Saturday, August 6, 2011

Felt Crafters - Plaistow, NH

One of the most prominent makers of Boy Scout patches in the mid 1900's was Felt Crafters of Plaistow, NH.  This manufacturer was noted for making "Flocked" felt or canvas twill patches.  Their heyday ran from the late 1940's to late 1950's.  Since most of their items were made on Felt they did not stand up well to washings, sewings and moths.  So very few patches made it through as pristine mint.  They made a number of generic patches for the BSA as well as other themed patches.  Pictured above are two varieties they were known for - the generic BSA patch on the left that featured the Indian Brave.  This patch was reproduced in many varieties from Camp Patches to Camporees.  The patch on the right was a themed patch usually made for Summer Camps to award for the completion of certain activities such as Canoeing, Swimming, etc.  Most were no bigger than a half dollar, but they are some of the more collectible felt patches ever made. 

2 comments:

  1. I do not know for sure if The Felt Crafters made neckerchiefs, but they did make neckerchief slides as well. They were made of leather. They are characterized by being held together on the back with staples as opposed to rivets like Artcraft slides. Some of them had identification labels attached to the back. I have them from the late 40s to the early 60s.

    Respectfully offered,
    mrncslide, John Koppen

    ReplyDelete
  2. They did make neckerchiefs. The Lee Scouting Museum has several.

    ReplyDelete

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