‘From the Library of Publicity Lodge No. 1000’

  

Latin mottos: ‘Let There Be Light’
and ‘Know Thyself.’

Speaking of fine arts (see post below), there was one lot on eBay last week of particular interest to my lodge. I didn’t bid, but I hope one of the brethren won it when the gavel dropped last night. I’d told them about it via our Faceypage.

It is a bookplate from what, I suppose, was a library maintained by Publicity Lodge. I don’t know where the stacks might have been, but I’ll guess the lodge once upon a time leased one of those small offices that inconspicuously occupy the odd-numbered floors of Masonic Hall. Maybe part office for the treasurer and secretary, and lodge library, and storage, and smoking lounge. I wish we could do that today.

You’re wondering why the lodge would keep a library when the Livingston Library is on 14. From the look of this bookplate, I’ll guess it dates to the 1930s, and that’s when the Livingston Library was born. Maybe there was no Publicity library. The lodge published a history in the early ’30s, and maybe this bookplate was commissioned specially for the book’s print run. This is all guesswork on my part. I’ll have to delve into the voluminous lodge minutes to see what was going on there.

     

‘The mundane Magpie Mason’

    

Still in the box with the foam thing!

Well here’s a boring edition of The Magpie Mason: I bought a second-hand lapel pin. Please hold your applause until you’ve read to the bottom.

Having reached the twenty-fifth anniversary of being raised to the Sublime Degree two months ago, I was reminded of the special badges that commemorate such milestones, so I looked around online last week for something appropriate and found several different designs easily enough. Don’t ask me why they’re priced at $18 plus shipping. I know everything costs more today than a year ago, but come on. It’s a lapel pin, generic with the S&C and a 25.

Then I remembered eBay, which I haven’t looked at in years. And there was the handsome item above available for only a few dollars. Described as pre-owned, but never worn, it hails from an estate sale in, if I recall, Brooklyn. Super fast delivery, and here it is.

Etsy

It differs from what I think is the official design of the Grand Lodge of New York’s anniversary pin, which is silver (as in silver anniversary) and depicts the Grand Lodge seal, encircled in blue enamel, wherein reads GRAND LODGE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, beneath which, inside an irregular pentagon, is the number 25.

A number of grand lodges employ similar compositions. My previous grand lodge calls them Silver Tokens. Which brings me to a conundrum:

I’ve been a Freemason twenty-five years, but I have been a New York Mason only for the past eight years, so I’d bet it’s considered untactful to wear this. I doubt there’s a commandment proscribing it; I would think it’s more like an etiquette point. I’ll wait and see if Aldo notices. Let me also mention that I never see anyone wearing these pins.

I mean I am going to wear it—listen, I ain’t gonna be around for No. 50—so if you see me, my usual Masonic Society badge will be replaced temporarily, through November, with this one.

I can’t believe I just pecked out a couple hundred words about a lapel pin.

     

‘Admit him if properly clothed’

     
Just for fun, for a cause, and in time for summer, a sought after T-shirt displaying the names of all Masonic lodges constituent to the Grand Lodge of New York is available for sale via eBay. Proceeds to benefit West Point Lodge’s renovation efforts. Click here. From the auction description:

Courtesy West Point Lodge 877

Created by one of your fellow Brothers, this comfortable T-shirt is a great conversation starter, and it allows you to proudly display, and share in style, your fraternal ties with every Brother in the great state of New York.

Front of shirt: depicts an outline of New York State, overlaid with the words “New York Freemasons,” as well as the encoded message “2 B 1 ASK 1,” and the Master Mason’s Square and Compasses subtly concealed within. Note the intentional use of color to draw the viewer’s attention to the words “NEW MASONS,” communicating the revival of fraternal bonds that we, the modern Brotherhood of New York Free & Accepted Masons, share. Brothers wearing this T-shirt communicate to everyone “We are the future of our craft.”

Courtesy West Point Lodge 877

Back of shirt: is an all inclusive word-art mosaic containing the names of every district and every lodge under the Grand Lodge of the State of New York. The mosaic depicts the Master Mason’s Square and Compasses, and it is framed in a gold border with the words “Aude Vide Tace,” meaning hear, see, be silent.

Courtesy West Point Lodge 877

Shirt specifications:

• soft, 65/35 cotton poly blend using 4.5 oz, 100% preshrunk ringspun cotton for comfort.
• navy blue in color.
• gold and white graphic design on both front and back applied using a modern, lightweight direct-to-screen method.
• ¾-inch rib knit collar.
• double needle stitched sleeves and bottom hem.
• taped neck and shoulders.
• available Sizes: S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL

Produced by the brothers of West Point Lodge 877 in Highland Falls, New York, this T-shirt is a fundraising endeavor to support the restoration of the lodge building. All proceeds from the sale of these shirts will go to the Building Fund.

Price of each shirt includes shipping and handling within the United States.
     

‘Alakazam, Abracadabra, Shazam, Amscay!’

     
It’s rare I mention the Shriners here on The Magpie, but Bro. Bill (of Knights of the North, etc. fame) shared something on Facebook today that cracks me up.

An eBay seller offers a Shrine fez this week, claiming it was owned and worn by U.S. Army legend Audie Murphy, who was the most decorated American serviceman in the Second World War, and a Freemason and Shriner.

The starting bid, which has not materialized yet, is to be $998. I encourage any potential buyer to have a very close look before bidding.

The lot is titled “Audie Murphy Owned Hella Shriner Freemasonry Hat & Case Dallas Texas 1957.” The photo:

The lot description:

This is a hat that was owned and worn by Audie Murphy.

Audie became interested in Freemasonry in 1955.

He became a Shriner (Hella Temple, Dallas) on November 15, 1957.

Audie often participated in Shrine parades.

Please see all seven of my ebay pictures.

One of them was shown in The American Soldier book by Harold B. Simpson
on page 336. This photo shows Audie wearing the hat.
 Under the photo it says: Audie, shortly after becoming a Shriner, in a Dallas
 Shrine parade on November 15th 1957.

The hat is in a wonderful case that I think is leather. Audie’s initials are
 on the top and one of my pictures shows his name on the inside of the case.
 Both the hat and case are in Excellent Condition!


First, although the photo of Murphy wearing a Shrine fez is blurry, you can see clearly that he is not wearing the fez that is listed for sale here. The fez in the black and white photo from 1957 has the scimitar above the crescent. Just like my grandfather’s fez of 1960s vintage:

But the fez on eBay has the scimitar-through-the-crescent design. Second, the old fezzes were embroidered pretty simply. These “bejeweled” fezzes, with the fake rhinestones and all that, came later. (Murphy died in 1971.)

I communicated my concerns to the seller, and promptly received this reply:

Hello,

Thanks for taking the time to write and give me your opinion.

Because of where I purchased it I am 100% confident that this hat belonged to Audie Murphy. He became a Shriner in 1957...not in the 1960s.

My ebay picture is not real clear because the photo in the book is not good but if you have the book you might take a look at it closely and you will see that the men in the photo with Audie are all wearing hats and the designs on them are very different. My hatbox also has the design different from the hat.

I paid almost 3 times the amount that I am asking for them and from where they came I will say again that I am certain they were owned by Audie.

Thanks.

So buyer beware! This is why I buy only from newly signed up sellers in Russia and China.

I am no expert on the collectibility of Shriner fezzes, but paying three thousand bucks for one fez—and let’s say it was in fact owned and worn by Audie Murphy—is nuts. (And if you did something that stupid, wouldn’t you at least know to call it a fez, and not a hat?) The $998 isn’t much smarter. I have watched enough History channel to understand how famous people’s antiques, autographs, and personal effects are valued, and this offering is a bit much. No mention of a certificate of authenticity either. I do recall several years ago some of Sir Winston Churchill’s Masonic items went under the gavel and fetched about $500.

That’s Winston Churchill of saving-the-world-fame.

Audie Murphy is remembered as a peerless war hero and even a movie star, so I reckon personal effects of his that are connected to his wartime service and screen career would be the valuable mementos. His Shrine membership? A note in a book of Masonic trivia.

Caveat emptor! (That means look out for the quicksand.)