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Masonic Apron
1880-1900
Maker not marked
USA
Leather, cotton, glass
overall: 19"h x 22-1/2"w
Gift of Eileen Anderson Shira
93.028.1

Masonic apron with rounded body and rounded flap; beige buckskin with self-fringe and ties; front decorated with beaded Masonic symbols of square and compasses on Bible, plumb, square, level, marking gauge and gavel; all enclosed within a vine border; white cotton backing.


In the era of factory-produced aprons of standard designs, some apron makers forged their own path. This apron features an arrangement of Masonic symbols stitched on suede leather with colored glass beads, a decorative technique practiced in many Native American communities. The early history of this apron is not known, but it demonstrates the influence that Native American culture and Freemasonry had on each other in some parts of the country. For further information, see Newell, Aimee E., "The Badge of a Freemason," 2015, p. 216-217.