Collecting 1912 - 1918 Boy Scout Merit Badges Page 4

Size is of Interest Continued



Early merit badges sewn to a piece of cloth designed to be hung from a belt. 4 value stem Automobiling helps date it mid-teens. The top of the cloth is about 4” folded under and sewn. (as if to be worn on a belt ??). All are what we currently call Type 1 designs but none have black gauze on the back. Click either image above for a full size view!

The 1918 Eagle Uniform

This beautiful uniform came to me with documentation that the owner received Eagle in 1918. The Diegist and Clust Eagle medal and early Life and Star help date it. The scout probably earned his merit badges from about 1915 through 1918. The uniform had a 1917 War Service medal. I added other medals for display purposes. In my displays this uniform is identified as the WW I, Scout War Hero. Bugling, First Aid and a couple others are the earlier style. This is a beautiful display uniform, but with the exception of Art, Astronomy and Beekeeping most badges are common. This is the type of uniform that would be a shame to cut down. The value of the uniform is in the Diegist & Clust Eagle and the couple scarce merit badges.

Merit badge sashes weren’t introduced until 1924. Earlier I show a home made “sash” designed to be worn over a belt. Merit badges could be worn on the right sleeve, but most scouts didn’t have two uniforms, a dress and field uniform. A false sleeve was available from supply, but it would be nothing for most mothers to sew a home made covering that could be attached over the sleeve of the early uniform coat. The item to the left is a home made false sleeve. to the right is another type of false sleeve.


Click for a Full Size View of the sleeve	Click for a Full Size View of the sleeve
Mid-teens sleeve, squares cut down. The red tassel Bugling & 4 spoke Automobile and red tassel Bugling help date it.	This false sleeve was on eBay. Most badges are the 1918 style, but some are earlier. It didn’t sell, probably because most badges even though 100 years old are common. You can see a space where a badge was removed, it might have been a “better” one. Advanced collectors will often buy a sash or sleeve for one badge.



Back to all Boy Scout Merit Badges

Paul Myers Goshen, Indiana gimogash@comcast.net