ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES ARE A GOOD INVESTMENT. THEY PROVIDE GREAT PLEASURE WHILE GROWING IN VALUE!WE WELCOME YOU TO CLASSICLITERATI salesJoin us each week for a large and diversified selection of the finest in Masonic antiques and collectibles as well as many other fascinating items. We are a business run by Masons. Our clientele includes Masonic Museums, Libraries and individual collectors the world over. Always having been passionately involved in the study and documentation of Masonic Arts and Historical Artifacts, it gives us pleasure to feature Masonic Collectibles among our various sales and relish securing good homes for these most wonderful and beautiful cultural treasures of Freemasonry, thus helping to some degree to insure their survival and appreciation for generations to come.Historic Rarity!...Era of Secret Societies!PRESENTING A VERY RARE & HIGHLY IMPRESSIVE HISTORIC ANTIQUE Circa 1880\'s CARVED MULTIPLE-SYMBOLIC MASONIC & ODD FELLOWS & ROSICRUCIAN (etc) WOOD FOLK ART CANE-WALKING STICK!A SUPER GREAT FOLK ART CANE!CUSTOM CRAFTED BY A GENUINE FOLK ARTIST!MYSTERIOUS SECRET SOCIETY ICONS!EACH DESIGN RELATES TO THE LIFE OF THE OWNER!A PASSIONATE FREEMASON!THE ETERNAL SQUARE & COMPASS!ICONOGRAPHY THAT IS LOVED BY FREEMASONS WORLDWIDE!FASCINATING FROM EACH ANGLE!FROM THE 1880\'s!...BEFORE THE LETTER \"G\" AT THE CENTER OF THE SQUARE & COMPASS BECAME STANDARD IN PERSONALIZED MASONIC FOLK ARTS!A MAN OF MANY DEVOTIONS!INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS!THREE LINKS OF ODDFELLOWSHIP!IMPRESSIVE THREE DIMENSIONAL ARTISTRY!FROM THE 1880\'s!...BEFORE THE LETTERS \"F.L.T.\" AT THE CENTER OF THE CHAIN LINKS BECAME THE STANDARD IN PERSONALIZED ODD FELLOW FOLK OF THE ROSICRUCIANS!EXPRESSIVE DETAILING THROUGHOUT!ALSO A YORK RITE FREEMASON!CLASSIC SPIRITUAL SIX POINTED STAR!SYMBOLIC OF THE HOLY ROYAL ARCH!THE ROMAN NUMERALS \"X II\"!CURIOUSLY, THESE NUMERALS ARE SCULPTED TO APPEAR UPSIDE DOWN. THIS IS SUGGESTIVE OF NUMEROLOGY & THE OCCULT SCIENCES!THERE ARE SYMBOLS OF OTHER ESOTERIC PASSIONS & MEMBERSHIPS. THE IDENTITY OF SOME ELUDE US! REVEALING VISION OF AMERICAN FRATERNALISM!AND OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE!A PROUD PATRIOTIC AMERICAN!THIS UNIQUE ANTIQUE ITEM HAILS FROM AN ERA WHEN A GREAT MANY AMERICAN FREEMASONS ALSO HELD MEMBERSHIPS IN ODD FELLOWS LODGES! AND AS EVIDENCED HERE, INDIVIDUAL FREEMASONS OFTEN ALSO BELONGED TO NUMEROUS SIMILARLY INCLINED ESOTERIC ORDERS.WELL, WELL OVER 100 YEARS OLD!...A CLASSIC SURVIVOR OF THE TIMES!MEASURES APPROXIMATELY 36 ½ INCHES LONG!HISTORIC MASONIC FOLK ART!A GREAT ARTISTIC COLLECTIBLE!Visit Our Classicliterati sales Each Week For...Fascinating, Historic & Unique Collectible Treasures!Regarded by Collectors Worldwide as the Leading Specialist in Masonic, Knights Templar, Odd Fellows, Fraternal and other Secret Society Antiques & Collectibles! We also Feature Many Other Fascinating Collectibles from Throughout the World! We Treat You Like Royalty!!!KEEP CHECKING OUR CLASSICLITERATI sales! This is an incredible and original antique hand carved work of American Folk Art in wood. An expressive artistic sculpted treasure of Masonic, Odd Fellows and other Secret Societies culture. This fine ornate cane-walking stick was custom-crafted in circa the 1880\'s to show the symbols of the various memberships and occult passions of the particular individual who commissioned it\'s creation. Unlike most Secret Society canes with their overtly conspicuous imagery, the iconography decorating this cane is masterfully intertwined into a well integrated composition. The intention was to prevent outsiders from understanding the profound meanings that only the initiated were expected to know. Incidentally, this interpretation is very true to the traditions of most Secret Societies. This cane features symbols of Freemasonry (including Royal Arch), Odd Fellowship, Rosicrucianism, Numerology and also some other, more obscure esoteric and mystical symbols that we cannot identify. A dollar sign probably refers to personal livlihood and/or the rewards of industry. In addition, there is a large USA symbol that identifies the cane\'s owner as a proud American. Further inspection reveals what looks like a philosophical Scroll and a couple of small Scimitar swords that mark the owner\'s membership in the Masonic Shriners organization. There are several factors that point to an 1880\'s date for this item (if not earlier). The Masonic Square and Compass has no \"G\" letter at the center. Likewise, the Three Chain Links of the Odd Fellows are without the common \"FLT\" letters. At that earlier time in fraternal history, the use of the Masonic \"G\" and the Odd Fellows \"FLT\" were not quite as standardized in the Folk Crafts as they would come to be a mere ten years later. As far as individualized arts and crafts were concerned, the presence of those letters were somewhat less prevalent back then. Well over 100 years old, the cane is in very good vintage condition with only some normal expected age wear. It is beautifully crafted and has a wonderful shine to it. The item was made in a unique manner that consists of two parts. There is the large, lengthy ornamental section and a smaller, thinner area leading to the tip which is solidly attached to it. Please note that this is the way the piece was made. There is no damage. The maker crafted it in this manner. That is obvious from the pictures. We just felt like explaing this detail in the workmanship. The small metal knob at the very tip may be a later addition (but that is easily replaced). This is a great item. It stands as a testament to the historically prolific dual membership in Freemasonry and Odd Fellowship that once existed. Many people today are confused by the relationship between the two seperate orders. Both originally from Europe and both sharing a fondness for the philosophy, spirituality, mysticism and history, with Freemasonry providing the major inspiration for the latter. This is the work of a of the 19th century. It is individually crafted, all carved from wood. The cane measures approximately 36 ½ inches in total length. We regularly feature extremely attractive and also very rare, top quality antiques including among the finest in Fraternal and Masonic Swords and Historic Relics as well as many other fascinating items. Among our clients are Museums and Archives as well as many collectors the world over. Please keep checking our Classicliterati sales. We try to describe items to the best of our ability. Please ask all questions prior to offerding. FREE SHIPPING IN USA. Payment is expected within 5 days of sale close. FOREIGN SALES: Shipping this item to another country requires that it will only be sent with full INSURANCE and TRACKING which is EXPENSIVE. International buyers should first ask about exact shipping costs. Payment in $USA funds only. Thank You.OURS IS A BUSINESS WHICH IS RUN BY MASONS. Among our many clients are Masonic Museums and Libraries as well as collectors the world over. Having always been passionately involved in the study and active documentation of Masonic Arts and Historical Artifacts, it gives us an extra special pleasure to also feature Masonic Collectibles among our various sales. We relish securing good homes for these most wonderful and beautiful cultural treasures of Freemasonry, thus helping to some degree to insure their survival and appreciation for generations to come.FREEMASONRY, ODD FELLOWSHIP & MASONSKnown as the \"Three Link Fraternity\", the various Orders of” Odd Fellows” around the world, while often being mislabeled as belonging to the Masonic fraternity (which they were not), were nonetheless heavily connected to Freemasonry in more then just a small handful of ways. Inspired by Freemasonry, the Odd Fellows as a movement came to America from England (splitting from the “Manchester Unity Order of Odd Fellows”) and by the 1880\'s they had become one of the largest (and due to their phenomenal insurance benefits, they at one time were THE largest) of all so-called \"Secret\" or Fraternal Societies in the United States (even outnumbering the Masons). While borrowing many Masonic symbols and regalia, such as the use of Aprons, images of Skulls, Beehives, the All-Seeing-Eye, Globes among hundreds of other Masonic elements and also following along the esoteric and spiritual lines of the Masonic Brotherhood, the Odd Fellows performed a wide variety of colorful and esoteric oriented rituals and initiations. Unjustly condemned by misguided segments within Catholicism and some other churches as being an Occult organization, with Pagan and even Satanic ideals, the misunderstood Odd Fellows, nonetheless thrived greatly during that early period. Standing for the universal human principles of \"Friendship, Love and Truth\", the group formed a significant nucleus of esoteric America and other parts of the world such as England, the Netherlands, Australia, etc. It should be mentioned that the Odd Fellows, like the Masons existed all over the world. While today no longer a prominent presence, curiously, there are still branches in Europe, Australia, etc. One often recognizes this Order by the three letters, \"FLT\" which stand for \"FRIENDSHIP, LOVE & TRUTH\" and which appears on much of their regalia. Their mottos included the following: VISIT THE SICK, RELIEVE THE DISTRESSED, BURY THE DEAD and EDUCATE THE ORPHANS. Much forgotten is the fact that (perhaps because of the insurance benefits), over two thirds (if not more) of all Odd Fellows consisted of members who also belonged to Masonry. Although today quite a small organization, we ourselves are aware of individual Odd Fellow members who are also active in their Masonic Lodges. The military-like “Patriarchs Militant”, once a spectacular feature as units in massive parades, with their extravagant costumes and brandishing their highly ornate swords, betray the obvious influence of the Masonic Order of Knights Templar.Dual membership in Odd Fellowship and Freemasonry was once very common. For reference puposes, below are two historic photographs: The first shows a jointly owned old building which served both as Odd Fellows Hall and Masonic Temple:This 19th Century Tombstone shows how very passionate this individual was about his membership in both the Masonic and Odd Fellow orders.CHECK OUR sales EACH WEEK FOR A WIDE SELECTION OF THE FINEST MASONIC & FRATERNAL SOCIETY SWORDS, ANTIQUES & OTHER FASCINATING QUALITY COLLECTIBLES!AND NOW...OUR GREAT ITEM!A RARE SYMBOLIC SECRET SOCIETY CARVED CANENotice Of Copyright OwnershipPlease be advised that ALL and ANY parts of this sale Ad are fully protected under the rules of International Copyright Law. Any unauthorized reproduction of any part or parts of this sale ad (text & picture) is in direct violation of the law as well as of rules. No part or parts of this ad may be reproduced without permission.

.

---