OAImages Blog

The “N” category, neckerchiefs, is arguably the most frequently misunderstood of all the patch classifications.   This is a creation of Blue Book.   Prior to that there was no consistent nationwide attempt to catalog and document Order of the Arrow neckerchiefs.  So, what is a neckerchief?   What gets the “N” moniker?

As a general practice, I have always followed the work of the Blue Book editors on this site.   Blue Book has this to say about the “N” category:

“Neckerchiefs, either printed or embroidered.  Those with patches sewn upon them are not listed but are described by their patches.”

That’s pretty straightfoward but experience has shown me that many have never read or properly understood that description.   For better or worse Blue Book has ignored the cloth that some neckerchief patches are sewn upon.   While many may not agree, this has been a system that has generally work.    The patches themselves get listed a Ps, Rs, As, Xs, and even the rare J, F or S.

However occasionally, a piece appears that defies such a simple classification scheme.  An image of one of these was recently sent to me by Mike McAdams and is at the top of this post.

The overall design and construction of this piece is rather similar to what is listed as the 220 N1.  That is an embroidered neckerchief with the design of the X4 embroidered directly onto the cloth.   The N1 is straightforward example of an “N”.  

However, this piece has the X4 sewn onto a piece of cloth.   Normally that would not result in an “N” listing, but there’s a twist here.   The “WWW” placed around the X4 are directly embroidered onto the cloth.   If this was issued without the X4 sewn on, just the ribbon inner border and the three embroidered Ws on a white neckerchief, it would unarguably fit the description of an “N” for Blue Book.    Similar pieces already listed include the 200 N0.5, 200 N1,  and 500 N0.5.

What do you all think?  Is this an “N”?  Does it matter whteher or not the X4 is sewn onto it?  Or is this just a neat curiosity, of interest to local collectors but generally beyond the scope of Blue Book even if pictured on this website?