Older Order of the Arrow Collecting Guides

In previous posts, I’ve referred to earlier OA collecting guides which were used by many for years before the first edition Blue Book in 1996.Arapaho II

The first national collectors guide which was widely accepted throughout the hobby was what came to be known as Arapaho. More precisely it was “A History of the Order of the Arrow Through Insignia” and was referred to as Arapaho II It was originally published in 1979 and ran 460 pages. Albertus Hoogeveen, Richard H. Breithaupt, JR. , and David C. Leubitz were the primary authors. The first edition included black and white photos of many of the known issues at that time. It did not include chapters, event issues or neckerchiefs unless they had a patch sewn to them. Arapaho II was updated many times over the next 2 decades, primarily by Al Hoogeveen. I believe the last update was in 2000.

In addition to Lodge issues, in the first edition of Arapaho II, there were also sections on NOAC’s, Reproductions, OA Sashes, OA Literature, and a section on collecting Region, Area and Section Conclaves. Only the Lodge issues were ever updated

As an aside, Arapaho I was a guide for CSP collecting and preceded Arapaho II, while CSP’s have never been my area of collecting, I believe that only one edition of Arapaho I was ever published.

The Order of the Arrow in New York State The earliest checklist exclusively for New York OA collectors, was published shortly after Arapaho II. The Order of the Arrow in New York State (OAinNY) checklist was produced by Al Rosenberger in the early 1980’s. It is undated, but contains issued and historical information from circa 1980-1982. There were also at least two errata or updates to the checklist comprising 1-2 pages of additions, deletions and corrections to the original list. The publication ran 40 pages and included many items not listed in either Arapaho or later Blue Book. The list did include neckerchiefs, activity patches, and chapter issues. As well as other more exotic pieces including stickers, medals, bolos and slides. Many of these were carried under the category M for Miscellaneous.

Although never published, in the early 1990’s, Bob Connor was working on an updated NY OA list. While never published, he did share his listing with other NY collectors as he searched for undocumented items, and for accuracy in the basic listings. Bob, like the early Blue Book (and Arapaho II) did not include chapter, activity and silk-screened neckerchiefs in his checklist. Much of his work later became the basis for the New York listing for the first Blue Book of which Bob was the New York editor.

The OAinNY list contains some activity or chapter items which I believe have never been listed in the Blue Book. From time to time, I will post on these issues in the hope of obtaining more information to share with the collecting community.

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Author: nyoatrader
To share information about new or newly discovered Order of the Arrows patches, flaps, odd-shapes, neckerchiefs, event and chapter issues from New York State Order of the Arrow Lodges, warnings about fakes, spoof, and reproductions and any other information that may be of interest to New York State OA Collectors.

3 thoughts on “Older Order of the Arrow Collecting Guides

  1. Great backgrounder Bill!

    Much thanks for the work you do pursuing/documenting our Scouting/Order of the Arrow heritage as told by “thread” and the people who remember it.

    -Ray Gould

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