Help With Indian Head Boy Scout Button

[ToastedWheatie]

I can't seem to find info on this button. Is it maybe not the "Boy Scouts" as we know now?

Can anyone help out?

 

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[Mackaydon]

I don't see any direct connection to the BSA unless it's buried on the obscured reverse side.
Don.....

 

[Tigger]

My gut says it is not. The chieftain image, if BSA, would more likely be applied to early Order of the Arrow items, and they were additions to the BSA uniform, not a separate uniform. If no-one can provide you with what it actually IS, you can contact the BSA museum, ContactUs, perhaps they can help you.
Tigger

 

[ToastedWheatie]

My gut says it is not. The chieftain image, if BSA, would more likely be applied to early Order of the Arrow items, and they were additions to the BSA uniform, not a separate uniform. If no-one can provide you with what it actually IS, you can contact the BSA museum, ContactUs, perhaps they can help you.
Tigger

Took your advice and got the below reply fron the BSA Museum:
"Very interesting button you have there! I am quite certain it is not associated with the Boy Scouts of America as since its inception in 1910 the first uniform buttons had a 1st Class insignia on them with only the letters B S of A around the insignia. As you may know, there were other competing “Boy” groups around the same time that the Boy Scouts of America was incorporated; William Randolph Hearst began the “American Boy Scouts,” but their uniforms had buttons with just “ABS” on them; and then there were other less significant groups that most likely never got into the developmental stage of uniforms at all. This does make me wonder if this could be “Lone Scout” related. The “Lone Scouts” were associated with the Boy Scouts of America but was established for those boys that were far from a town and had no troop to be a part of. The reason this is of interest to me is that the Lone Scout’s emblem was an Indian. I will continue to do some more research and see what I can find out, but even without concrete evidence of where your button comes from, I would guess it would date in the early 1900’s.

I’ll be in touch when I find out more!

Thank you,

Gail Mayfield | Museum Collections Manager

BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA
National Scouting Museum"

I'll update if I hear more.

I'm beginning to think it's generic. Sort of like buying a kids jacket now at Walmart that says "fireman" or "astronaut".
Thanks!

 

[Mackaydon]

Lone Scout logo.
Don...

 

[ToastedWheatie]

Lone Scout logo.
Don...

Thanks. But there are others:



And this little beauty. Who'd ever think this value?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Boy-Scout-Lone-Scout-Tribe-Captain-Pin-RARE-1459U-/131165597731

 

[Tigger]

Very cool. Please keep us posted. I'm inclined to believe its modern & generic, made-in-China type, tho I know nothing about buttons, too bad it's back was so toasted - can you take it outside and get a closeup picture of the back, apparently that would help button people date it.

 

[duggap]

For some reason I can't seem to find very much about the group call "American Boy Scouts". They were military orientated. But it seems I remember them using the Indian head on their items. I just can't seem to find a button though.

 

[nhbenz]

For some reason I can't seem to find very much about the group call "American Boy Scouts". They were military orientated. But it seems I remember them using the Indian head on their items. I just can't seem to find a button though.

I'd wondered about the same thing. Their buttons can be seen here, but appear not to match this one:
www.VirtualScoutMuseum.com

 

[ToastedWheatie]

I'd wondered about the same thing. Their buttons can be seen here, but appear not to match this one:
www.VirtualScoutMuseum.com

The answer may lie here. Promotional material used the term "Boy Scout" loosely before the BSA took the name exclusivley, and won that in court before WWI.
Toys, advertisements, used that phrase. So we may never know if it belongs to a group "Boy scout" (there were a few mail order mags and clubs) or just a generic item. But I think we can date it.

Promotional items: www.VirtualScoutMuseum.com

Toys: www.VirtualScoutMuseum.com

thanks for the help!

 

[HuntinDog]

Here's a ABS button I found a while back. It appears that they are rare as I would think yours would be also.

 

[PatrickD]

My guess is Woodcraft. A pre-scouting movement that was predominately in the NE US.