Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library

Masonic Shrine Ziyara Temple Visitor Ribbon Badge
1920
Bastian Brothers Co.
USA: New York, Rochester
Silk, celluloid, metal
overall: 7-1/4"h x 2-1/4"w
Gift of Captain and Mrs. Sidney Helliwell
SC78.25.3c

Masonic Shrine Ziyara Temple ribbon badge. Round green pin at top with vertical pin back. Black and white photo of man wearing fez on pin. White lettering on pin reads "Ziyara Temple / State Fair Grounds / Syracuse N.Y. / Oct. 9 1920 / Esten A. Fletcher / Imperial Outer Guard." Hanging from the pin is a red, yellow and green striped ribbon with raw bottom edge. Ribbon is printed in black "Ziyara / Temple / A.A.O.N.M.S. / Visitor." Printed in black at the center of the ribbon is a circle around a temple door with lettering "Ziyara Temple Utica, N.Y."

Ribbons and badges have long been ubiquitous at Masonic gatherings. These souvenirs identified participants and their affiliations, commemorated a range of different kinds of meetings, ceremonies, and galas, and were a clear way for members to declare support for their Masonic group. This boldly striped ribbon topped by a button showed that its wearer was an attendee at a 1920 Shrine ceremonial event and parade organized by Ziyara Temple of Syracuse, New York. Created for a one-time occasion, this badge was also a souvenir of what was doubtless a memorable parade of 3,500 Shriners.