Description:
Worthy Matron jewel from the King Philip chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star, located in South Deerfield, Massachusetts. This pendant-style pin or brooch was worn by Florence C. Warner (1889-1993), who served as the Worthy Matron of the chapter in 1936, and is inscribed "KING PHILIP/ FLORENCE C. WARNER/ WORTHY MATRON-1936." A gavel suspends from a clasp at the center, over an inverted, five-pointed star, which is decorated in five polychrome enamel colors, and etched symbols, along with the letters LFATA. The star is set onto a laurel wreath, which itself is suspended from a chain on either side, hanging from the King Philip banner. The clasp pin is attached to the banner portion. The Order of the Eastern Star (OES) is a Masonic Group for female relatives of Freemasons. it was created by Dr. Robert Morris, a Boston lawyer, in 1850. In 1866, Robert Macoy enlarged and organized the chapters. The organization accepts both male and female members who have a Master Mason within their immediate family. Each of the 5 points of the star (and corresponding color) represent a Biblical heroine and her story. Blue is for Adah; yellow represents Ruth; white is for Esther; green represents Martha; and red represents Electa.The pin is an example of both local membership in the women's chapter of the Masonic Society, as well as an example of ceremonial 20th-century jewelry. These kinds of pins were made and commissioned in bulk by organizations like Eastern Star. The pin survives with its original black leather case, lined in purple velvet.
Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+2014.17.3 |
