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1877-1886
Pollard, Alford & Company
USA: Massachusetts, Boston
a: Silver-plated metal; leather; b: Silver-plated metal; leather
Gift of Masonic Temple Association, Boston, Massachusetts
80.66.1a-b
Masonic Tyler's Sword and Scabbard a: sword: silver-plated hilt with tri-lobed pommel decorated with Masonic symbols; blue painted leather wrapped grip; crossguard: decorated with symbols of craft Masonry with tri-lobed finials; blade: straight, double-edged, flat oval section, bright-etched with symbols; inscribed "Phoenician Lodge"; "Pollard/ Alford/ & Co."; b: scabbard: blue leather-covered metal with silver-plated mounts engraved with Masonic symbols.
Silver-plated cruciform hilt with a pommel in the form of a cross botonee. The hilt is nearly identical to that of Acc# 78.28 except that it has a blue leather-wrapped grip. The blue leather-covered metal scabbard has silver-plated mounts engraved with symbols of Craft Masonry. The double-edged blade, of flat oval section, is bright-etched with Masonic Craft symbols and inscribed "Phoenician Lodge." The ricasso is marked "Pollard Alford & Co. Boston." In 1830, Abner W. Pollard (d. 1886) opened a Boston clothing store in partnership with Lendell F. Tarbett, but by 1832 he was sole proprietor. In 1846, Pollard was raised a Master Mason in Mt. Lebanon Lodge, Boston and began to advertise himself as a draper and tailor dealing in Masonic regalia. Bro. Pollard became a retail agent of the Ames Sword Company, which allowed him to market their regalia swords under his own trade name. Late in his career, in 1877, he formed a partnership with Frederick Alford (d. 1916) who had been raised in Columbian Lodge in 1867. The firm was chartered on October 1, 1877, and dissolved in 1884-1886. Phoenician Lodge of Lawrence, Massachusetts was chartered in 1871. For more informations, see John D. Hamilton. "Material Culture of the American Freemasons." Lexington, Mass.: Scottish Rite Masonic Museum and Library, Inc., 1994, page 156.