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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
December 7th, 2011
Of Thee We Sing... About Our Lodge
Last weekend I rode with Greg Grimes and Roger Ward and paid a visit to our mutual friend, Larry Banks. On the way there I was shown a book, published in 1938, given to members of Chappegat Lodge.
The book included the lodge by laws and rules. It included instructions on how to wear the "bands", as the OA Sash was called then, and lodge pin. Specifically, Brotherhood members were instructed that the bands and arrow on the lodge pin were to be worn pointed toward the left shoulder. It was also stated that the lodge pin could not be given to a non-member of either sex. This refers to the custom, still practiced today, of fraternity brothers giving their pins to their girl friends as a token of affection. The centerfold was the brother's membership certificate.
The music and lyrics of the OA song and the lodge song were also printed in the book.
Read the Full Post on blog.oaimages.com
December 5th, 2011
From China... Again
There has been some discussion recently on patch-l about an eBay seller currently using the id, "discountbar". He is operating out of Huhhot, China and selling fake Boy Scout patches.
Several members of that list have pointed out that he is stealing images of real patches from this site and using them to illustrate his auctions. Winning bidders report they do not receive the items pictured, but instead get computer designed fakes of those patches.
Read the Full Post on blog.oaimages.com
Archive for March, 2009
Are there too many posts to handle? Maybe you missed out on a great post. Here’s a quick digest of the top posts from last week that you may want to check out:
- “Go Gator!”
I’m going to stray from patches to show you a clip of one of the most eloquent (?) speeches recently delivered in the US House of Representatives. It also gives me a chance to pick on my friend Robert Mathis…

You might wish you had captions or a translation for this. The “gentle lady.
- Lodge 188: Recent Event Patches
Larry Banks recently sent me images of several issues from Itibapishe Iti Hollo lodge. I don’t receive much news from this small North Carolina lodge, so any news or images is especially welcome.These issued include a patch for the lodge’s 2008 Fall Fellowship and their 2009 Spring Fellowship.
- Lodge 188: 2009 Dixie Fellowship Set
Itibapishe Iti Hollo lodge recently issued a two part set for the 2009 Dixie Fellowship (SR-5 Conclave). Thanks again to Larry Banks for sending these images. It appears the lodge has adopted a ninja theme for this year’s conclave, continuing the theme that was started with their 2009 Spring Fellowship patch that I posted about yesterday.
If you enjoy the content on this site, please make sure to subscribe to the RSS feed.
Popularity: 4% [?]
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"Horse sense is the thing a horse has which keeps it from betting on people."
W. C. Fields
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Ambrose Bierce

Indian Waters Council Centennial CSP
Last Fall I wrote about a CSP produced by Eswau Huppeday deliberately using the color scheme of the BSA’s new “Centennial Uniform”. There is some legitimate disagreement over whether this should be considered a lodge issue however the brothers of Eswau Huppeday may have started something with the patch.
Since then Catawba lodge has issued a flap using the same color scheme. flap. Wulapeju lodge has also issued a flap using the green and khaki color scheme, adding just a little bit of red and black.
Now Indian Waters Council has issued “Centennial CSP” in the same color scheme. Thanks to Jeff Cook for supplying the image of this piece. Are we seeing the start of a trend? Do you know of any other councils or lodges that have issued patches in this same color scheme?
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Calvin Coolidge
I’m going to stray from patches to show you a clip of one of the most eloquent (?) speeches recently delivered in the US House of Representatives. It also gives me a chance to pick on my friend Robert Mathis…
You might wish you had captions or a translation for this. The “gentle lady… gentle woman” from Florida also wore a rather unusual gown.
Continue Reading »
Popularity: 8% [?]
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"If you see ten troubles coming down the road, you can be sure that nine will run into the ditch before they reach you."
Calvin Coolidge

Muscogee 221 S38?
Muscogee lodge has recently issued two flaps for this Summer’s National Order of the Arrow Conference (NOAC). Thanks again to Jeff Cook for sending these images along.
Following the precedent established three years ago one of the flaps is a restricted delegate issue. The other flap will be a much more common “trading flap”. In my opinion this is a well design, a very attractive looking patch. However, traders might find themselves at somewhat of a disadvantage given lodges’ preference for two part sets.
The listing data for these issues are as follows:
| Issue |
Bdr Color/Type |
Bkgd |
Name |
fdl/BSA |
Comments |
| S38? |
SMY |
R |
M/C |
BLK |
WHT |
fdl; NOAC 2009 (delegate) |
| S39? |
WHT |
R |
M/C |
BLK |
WHT |
fdl; NOAC 2009 (trader) |
| Muscogee 221 page on OAImages.com |
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Louisa May Alcott

Timuquan 340 2009 Spring Fellowship
Timuquan Lodge 340 held their Spring Fellowship, on the weekend of March 6-8. This weekend for Timuquan is more than just a single patch event. It is three events in one weekend.
The theme for their 2008-2009 activity patch series involves depictions of pre-Columbian Florida natives (see here). The Spring Fellowship is the last weekend of the series, but not the last event. Continue Reading »
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"The business of America is business."
Calvin Coolidge

Muscogee 221 eX2009-1?
Jeff Cook recently sent me images of some new issues from Muscogee lodge. One of them is the 2009 Spring Fellowship patch from the lodge, pictured here.
The patch features an anthropomorphized Fox (the lodge totem) dressed in hunting gear against a background of what appears to be a forest in early Spring.
Continue Reading »
Popularity: 8% [?]
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"Those who trust to chance must abide by the results of chance. "
Calvin Coolidge
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"We have scarcely gotten home ... when our children's sneezes greet us, skinned knees bleed after waiting all day to do so. There is the bellyache and the burned-out basement bulb, the stalled car and the incontinent cat. The windows frost, the toilets sweat, the body of our spouse is one cold shoulder and the darkness of our bedroom is soon full of the fallen shadows of our failures."
William H Gass
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Recent OAImages News
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
February 9th, 2011
Gone Home: Matt Kirkland
It is with shock and sadness that I pass along this message Tim Brown forwarded to me this morning:
With deep regret I must announce that my son, Matthew Thomas Kirkland, 31, passed from this world at 9:30 this evening. Matt suffered a massive stroke last night. We are having Matthew cremated and will hold a private ceremony in Memphis at a later date. For those who knew Matt, if you desire, to make a donation to the Transatlantic Council, Boy Scouts of America in his name. http://www.tac-bsa.org/Home.html
Matt was a significant contributor to this site, especially for Black Eagle lodge 482. He will be missed.
Read the Full Post
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