Just an interesting Circle Frame

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Baer Charlton

SPFG, Supreme Picture Framing God
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The other night I went visiting. In Masonic Lodge language, this means you visited and sat in a lodge that you're not a member of. [kind of like going and working for a day in another frame shop]

For years, my Brother-in-Law, [who also helped me study for my Entered Apprentice or 1st degree] has wanted me to come "sit in lodge" with him. This last week I did. The Greenlake Lodge in Seattle is a well preserved and cared for lodge.

In the dining hall is this mirror. It was mounted to the wall back in the 1920s as a donation from one of the Brothers... but had no frame.

Sometime in the 1950s, one of the Brothers worked in the ship yards where they had giant Pattern-Maker's Lathes. And so he turned the frame and had it gold leafed. When they restored the room several years ago, nobody could figure out how either was hung on the wall, so they did a complete restoration around the mirror and frame.

BTW: I'm 6'1" in my shoes.
EMasonicCircle01.jpg

EMasonicCircle02.jpg
 
Wow, beautiful! Eons ago, when my Dad was checking out different lodges and associations, I think I may have gone with him there. I was just a small wain at the time (around 8 or 9 years old).

I wonder how they hung it? Did they have Wall Buddies back then?
 
It reflects well on you, Baer.

What's that I see at the bottom of the mirror? Looks like:


"Warning! Objects in mirror
may be closer than they appear!"

................................................:D.......................................................


Dave Makielski
 
Brotherhood

Is this where you got your MAH?

Hey it was good to see you the other day..... I was impressed with Frank's Fabrics, the Flexible Filets, and the Garrett line. Looking forward to getting the samples free (see related thread) or otherwise!
 
Beautifully huge Baer!! I wonder how heavy it is!

By the way, I see a couple of finger prints all the way up, to the right.....:) I told you my vision is better since the operation!
 
Oh Gawd PaulSF, it's worse... I sent the suit to the cleaners a month ago... I shined the "real" shoes... the wife pressed the shirt AND tie...
All was hanging by the front door at 5am when I left. 14 hours and 250 miles away, I realized that I had "nothing to wear".

My MIL said, "I'm just happy you're not naked. Let's go to lodge". I love that guy. And noone even looked at me funny.

Noone remembers how they were hung... but I do know that the frame was put up in four pieces, then Guilt was painted in the seams.

Also the frame is so tight to the wall, you can't even slide a butter knife behind it.
 
Come on FramerDave ...He wasn't doing the super secret handshake was he?

:shrug:

Dave Makielski
 
FramerDave:

I was thinking the same thing, but Baer is not a full member yet!

It was hinted to me years ago that my grandfather was a Free Mason and was never able to verify that!
 
The mirror is in the dining hall. Dinner was put on by the Ladies of the Nile, an Eastern Star group with husband in the Nile Shrine as Shriners.

This is all public.

But I was holding my fingers in the distress code when the picture was taken... my left hand... I was distressed to think the guy might drop it. :D

Paul, your story is why Masons across the country have changed to rules to be able to ask guys to join. The biggest secret about Masonry is that there are no secrets.... go google Secret Rituals blah blah blah... 647,000 hits.
 
Any possiblity it was mounted "restaurant style" with recessed countersink wood screws, puttied, and covered with a little extra gold leaf provided by the finisher?
 
Where are the trademark red crocs??? :)
rc.jpg

Mike

PS: It was great to finally meet you in Vegas!
 
Baer Charlton said:
The biggest secret about Masonry is that there are no secrets....
Click to expand...

I inherited a photo of my grandmother's neighbor (he was like my grandfather) with his Freemason's "group" (what do you call a group of them??) from the late 1800's, in full dress military-like uniform, complete with the helmets with the funny thing on the top. I framed it and hung it in my first shop, when a man came in and asked, irritated, where I got that. I told him and he asked if I would sell it. I said no, it was a family piece. Then he got really irritated, even angry and red-faced, and said I was not allowed to have that, much less display it in public and I'd better take it down or it might disappear some day!

I took it down. He was scary.
 
Val said:
in full dress military-like uniform, complete with the helmets with the funny thing on the top.
Click to expand...

Doesn't sound like Masons.... No uniforms [Tuxedos], no helmets... [the Master wears a top hat.... Shriners started in 1926 but wear Fezzies; no helmets]

Yeah, the guy sounds like he is scarey... the group sounds scarier... any chance you can scan and email? Sounds more like Knight of Columbus... and they were scarey.

Pssst Mikey, those are orange. :D
 
Val said:
Then he got really irritated, even angry and red-faced, and said I was not allowed to have that, much less display it in public and I'd better take it down or it might disappear some day!

I took it down. He was scary.
Click to expand...

Val:

You should have told him, there is a secret society called The Grumblers, who could make HIM disappear.....:p
 
I could hurl a coconut at him... Oh yeah, electronic coconuts don't really hurt anyone... Doh...
 
That incident was back in the late 80's....there weren't Grumblers then (well, there were, but they didn't know it yet!)

I'm thinking about that photo, and Mr. & Mrs. S were French.....he was born in the 1870's in France and came to the US many years later....maybe he was in the French military and that photo was from there? I never thought much about it being Masons until Scary Guy threatened me....and he said it was Masons.

The plot thickens!

Quickdraw...electronic coconuts sound dangerous too, I've seen some fly around here, haven't you?
 
Been hit by one or two, mostly they just sting. Usually feels good after just a bit, and usually also provide a lot of really good insight.

Those who live in houses with glass should not throw coconut. It might leak milk on glass...
 
Val said:
I inherited a photo of my grandmother's neighbor (he was like my grandfather) with his Freemason's "group" (what do you call a group of them??) from the late 1800's, in full dress military-like uniform, complete with the helmets with the funny thing on the top. I framed it and hung it in my first shop, when a man came in and asked, irritated, where I got that. I told him and he asked if I would sell it. I said no, it was a family piece. Then he got really irritated, even angry and red-faced, and said I was not allowed to have that, much less display it in public and I'd better take it down or it might disappear some day!

I took it down. He was scary.
Click to expand...

There were definitely military-style uniforms used then:

masonuniform.jpg
 
Yeah, Deac, that's what they looked like in the photo! Or very similar, especially the hat with the plume thing going on, and the sword!

Gotta find that picture!
 
Ah yes, the Knights Templar uniforms. Thanks Deac. Yeah, still scary. Right up there with Sheets and Hoods (IMHO).

Nowadays, the Tuxedo is about the most extreme in costume I want to sit next to.
 
White sheets were indeed quite popular at one time! :icon11:


masonuniformwhite.jpg


A black and white photo taken in 1916 of Free Masons in uniform gathered in front of a school in Tampa.

(These appear to be wearing the Scottish Rite beanie)
 
I had heard about the "Lamb Coats" but had never seen one. Kind of like a uniform that was used in a "mixed" lodge where some were laborers and couldn't afford a suit, so all worn the Lamb and all were equal.
The guys in the funny hats look like Scotish Rite.
 
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