Kodak Camera Company and the Boy Scouts

Posted on July 6th, 2023 in Baden-Powell,Equipment by ramore

In the early years of Scouting here in the USA there was as good partnerships with major companies. Here is an example of a booklet Kodak Camera company published talking about what Scouts do (and how to use a Kodak camera while doing it.)

Cover for Proof Positive – A Kodak Story for Boy Scouts

The booklet is undated but given some of the pictures and that it features Baden-Powell I am thinking this is from BSA’s earliest years. It is quite likely from pre-1915 and may be from 1910 or 1911.

Back Cover of Proof Positive – A Kodak story for Boy Scouts

The 64 page booklet features B-P but also the photography merit badge. It has a “story” of a Scout named “Bulb” using their camera.

Kodak made BSA branded cameras in the early 1900s. We occasionally get them in but rarely complete with the case and cover. Here is an example though of one such that came through our hands. This was likely after the booklet was issued as the booklet does not show any BSA branded products.

Going forward post BSA’s bankruptcy, we need to look again at what companies that might make suitable partners. I am sure Kodak Co. is a reason Scouting was so strong in Rochester, NY.

Scouting Syroco Ware

Posted on June 24th, 2021 in Equipment,Jamborees by ramore

Among the things we get in from estates from the 1950’s and earlier are Syroco ware items. These items look like they’re made of wood (and they are, sort of) but in reality are injection molded wood/plastic blend from the Syracuse Ornamental Company founded in 1908.

Boy Scout Syroco jewelry box from 1950s

From Syracuse University:

“The Syracuse Ornamental Company, known as Syroco, was an American manufacturing company based in Syracuse, New York. They were best known for their molded wood-pulp products that resembled hand-carving.

Founded in Syracuse, New York in 1890 by immigrant Adolph Holstein, the Syracuse Ornamental Company (Syroco) specialized in decorative wood carving, especially for the local residential market. Products included fireplace mantelpieces and other types of interior decoration popular in late Victorian homes. To meet increasing market demand and sales opportunities Holstein developed a material looked and felt like wood but that which could be shaped, allowing multiple pieces to be produced through a molding process. The new product, which combined wood pulp brought from the Adirondacks with flour as a binder and other materials to give it strength, was extruded and then cut to fit compression molds, which had were made from original carvings in real wood.

The process favored shallow molds with little undercutting, and this served well for the creation of a wide variety of “carved” relief work to be applied to different sorts of flat surfaces such as walls, furniture and caskets. Production of this new molded product, known as SyrocoWood, was the mainstay of the company’s production through the 1940’s. “

The Scouts must have picked up on their products in the late 1940’s to early 1950’s and continued on offering their items until early 1960’s. The jewelry box pictured above along with plaques and paperweights are quite common from estates of this era so obviously were a popular gift item.

Syroco items also obviously showed up at National Jamboree trading posts as both candy bowls and trinket boxes.

Syroco candy bowl from 1953 Boy Scout National Jamboree
Syroco trinket box from the 1960 Boy Scout National Jamboree
Syroco Boy Scout First Class plaque or paperweight
Syroco Cub Scout plaque
Syroco Boy Scout plaque box
Syroco Boy Scout plaque box side
Syroco Boy Scout book end

Although I do not have pictures to post here, Syroco also made for the Scouts tie racks. Some are common but also include what is one of the rarest of this kind of collectible that is a tie rack with “logs” around the border.

1937 McLaren Plumb Scout axe

Posted on June 10th, 2021 in Equipment,Jamborees by ramore

Now all but forgotten other than by chopping contest participants, Australian Peter McLaren was a ‘rock star’ of axemanship and pioneer of chopping contests in this country. In the 1930s he was a brand representative and promoter for Plumb brand axes. (For modern day equivalent, think Michael Jordan for Nike shoes.)

One such promotions was a featured section at the 1937 Boy Scout National Jamboree. (I’ll have to look through my archives for the jambo map but as I recall it showed this area.) One memorabilia item that came from this was a staff axe engraved for the Jamboree with McLaren’s signature.

I do not know how many of these have survived. This is the only one I’ve ever had come through my hands (and quickly acquired it when I had a chance to.) I’ve not seen another on the market.

We do though get through occaisionaly both a pamphlet that he authored and a “club” patch.

For more on McLaren, check out this blog post from Brant and Cochran Axes from Maine on him.

Still learning after all of these years… Cub Scout sheath edition

Posted on August 14th, 2013 in Equipment,Hobby Trends by ramore

Between Destry and I we have over 50 years of collecting experience and have literally handled 100,000’s of Scout memorabilia items and looked through most of the major estates and collections in the country. Yet still we come across items we’ve not seen before (could be we did not pay attention as they might be in some of the side eddies of our hobby but we still find of them of interest). The item at hand that we just traded some back and forth e-mails about is this Cub Scout knife recently auctioned off on eBay for $72.

Now its not the knife that caught Destry’s attention, although it is in stunning condition He’s more the specialist on these than I am although I’ve handled everyone of the early Scout knives including the Sea Scout with marlin spike. What caught his attention was the belt sheath. He’d never seen it before. Clearly it is official. I’ve not seen it either. I think that these were for boys under the age of 11 who would be wearing this on their belt? Granted different times than today and maybe an adult leader would wear one of these but still, this is uncommon and a pretty trick item IMHO. Is it great value? Probably not really as the price realized indicates. But still plenty cool and would be interesting to know more of the story. Certainly fits into a nice display or collection of Scouting knives.

For Your Information by Paul Myers in ASTA

 

Senior collector Paul Myers of Goshen, IN was at the recent Calumet Council Memorial Day Trade-o-ree. Paul is a former editor of the Trader magazine in the 1960s. In the 1990s he wrote a regular column for ASTA, the America Scout Traders Association, which merged with NSCA to form ISCA the national group today. At the TOR Paul was handing out a compilation of the articles he wrote for ASTA. It is now contained in a PDF below. It covers over 75 topics of Scouting collectibles. Not in depth necessarily but my guess is that even veteran collectors will learn something knew from going through these pages.

The topics include:

  • Amaquonsippi trail patches
  • US Grant Pilgrimage patches
  • Lincoln Pilgrimage patches
  • Contest medals
  • Henderson Award System
  • Belt Stencils
  • Colored Background Service Stars
  • BSA Anniversary Week
  • Ribbon Pin Bars
  • 100% Duty
  • Standard Church Troop Bars
  • Original Twelve Regions
  • OA Chapter Flaps
  • Early Registration Cards
  • Scout Emergency Units
  • Recruiter Strips
  • Scout Diaries
  • Boy Rangers of America
  • District Badges
  • Region 7 Hoe Down
  • Sweater, swim suit, hat and jacket badges
  • Veteran Emblems
  • Explorer Top Awards
  • Presidents Awards & Quality Unit
  • SeniorScout Titles
  • Civic Service
  • Overseas Travel Badges
  • Service Library
  • WW 1 War Service Medals
  • National Service Camps
  • Boy Scout Bands
  • Tenure in Scout Camp
  • Service Troops
  • Jamboree Staff Positions
  • Jamboree Participation Awards
  • Jamboree Contingent items
  • Jamboree Shoulder Identification
  • 1950 Jamboree Prototypes
  • Variations in Jamboree Patches and Neckerchiefs
  • Jamboree Region Items
  • Strengthen the Arm of Liberty Program
  • Take Me Home Folders
  • Scout Straight Knives
  • Scoutmaster’s Key
  • Cub Scouting
  • First Class Hat Pins
  • Patrol Identification
  • Folding Pocket Knives
  • OA Chapter Badges
  • Scout Rings
  • Pin Back Buttons
  • State Strips
  • Early Camp Honor Societies
  • Philadelphia District Badges
  • Region Standard Camp Badges
  • Philmont Contingent Patches
  • Merit Badges
  • Boycraft Co. Booklets
  • 10 Year Program Award
  • Sea Scout Ships

Boy Scout Memorabilia Information

New one on us – Keen Kutter BSA hatchet

Posted on October 21st, 2011 in BSA Info,Equipment by ramore

Hopefully someone can fill in the history on this piece but neither Destry nor I have seen this brand of Boy Scout hatchet. Its from E. C. Simmons Keen Kutter out of St. Louis, MO and has a clear, but worn, etched First Class Badge (as was standard).  Destry says this company generally made work tools or hand implements, which includes hatchets, but again for skilled trades and workers. Very cool in a different sort of way.


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