Scouting memorabilia collecting

[
Scouting for Boys by Lord Baden-Powell, published in January 1908, illustrated by Baden-Powell himself] Scouting memorabilia collecting is the hobby (and in many cases, the study) of preserving and cataloguing Boy Scouting and Girl Guiding items for their historic, aesthetic and monetary value. Since collecting depends on the interests of the individual collector, the depth and breadth of each collection varies. Some collectors choose to focus on a specific subtopic within their area of general interest, for example insignia issued prior to the 1970s Boy Scouts of America requirement that all insignia have either the fleur-de-lis or the acronym "BSA"; or only the [http://caballeroscout.siemprelisto.net/Programas/Marcos.htm highest ranks issued by each nation] . Others prefer to keep a more general collection, accumulating any or all Scouting merchandise, or Scouting stamps from all countries of the world.

Origins

The collecting of Scouting memorabilia likely began when Scouting was founded in Britain in 1908, though in those early years many did not think to save their items, and so much is lost to history. Early Scouters often sewed awards they had earned, as well as insignia they had traded with other Scouts, directly to woolen campfire blankets. Most of the original Scouting insignia of that period was wool itself and has not survived. Several beautiful examples of these early campfire blankets exist in the collection of the [http://www.koshare.org/ Koshare Indian Museum] in La Junta, Colorado.

Function of Scouting memorabilia

The vast bulk of Scouting items exist, first and foremost, to recognize a Scout for his or her accomplishments in Scoutcraft, to engender feelings of kinship with other Scouts similarly outfitted, and to assist in the practice of his or her Scouting. The collection of Scouting memorabilia is one of the many ways Scouting can be enjoyed, studied, and passed down through one's family. Everything pertaining to Scouting can be collected. The concept of Scouting memorabilia is not limited to cloth and metal insignia, uniforms and awards, but extends to handbooks and advancement pamphlets, postage stamps, magazines, camping equipment issued by a national Scout organization, photographs, coffee mugs, and other items. Some of these areas may overlap with other spheres of collecting, when valued for a connection to a historical event; for instance if a president signs a document related to Scouting, the pen and the document itself may both be considered related to that president as well as to Scouting.

Living history

Another aspect of collecting is that of living history. There are several individuals and groups who collect period uniforms and equipment in order to re-enact Scouting of the past. Quite popular is the portrayal of Baden-Powell, authentically costumed, reading his . Indeed, one of the Venturing (Boy Scouts of America) electives is Outdoor Living History.

Scouting memorabilia evolution

All Scout organizations periodically change the design, name, and availability of their Scouting memorabilia, depending on factors such as changes in society (such as the shift from an agrarian society to an industrial society in 20th century America, or Macedonia's change in flag twice shortly after independence), availability of materials and manufacturing processes available, merging of local districts, councils and in some cases whole organizations, and frequently just artistic whim. The participant patch (usually embroidered or woven) for the first Japanese National Scout Rally was printed on paper, because of the financial situation of that time. Period pieces of Japanese Scouting memorabilia from the U.S. occupation period of Japan are rare and highly prized, often fetching upward of U.S. $1,000.00.

Organizations and resources for collectors

Many organizations around the world are dedicated to accumulating and disseminating information on various Scouting memorabilia. The Scout collecting organizations Scouts on Stamps Society International (SOSSI), the [http://www.intbc.org/ibc/index.php International Badgers Club] , the Scouting Memorabilia Club of Japan, the [http://www.scouttrader.org/ International Scouting Collectors Association] , the [http://www.scoutalog.com/ Scout Memorabilia Collectors of Canada] and the [http://www.geocities.com/rustyvanreeves/bbindex.html American Scouting Historical Society] are a few of the resources available to collectors of Scouting memorabilia.

Many collectors guides and buyers' guides have been published since the first ASTA Blue Book in 1959, among the most well-known are the Arapaho series, which deal with locality-specific Boy Scouts of America insignia.

Scout memorabilia as business

Only relatively recently has the concept of marketing such items for monetary gain come into play, though modern Scout councils have become rather market savvy and now often produce collectibles, items meant primarily and specifically for collectors, serving no other Scouting purpose. Some even later destroy remainders of such items to cause forced scarcity, artificial rarity which many see as depriving later or less-monied collectors of the possibility of filling a collection from their unit, regional division or area of interest. For merchants of Scout memorabilia, the Society of Scout Memorabilia Dealers serves as an umbrella organization.

See also

* Collecting
* History of merit badges (Boy Scouts of America)
* International Scouting Collectors Association
* Patch collecting
* Scout badge
* Scouting memorials
* Scouting museums
* Souvenir

External links and references, by country or region

Australia

* [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/australianscouts/ Australian Scouts Yahoo group]

Canada

* [http://scoutalog.com/ The Canadian Scouting Catalogue]
* [http://www.canbadge.com/ Images of badges listed by the Canadian Badger's Club]

Caribbean

* [http://www.angelfire.com/fl/thetrader/csj/ Patches and memorabilia of the Caribbean Scout Jamborees]

Cyprus

* [http://www.scouts82.com/eurojam/badges.htm Scouting in Cyprus] dead link|date=March 2008

Germany

* [http://abzeichen.irmer.org/ Andreas' Badge Collection]
* [http://www.pfadfinderabzeichen.de/ Virtual Badge Collection]

Ireland

* [http://www.irishscoutbadges.com/ Irish Scout Badges]

Japan

*the Scouting Memorabilia Club of Japan, organized in 2003 with more than 65 member Scouters throughout Japan.

Netherlands

* [http://home.wanadoo.nl/stefpoolen/ Scout pages]

New Zealand

* [http://www.nzscoutbadge.com/ Virtual picture catalog of New Zealand Scout Badges]
* [http://www.biznet.net.nz/badgers/ IBC New Zealand Section (Scout and Guide Badge Club)]
* [http://www.rockhoppers.net/telys/badges/ index of New Zealand Scout and Guide Badges]

Portugal

* [http://www.cpcoe.org/ Portuguese Scout Club of Collectors]

pain

* [http://tejones.scouts-es.net/ Spanish Badgers Club]
* [http://elwebdelleonamistoso2.iespana.es/ Spanish Scout insignia]

United Kingdom

* [http://www.johnrhoggarth.co.uk/ Scout memorabilia]

United States of America

* [http://www.eaglescoutbadge.com/ BSA Badge Identification Guide]
* [http://www.sageventure.com/history/ BSA Badge History]
* [http://www.scoutpatchwiki.org Scout patch wikipedia covering history, usage, and other reference material]

by topic

* [http://councilstrip.com/ Council/Jamboree Shoulder Strip Patches]
* [http://www.shoulderbank.com/ Council/Jamboree Shoulder Patches]
* [http://home.austin.rr.com/elspanko/patchcamp.html Scout Patch Collector's Base Camp]
* [http://www.scoutbuckles.com/ Scout belt buckles from all over around the world]
* [http://www.ScoutTrader.org/ International Scouting Collectors Association]
* [http://www.terra.es/personal6/jdm00016/ Air Scout badges]
* [http://www.sageventure.com/coins/ World Scout Coins]
*
* [http://www.colxn.com http://www.colxn.com] Online Collectibles Encyclopedia