Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library

Collar Box with Masonic Symbols
1875-1915
Maker not marked
Place made not marked
Wood, metal
Overall: 5-1/8"h x 7-1/4"dia.; overall: a (lid) 1-14"h x 7-1/8"dia; overall d (bottom) 2-5/16"h x 7-1/8" dia.; overall c (drawer)3/4"h x 3-1/2"w x 5-7/16"d; overall: b (middle) 2-13/16"h x 7-1/8"dia
Museum Purchase
2017.012a-d

Four-part collar box with removable drawer with three partitions inside. a: Lid is inlaid with ruled square, compasses and the letter G on top of an eight point star formed out of different colors of wood. b: Middle section c: Drawer d: Bottom part is constructed with a slot to receive a wooden button, which when turned, this mechanism locks the botton two sections together. Constructed of different kinds of wood, wrapped, glued and tacked with iron nails (10) and tiny wooden pegs. A band of wood surrounds the star and central design. The bottom of the box is stained a reddish color.

In 1900 there were nearly one million Masons in the United States. Manufacturers of personal accessories and men’s grooming items saw an opportunity to attract their business. Makers decorated their wares with Masonic symbols to appeal to members of the fraternity. This wooden box, designed to store collars and collar studs, this personalized shaving mug, and metal shaving kit, are examples of some of the different ways a Freemason could display his pride in his association with the organization. For further information, see blog post, June 13, 2017, http://nationalheritagemuseum.typepad.com/library_and_archives/2017/06/new-to-the-collection-masonic-collar-box.html