‘Bling and things, Part II’

Masonic Week 2010: Cejalvo

Next to the display of Toye USA’s regalia and jewelry was Bro. John von Blauch representing his family business Cejalvo which, among other things, is the court jeweler of Spain’s royal family. There is no point in comparing and contrasting the two firms’ manufacturing prowess; both will make anything a client desires, and do so in ways that will induce irregular heartbeats. But Bro. John’s display was not only different from Toye USA’s, it was exotic for the one-of-a-kind pieces piled atop each other, with more being added every time John found something else in his pockets. Antiques, commemoratives, heirlooms, custom pieces, historical items, glorious golds, dazzling diamonds, seductive silvers – it was a crazy menagerie of familiar Masonic items alongside many delightfully improbable sights.

I will not attempt to identify most of the items you are about to see. Bro. John patiently described most of them, but it’s been a couple of weeks, and I forgot most of what he said.

Above: A variety of beautiful collars and sashes of different Masonic orders. The green of course belongs to the Allied Masonic Degrees. The two black sashes are Kadosh regalia of the Scottish Rite, and the white collar is for the 31° of the AASR.

Right: Thanks to its red lining, this Knight of Malta robe has a supernatural presence in the sunlight! (Purely coincidental, I think, that it seemingly hangs on a cross.)

Above: Rose Croix and 33° regalia.

Above left: This sublime heartbreaker in pewter tone is a commemorative medal issued by the United Grand Lodge of England to those brethren who served in the First World War. Right: There was a great story behind that gold Level. Damned if I can remember. (Two months of insomnia is driving me to madness.)

Above left: The Pentagrammaton.

Above right: A locket from 1901 issued by UGLE’s Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

The jewel in the center is an English Royal Arch piece. It was made about 30 years ago for a VIP, replete with real diamonds. At the bar Wednesday morning for our first round of drinks together, John passed this around. I would say it weighs about three ounces.

Above: A ring purportedly owned by Daniel Coxe.
Below: the sides of the ring.

For one of the higher ranks in the Royal Order of Eri
in the Allied Masonic Degrees.

When the Masonic apron is presented to the Apprentice, it is explained that the ritual garment is “more ancient than the Golden Fleece.” This is not a reference to Greek mythology. It is mention of an order of knighthood created in the 15th century by Philip III, Duke of Burgundy and the Netherlands.

It still exists, and this is what they wear:

Again, I have to apologize for the quality of some of these photos. Bro. John’s tables were shaded by curtains, so the sunlight/shadows were not as problematic as with the shots of Toye USA (see below). The foil this time is glass. John told me a dozen times to just lift the lids of the display cases, but I wasn’t comfortable futzing around with the goods. “You break it, you buy it” came to mind!

Bro. Michael Seay and Bro. John von Blauch.

‘Bling and things’

Masonic Week 2010: Toye USA

The generous and gracious underwriter of what was to be The Art of Initiation is Toye USA, the brand new subsidiary of Toye, Kenning & Spencer, Ltd., maker of jewels and regalia for the British royal family for the past 325 years.

With a sizable display staffed by Michael Seay and Charles Toye himself, the firm introduced itself to the American Masonic market. Michael can be reached at:  mike.seay@toye.com

Bro. John and Bro. Christopher check out the goods at Toye USA’s display at Masonic Week 2010 earlier this month. (More on Bro. John and his wares tomorrow.) And yes, that is a miter in the background!

I have bad news for the existing suppliers of Masonic regalia and supplies: Toye USA is going to clobber you. Simpson, Klitzner, Luther, LAFSCO, et al. have been selling inferior goods at premium prices for years, but now you have a competitor who will take your clientele away by delivering beautiful products at competitive prices. Oh, and their wares are manufactured in Britain, not China.

The photos speak for themselves:

As above: The Master Mason apron frequently seen in lodges in Britain, and increasingly in the United States, in lodges that are allowed to choose their own regalia without a uniformity mandated by their grand lodges. The brethren of John’s Lodge No. 1 in New York City wear this apron.

So below: Another such lodge is Lodge Vitruvian No. 767 in Indianapolis, Indiana, which adopted several characteristics of the European Concept movement. Note the officer collar as well. (Sorry for the shadow. Unavoidable, thanks to the nearby window.)

As above: The English Royal Arch grand rank apron. Also seen elsewhere in the English-speaking Masonic world. Please do not think that Toye provides only English regalia. They specialize in bespoke craftsmanship, and will make your regalia according to your specifications.

So below: You didn’t think I’d miss the 18° apron of Rose Croix, did you?

Two aprons – Top: Mark Master Mason. Bottom: Royal Ark Mariner.

Collars, clockwise from right: Rose Croix, Kadosh & another Rose Croix.
Below: Close-up shot of Knight Kadosh collar.

Above: A variety of Ark Mariner, Order of Secret Monitor, Royal Arch,

Rose Croix, Royal Order of Scotland and other interesting specimens.

Above and below: Assortments of breast jewels and badges.

Toye USA makes custom pieces for lodges. Above: Publicity Lodge No. 1000 in New York City commissioned these jewels and cufflinks for its members. Mounted on the card at top are lapel pins in the style worn by the Masonic Rosicrucians: a simple round pin on a protruding rosette. Red is for Independent Royal Arch Lodge No. 2, and orange is for Holland Lodge No. 8, both in the First Manhattan District of the Grand Lodge of New York.

As above: Cufflinks in the blue of Craft Masonry.

So below: The rainbow of Royal Ark Mariner.

Actually, these photos do not speak well for themselves. The lighting was impossible, due to the display tables being set next to the windows, resulting in all kinds of shadows and yellow glare. And besides, one truly must hold these objects. There is a tactile pleasure to be enjoyed. The weight of the metals, and the lustre of their colors and enameling. The thickness of fabrics, and intricacies of embroidery. The faithfulness to symbols, and creativity of designs. Really wonderful.

P.S.     I hate the word bling. Hate it.

‘National Brotherhood Week’

There used to be a society named the National Conference for Community and Justice (regional organizations remain today), which managed to advance a cause resulting in the third week of February being designated National Brotherhood Week. In retrospect, with the irony and detachment so affordable in 2010 with our precisely crafted à la carte “holidays” and postage stamps patronizing persons and causes of dubious merits and tribal identities, it’s so innocent. But irony is timeless. More than 40 years ago, the great Tom Lehrer held up this annual celebration to the cold gray light of human nature.

Take it away, Maestro:



Couldn’t let the third week of February come to a close without a salute to the ideals of National Brotherhood Week. Have a great weekend! Magpie coverage of Masonic Week 2010 will resume next week.

‘Scottish Rite, PHA style’

Tuesday night was a memorable one for Northern New Jersey Chapter of Rose Croix on the occasion of the visit of Ill. John Bettis, 33º, Grand Inspector General and 2nd Lt. Commander of the Council of Deliberation, Orient of New Jersey, A&ASR, PHA. But don’t let the lengthy titles fool you; John is one of the most down to earth men in Freemasonry.

He spoke for about 90 minutes on history, customs, usages, and other aspects of Prince Hall Scottish Rite Masonry. I wish it could have gone on a little bit longer because I wanted to ask him to describe his jurisdiction’s methods of working degrees. I think there is a lot that our PHA brethren can teach us. But what he did reveal was, I trust, enlightening to his audience. For example, the rituals and the degree structure of the Prince Hall United Supreme Council Northern Jurisdiction closely resemble those of the Mother Supreme Council. In fact, the PHA brethren are closer to the original model than we are.

And while this might be an apt time to quip about our Northern Masonic Jurisdiction’s “George Washington Degree,” and the often lamented absence of orthodoxy it represents, allow me to share Ill. Bettis’ explanation of his jurisdiction’s 20º, which he said includes a section titled “The Light of Patriotism,” with ritual that places Bro. Washington and Bro. Prince Hall together in discussion on the rights of free men of color to bear arms and fight in the Revolutionary War which, in turn, led to a historical point. In 1812, when British forces were preparing to assault Philadelphia, approximately 3,000 men of color assembled at the port to defend their city. A reporter asked if former slaves really were going to defend the nation, to which W. Bro. Richard Allen said “This land, which is made by our tears and our blood, is our mother land.”

Bettis opened some eyes with his talk of W. Allen. He is the father of the African Methodist Episcopal Church movement, as well as a founding father of Prince Hall Masonry. “In the African-American community, the two oldest institutions are the AME church and Prince Hall Masonry,” Bettis said. “Wherever an AME church was founded, a Masonic lodge went with it.”

He covered a lot in an hour and a half, more than can be repeated here. But he does want everyone to know that on May 13, the Prince Hall Conference of Grand Masters will meet in Boston, at which time the Prince Hall Monument at Cambridge Common will be dedicated, and where the original charter of African Lodge No. 459 will be temporarily removed from its home in a bank vault, and placed on display.

The Magpie News Service hopes to cover that event.

Societas Rosicruciana in Civitatibus Foederatis

Masonic Week 2010: The Rosicrucians

The High Council Societas Rosicruciana in Civitatibus Foederatis (Rosicrucian Society of the United States) met on Thursday.

From left: Thurman, Marcel, Rob, David, X, and Billy.

Left: Tony Clifton.

Right: David Dixon Goodwin, IX°, GC, Junior Deputy Supreme Magus.

Grand Archivist David Lindez, IX°, GC

and Sean Graystone, IX°, Third Acolyte.

Left: Thurman C. Pace, Jr., Past Supreme Magus.

Right: Aaron Shoemaker, IX°, Director of Ceremonies.

David with Supreme Magus William H. Koon II, IX°, KGC.

David D. Goodwin with X.

(Sorry for the blur. I shot this from very far away.)

Richard Van Doren, left, with Thurman C. Pace, Jr.

     

‘Appointments and disappointments’

The helpful calls and e-mails reminding the Magpie Mason to post information and photos of Masonic Week 2010 cannot go ignored forever (even though I haven’t even been home 24 hours yet and still haven’t unpacked the car!) Here is the first of maybe half a dozen posts on last week’s fun and frivolity. More to come this week and maybe next.

Masonic Week 2010

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.”

Charles Dickens
A Tale of Two Cities

In previous years, this body of water on the hotel grounds was a bubbling fountain, but last week it was a tundra after 30 inches of snow and bitter cold winds knocked the Washington, DC area off its feet.

The Magpie Mason looks forward to Masonic Week the way a kid anticipates the start of summer vacation. It’s a few precious days of catching up with old friends from across the country and around the world, with countless opportunities to make new friends. Along the way, there are meetings, banquets, hospitality suites, private huddles, lobby networking, secret rituals, public embarrassments, cocktails, venal politicians, egos (both inflated and bruised varieties), and a parade of old white guys whose drawls make Strother Martin sound like Alistair Cooke. In short, a lengthy schedule of appointments (with inevitable disappointments) crammed into four days inside a Hilton.

My coverage of last year’s Masonic Week was entirely positive, but the same will not be said of what you’re about to read. The trouble began with snow, a form of frozen precipitation not unknown to the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, yet still capable of shocking just about everyone there into paralysis. Snow doesn’t hit that area either as frequently or as forcefully as it impacts the Northeast or other regions that are only a degree or three latitudinally north of the Mid Atlantic, but its appearance is not exactly one of the Ten Plagues of Exodus either. I mean, they have snowplows, and shovels, and boots, and gloves, and previous experience with snow. So what’s so confusing? The snow falls, you clear it, and you carry on with life as though it is possible to live with some snow on the ground, because it is possible. Okay, okay, in all fairness we’re talking about record snowfalls landing only a few days apart, but why must the recovery take so long?

What I’m cranky about is the cancellation of the two events that most drew me to Alexandria in the first place, plus some other discouraging events that require cautious explanation. The first event was to have been the “The Art of Initiation” at the George Washington Masonic Memorial. I was very fortunate to have been invited to take part in the planning of this event. Actually, that dates to the summer of 2008, when the original idea was to showcase the practices of Traditional Observance lodges for the attendees of Masonic Week 2009. This was to involve brethren from New York who would give lectures, and a lodge in Washington, DC that would exemplify Emulation ritual. So what happened? The Grand Lodge of New York withdrew its recognition of the Grand Lodge of DC just in time to kill the event, an eventuality resembling an act of God for its sudden and improbable freakishness. Fast forward one year, and this time the event is killed by an actual act of God: 30 inches of snow dumped on a city that wets itself when three measly inches are forecast.

Ever have the feeling the Grand Architect is trying to tell you something?

In February 2008 we sat at this table smoking cigars in the mild weather. No chance of that this year.

There is some vague, noncommittal talk of holding “The Art of Initiation” later this year, perhaps autumn, so maybe we’ll just get some locusts. Anyway, I doubt my New York brethren will have time to visit Virginia for a one-night engagement.

The second event called on account of snow was the annual top secret meeting of The Cabal* at Gadsby’s Tavern. We would have met Thursday at 12:30 p.m., more than 24 hours after the snow stopped falling. Despite that respite from the snow, it was not possible to get the tavern open for business, a situation so foreign to me that I still cannot believe it.

And there was more aggravation. The title of this edition of The Magpie Mason conveys cheeky innuendo understood completely only by myself and two other guys, but your imagination will work. And the final blemish on The Week That Was involves a childish anti-Semitic jape spoken proudly in unmistakable clarity in a group conversation in the middle of the hotel lobby. There we stood: myself, two truly distinguished VIPs visiting from Britain, several other fine Masons we all could look up to, and this other person: an effete little fop.

We were enjoying nostalgic discussion of things British, in the context of quality goods that cannot be had today, specifically a certain style of automobile, when Mr. Fop, in a conspicuously lordly voice as he tried to impress the Englishmen with his Grey Pouponness, says “Surely you know the Jew’s Canoe – the Jaguar!” I directed my eyes to the floor. Everyone else ignored him.

Now, first of all, every third-grade bully knows the proper usage is “Jew Canoe.” There is no possessive form, or any apostrophe at all. The little moron couldn’t get that right, so maybe he’s inexperienced at this, but the next time I hear something like that out of him, I’m gonna grab his little turkey neck and give him the lesson in manners his inbred alcoholic parents should have given him 30 years ago. The little priss will read this eventually, and I’m sure he is bright enough to recognize himself. Selah.

The beautiful scenery outside the Alexandria Mark Hilton.

Oh, and did I mention the hotel bar was closed Friday and Saturday nights?

Sorry for the negativity folks, but venting is cathartic. (Perhaps alchemical?) I promise the forthcoming reportage of Masonic Week will resume in The Magpie Mason’s customary cheerful tone and optimistic outlook. The rest of Masonic Week 2010 was just fine. Or, in other words, “It was the best of times, it was the blurst of times,” but next time it snows, I stay home.


*There is no Cabal.