Scout Patch Collectors

My Order of the Arrow Sash Collection – Nearly Complete

At the Charlotte Trade-O-Ree in May of 2024 we were lucky to welcome Marcus Bailey and his OA sash display.  One of the reasons we carved out room in the floor plan for the show was to allow collectors to share their collections.  Marcus has a nice display of most variations of the OA sashes made by the national organization.  His display includes text that explains how to identify these sashes and the approximate dates.  While spending time with him at the show he also gave credit to David Madison who seems to be the recognized historian for this niche in the hobby.

I brought my tubs (yes multiple!) of OA sashes to the Trade-O-Ree and Marcus sat down with me to identify the major types.  It turns out after sorting out the stacks I was able to identify that I had a very thorough collection with only a few big holes.  Of course when you get down to the final needs these are the toughies! But at the time Marcus told me that he also had one of my key needs that has long eluded me.  The flocked felt Vigil Honor sash was only used between 1948 – 1954.  For years I have been looking for one in the collections that I recycle without luck.  The closest I ever came was seeing a picture of one!  The Scouter who the collection belonged to had one in the past but it was long gone.

Marcus reached out to me in June of 2024 to offer me that big need and I quickly agreed.  The sash that he had was an awesome example in mint condition.  I’m so pumped that very soon I will put together my very own sash display to share.  Marcus is also willing to let me borrow the text from his display and adapt it to my needs.

This quick story is a great example of everything that I am striving to do in my mission and vision statements.  By creating a space at the event for vendors to bring their displays I made room for Marcus and others to share their knowledge and display.  I’m not a young collector but this advanced collection definitely inspired me to get my personal stash of sashes organized and documented.  My next steps will be making a permanent display similar to the one Marcus shared so that I can inspire others with this part of Scouting history.

Our mission is to preserve Scouting history and memories by recycling memorabilia back into the hands of collectors and welcoming new Scout patch enthusiasts. We strive to expand the Scout collecting community by sharing knowledge, showcasing memorabilia, and promoting patch collecting to Scouts of all ages.

Our vision is to build a traveling Scout Museum that brings the rich history of Scouting to any event, cultivating a greater connection to its legacy. By inspiring others, we aim to support and secure the future of Scouting in America.