Ray Gould sends along some more suggestions for identifying the Adirondack Lodge S4 varieties. The Blue Book currently describes them as follows:
S4a     DYL R GRN ROR fine EMB bkgd; BRN beaver
S4b     DYL R GRN RED segmented bkgd; DBR beaver; MVE– colors
S4c     DYL R GRN RED segmented bkgd; BRN beaver
If you don’t have all three in front of you, it is difficult to tell which is which. What is a segmented background anyway?
Here are scans of the 3 varieties:
Ray’s suggestions involve the differences in the ‘eye’ of the beaver.
S-04a (beaver has embroidered eye)
S-04b (beaver has dimple/small white spot for eye…base material shows through)
S-04c (beaver has no eye)
What are your thoughts? While still not the easiest variations to identify, I think adding Ray’s comments on the eyes should aid in identification.
Anyone else have some issue varieies that they can rpovide better identification than the current Blue Book descriptions?
Hi Bill-
You are right. Unless you have all three, it can be difficult to discern which variety one might have. The “a” variety is easy because the eye is stitched perpendicular to the those stitches forming the beaver’s head. The “b” variety can be tricky (because the dimple is small) but seems to hold true for all “b” varieties observed. The “c” variety is easy because all stitches forming the head run in the same direction leaving NO “eye” on the beaver’s head. Thanks for your blog….my best to you from the foothills of the Adirondacks!
-Ray
Hi Bill, et al,
I was treasurer of 357 during 3 years of the trading (unrestricted) flaps (late 1970’s). I know there were different looms, but don’t remember much more about them. I am a little surprised on the manufacturing of fate restricted flaps given the nature of BSA and It wasn’t cheap to have flaps and other items made (still thinking of the limited budgets back then). Van Bicknell was chief and treasurer (3 years) before my time and may remember ordering some things and he is on facebook also. Good seeing some old names I remember. 🙂