Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library

Cake Basket engraved from Hammatt Lodge
1861
James Dixon & Sons
England: Sheffield
Silverplate
overall: 8"h x 11"dia. (handle raised)
Gift of Virginia B. Squair
2021.008.1

Cake Basket engraved from Hammatt Lodge. Silverplate cake basket has arched, hinged cast silver handle and four applied cast silver feet. Inside bowl, central, engraved design features four inner leaves arranged in a cross shape with ornate leaf and vine decorations surrounding, such that overall design is eight-pointed; surrounding this is an engraved decorative ring of V-shaped points and dots. Edge of bowl has repeating crimp shapes and is beaded along top. Handle has openwork flower and leaf design. On bottom of center of bowl is the engraved text "Presented to / Mrs. E. J. Cleveland / by the members of / Hammatt Lodge of Free Masons / E. Boston, Feb. 1861." Four feet are shaped in a scrolling leaf design. Under the foot to upper PL of central text is a slightly raised plaque bearing an image of a lion and a horse on either side of a shield, with the text, "JAMES DIXON & SONS / SHEFFIELD." below; on the bottom of the foot to the lower PL is stamped "J D & S / [shield]"; and on the one to the lower PR, "1482 / [maker's mark]".

The brethren of Hammett Lodge in East Boston, Massachusetts, gave Mary Ann Cleveland, the wife of their first Lodge Master, Elisha J. Cleveland, this silver plated cake basket. This token of their esteem bears engraving noting that it waspresented to Mrs. Cleveland “by the members of Hammatt Lodge of Free Masons” in 1861.