Preliminary identification
Photo reference
3 uploaded photos
Overview
This is an authentic 1947 Boy Scouts of America membership registration card issued to John Barfield Jr. The front features a vibrant 1939 copyrighted illustration by the legendary American artist Norman Rockwell, titled 'The Scouting Trail'. It serves as a beautiful piece of mid-century ephemera, complete with facsimile signatures of notable figures like Herbert Hoover.
Story
In 1947, a young scout named John Barfield Jr. carried this card as a passport to adventure. Its cover art was painted by Norman Rockwell, who shaped the visual identity of American childhood for decades. This tiny pocket treasure connects a local boy directly to the grand machinery of mid-century Americana.
Maker / Origin
Norman Rockwell's relationship with the Boy Scouts of America spanned over 60 years, beginning in 1913 when he was hired as an illustrator for Boys' Life magazine. He created annual calendar paintings for the organization that came to define the idealized, wholesome image of the American Scout. His work for the BSA remains some of his most widely distributed and beloved illustration art.
Condition & Value
The card is in very good vintage condition with minor edge wear, light surface dirt, and slight corner rounding consistent with gentle handling. The interior ink signatures remain dark and highly legible, and the paper has aged to a pleasing warm cream tone.
Full Research
Sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance pulled from recent auction results.
Build on this identification
Layer in sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance.
Comparable demand stays strongest where maker, originality, and venue confidence line up. Broader examples still trade, but the range tightens quickly when provenance, condition, or selling lane fit is missing.
Best Venue
Specialty auction or a focused dealer with buyers already in this lane.
Signed example with light edge wear and original frame.
Comparable format with stronger provenance and cleaner surface.
Smaller related piece with visible craquelure and trimmed margins.
Period match with softer condition and weaker subject matter.
Close market lane comp with similar material and presentation.