The “Unicorn Flaps” of Tomo Chi-Chi Lodge
When I joined Patch-L in 2007, I had a lot of requests to help people fill their needs in their collections. One popular request was the S28, S29, and the S30. The more I looked into it, the more I realized I had never seen these flaps. This is why I am calling them the “Unicorn Flaps”.
The story goes, that in 1996-1997 timeframe, there was a motion to make position flaps for the Lodge Chief, Officers, and Advisors. They were to be the same as the S21 series, but just have a different border color.
S28 – Lodge Chief Flap – Yellow Border – There were probably only two made. I have never seen one. Both of them are owned by brothers. Neither knows quite exactly where their patch is, as I have asked to see it, just to get a decent scan of it, but that has produced nothing.
S29 – Lodge Officer Flap – Gray Border – There were probably less than ten made. I have seen one on a uniform (spring of 2007) and I purchased one on eBay this year and it set me back $230. (I ended up buying the patch from a guy I went to school with from K-12.)
S30 – Adult Advisor Flap – Blue Border – There were probably less than five made. I have seen one on a uniform (summer of 2010) and the guy says that he might have another one.
Due to all of them being in such a low number of production, in my humble opinion, all three should re-classified in the Blue Book listing, something like HS for “Historical Issue - Solid Flap”, or something to that effect, with how few were made in the details of the listing.
“Then why did you purchase the flap, and then say that it needs to be reclassified?” you might ask. For the same reason that I purchased a prototype of the S38 flap for $75. For the same reason Jason Spangler has many different prototypes and fakes and reproductions (I’ve seen a 10 inch beaded flap and a handmade flap from Iraq) and unauthorized flaps (even several different Death flaps) of Santee Lodge. Because we are both history buffs for our home lodges. But for collectors who are looking for a whole set, these items are so rare that I don’t want them searching all over for a flap that will never end up in their hands.
And while I am on the subject of stuff so rare that it might as well not exist, here are some additional notes about the Blue Book Listing. The S7 is listed twice as S7 and S10. There are no such flaps as S11, S14, S18, or S19; and the N6 is not a Tomo Chi-Chi Lodge issued neckerchief.
Submitted by Lodge Editor Alan McDonald
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Daniel is probably more correct on this, although a decade off. August 1997 to August 1998 has to be the timeframe when they were made.
The flaps were produced between August, 2007 and August, 2008. Each officer and adult adviser was either given or had the option to purchase 2 of the flaps. I can’t speak for how many of each color were made (other than the 2 chief flaps), however I have 2 of the gray border officer flaps.