Ray Gould sent me this information a while back, and I managed to bury it in my exceptionally cluttered Inbox. Ray has done some more digging in his old Area 2-G stomping grounds and came up with another previously unlisted item. This one is from Ko-Nosh-I-Oni Lodge #34.
I’ll let Ray tell it:
One of the things I enjoy most about our hobby is digging up issues which were previously undocumented. I recently acquired this piece from a collector who purchased the lot (the lot included another Konoshioni piece as well as other vintage patches) with an interest in a staff piece from an Area II-G conclave.
I am including a better image of the patch discovered recently. I have learned some new information shedding further light upon this patch. It is definitively from Konoshioni Lodge and was given to members of the host lodge (Konoshioni Lodge hosted the 1969 Conclave at Camp Kingsley). The conclave theme was “Arrow Power” and theme was prominent on the conclave program. I recently spoke with Gary H. (a member of both #500 Ona Yote Kaonaga and #34 Konoshioni from 1966-1969). Gary was a member of the host lodge during the conclave (and served as guide) and owns this piece in his collection. He is certain that these were only available to Konoshioni members (not a conclave piece) and were made in small quantity. I do not believe they were available to all #34 members (only those serving that capacity…I intend to follow up with Gary and see if he can further verify this information). With that information, I believe an eX1969 designation would be appropriate.
Can anyone else confirm Ray’s research? My inclination would be to give it a designation as the 34 eX1969 eL1969 (thanks, Dave).
I need one of these for my collection!
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- Painting: The art of protecting flat surfaces from the weather and exposing them to the critic.
Wouldn’t that be either the eA1969 or the eL1969?
Regarding Ray’s Ko-Nosh-I-Oni #34 comments,
I was a member at the time of Gonlix #4/Ko-Nosh-I-Oni #34. I must admit that I have never seen the patch nor heard of it. Then again, there are lots of “limited distribution” patches and flaps in our hobby!!!
Bill,
This would have been one of the early limited distribution issues 🙂
Of course it was likely only issued for the 2-g conclave and would probably only been worn that weekend.
The problem of course with a 40 year old item is trying to determine the ‘truth’. Lodge issue, conclave issue, or private issue.
Dave,
Your right eL1969 would seem more appropriate.
I consider it a 1969 2G conclave item rather than a lodge 34 item. It was not given to all lodge 34 members. I believe my brother wore one and I have one [but 40 years later].
Randall-
Thanks for weighing in on this. Even though it was not given to all #34 lodge members, I still doubt its designation as a conclave piece. The question is, was it available to members from other lodges (section officers?)? If not, it was only available to select members from the host lodge. With that, I believe the precedent weighs on the the side of it being classified as a lodge issue. There are many pieces produced by host lodges at section events and thusly classified as lodge issues. I believe asking the question, “was this available to anyone outside of Konoshioni?” provides clarity as to its origin. Was this a Nels W—- handcrafted original? It’s great to see some dialogue on this blog.
-Ray
P.S. – Does your brother wish to sell/trade his to me (I still need it)?
Randall,
Thanks for the comment. It would be great to find a section or lodger newsletter which spoke about this item which would put the question to rest.
Until than, we can continue to search for definitive answers.
Hi Bill-
I have the conclave program from that weekend and it makes no mention of the patch. If the patch was some sort of award, it would have been likely mentioned (although not definitely). If it was a conlcave staff piece (Section Officers, COC, etc.), it would likely not have been featured in the porgram. I have a number of other #34 Konoshioni Lodge newsletters from 1970 and 1971 so it leaves that possibility out. I do know this:
1. All examples which have surfaced have ALWAYS been accompanied by other Konoshioni pieces and/or sold by an indiviual offering other Konoshioni pieces at the same time (in separate listings)
2. A first hand account by a Konoshioni member (Gary H*******) confirms its issuance to certain lodge memebers carrying out specific tasks (although not a definitive case, it lends support to it’s designation as a lodge issue instead of conclave piece)
3. I have never located an example of this patch in any other collection of items from a non-#34 lodge member (including extensive groupings of conclave pieces)
I hope to have an opportunity shortly to gather with the #34 chief (E. D*******) who presided over this conclave and receive a definitve answer to this question (and make a prospective purchase…there’s a good chance he has one!)
Thanks for a forum to discuss this-
Ray Gould