Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library

Masonic Knights Templar Souvenir Plate, 1906, 53rd Annual Conclave, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
1905-1906
Knowles, Taylor and Knowles
USA: Ohio, East Liverpool
Semi-vitreous porcelain
overall: 3/4"h x 8-1/4"dia.
Gift of C. Jarrett Miller
2018.021.1

Masonic Knights Templar Souvenir Plate, 1906, 53rd Annual Conclave, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. OBVERSE: Plate of white porcelain features central design of a painted pastoral scene in brown, green, blue, pink, and peach tones; it depicts a woman reclining with books in a garden, with two cherubim serenading her on the lute and the violin, and another holding flowers; a brown curtain frames the scene on the PL side. Plate has rim that curves up from center and scalloped edges with a texture of raised dots and curving lines decorating it. 1-3/8"-wide band along rim is painted dark red overall, with metallic gold paint both along outer- and innermost edges and stamped in a repeating floral motif along inner edge. REVERSE: At center, printed in burgundy, is the text: "[in circular layout around top edge:] PITTSBURGH [dot] 1906 [dot] PENNSYLVANIA / [straight across starting at top:] PITTSBURGH / COMMANDERY / Nº. 1 K. T. / 53RD / [in circular layout around bottom edge:] ANNUAL CONCLAVE". This text is surrounded by a circular decorative border of curving lines and dots and features several flourishes within central text as well; in an opening at its bottom-most point is the manufacturer logo, which has a decorative flourish atop it and features the following: "[surrounding outer edge of circular emblem:] KNOWLES [dot] TAYLOR [dot] KNOWLES / [within circle, around top:] SEMI-VITREOUS / [within circle, around bottom:] PORCELAIN / [eagle with spread wings at center] / [outside and below circle, in straight lines:] EAST LIVERPOOL / OHIO, U.S.A.".