over 12,000 attempts to spam the blog with comments just within the past 60 days. Recently a few dozen comments, hawking service and goods I deem inappropriate for this blog, made it past the filters. Since I don't desire to spend more time deleting the spam as I find it and don't want inappropriate information to sit on my blog, I am tightening up the policy on commenting here.
Those who wish to comment must now register and be logged in before being to post comments. Registration is free and is not the same as membership to this site. This is a common practice on many blogs especially among sites run by more "traditional media" type companies.
Read the Full Post
Posted in Patch Collecting by John E. Pannell on July 31st, 2007 at 5:16 am 
Recent Comments