Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library

Mesh Mask, Independent Order of Odd Fellows Encampment Golden Rule Degree - Gray Hair and Beard
ca. 1910
Maker not marked
USA (likely)
Metal, hair, cotton
20"h x 12"w x 6"d
Gift of James J. Bennette
2017.034.7

Mesh Mask, Independent Order of Odd Fellows Encampment Golden Rule Degree - Gray Hair and Beard. Mask composed of metal mesh formed in face shape and painted pinkish brown overall. Cut-outs in mesh for eyes. Eyebrows, mustache, hair, and beard made of grey hair (likely animal) sewn onto metal mesh with light brown thread (likely cotton). Head hair about 3" long overall; beard wavy, approximately 9" from top to bottom, and sewn along jawline from one side of mask to the other. Beard composed of three separate widths of sewn hair. Skullcap of off-white fabric sewn to metal mask with off-white thread; hair sewn to it in twelve separate lines. Interior of mask bears lengths of brown thread from where hair sewn to front. Face mask trimmed in strips of brown-painted metal which wrap over outer edge.