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Masonic Royal Arch Collar, supposedly worn by General Tom Thumb (Charles Stratton)
ca. 1863
Maker not marked
USA
Silk, bullion
b: 17-1/2"h x 16"w x 1/4"d
Loaned by the Grand Lodge of Masons in Massachusetts
GL2004.0140b

White silk Royal Arch Masonic collar (companion to GL2004.0140a apron). Collar has gold bullion vine pattern on border, six five-pointed stars on left and right sides with All-Seeing Eye within triangle with glory rays at bottom center. Backing is red silk. Collar supposedly worn by Charles Stratton (a.k.a. Tom Thumb). Collar comes with small apron (GL2004.0140a).


The maker specially crafted this collar for Charles Stratton (1838-1883), better known as General Tom Thumb. Stratton stopped growing as a young child, reaching 40 inches in height. A Connecticut Mason, Stratton wore this collar for some of his York Rite Masonic activities. It came to the Grand Lodge Museum as a gift in 1930 from one of his wife's relatives. Her family lived in Middleborough, Massachusetts. Stratton worked for circus manager P.T. Barnum in New York and toured throughout Europe and America. In 1862 he was made a Mason in St. John's Lodge No. 3, was received in all the York Rite bodies and became a 32 degree Scottish Rite Mason in Bridgeport, Connecticut. For further information, see Newell, Aimee, et.al., "Curiosities of the Craft: Treasures from the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts Collection", 2013, p. 210-211.



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