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Unidentified Masonic Lodge Master, 1865. H. Cushing, Windsor, Vermont. Gift in memory of Jacques Noel Jacobsen, 2008.038.35.
Unidentified Knights Templar Member, 1893. Abraham Edmonds (b. ca. 1851), New York, New York. Gift of Walter A. Kmiec, 80.58. Photograph by David Bohl.
Shrine Jacket, 1920–1960. Probably American. Gift of Grant B. Romer, 88.42.151. Photograph by David Bohl.
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June 4, 2011–March 10, 2012
Over the past fifty years or more, popular television programs and movies have frequently poked fun at fraternal groups by having characters belong to made-up organizations with goofy names and wild hats and costumes. Members and non-members alike have often perceived Masonic costume as weird, funny or outlandish.
Indeed, Masonic regalia seems to have a flair for the unusual. But today, we may think the same of the clothing we see in historic prints, paintings and photographs from the 1700s and 1800s. So when we start to look more closely — to compare the Masonic costumes and photographs with garments and images from the same time periods — we can see that perhaps they were not as outlandish as they may now seem to us. Often, regalia manufacturers took their cues from contemporary fashion houses.
This new exhibition, opening on June 4, uses clothing and images from the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library collection to trace the inspiration behind Masonic regalia and costume. Each section explores a different source — contemporary fashion, the military, Orientalism, and theater — in order to show the connections between everyday style and fraternal fashion.
Initially a way for affluent men to meet, socialize and share their views, American Freemasonry has continually adapted its aims and activities to suit the needs of its members. During the mid- and late 1700s, the clothing men wore in the lodge mirrored the principles of equality and brotherhood that guided all Masonic lessons. Yet, Freemasons still set themselves apart by what they wore and the materials used. Their regalia demonstrated a familiarity with genteel style, reflecting the fraternity’s upper-class roots.
By the late 1800s, menswear had become extremely standardized, offering little room for fancy and display. Regardless of their profession or geographical location, men became somewhat indistinguishable from one another. Similarly, as many Freemasons sought to impose national standards on the fraternity’s rituals, Masonic regalia also began to standardize. Large regalia houses began offering mechanically manufactured aprons and sashes. Still, fanciful Masonic costume provided men with a way to dress expressively, particularly during degree rituals and public processions.
Over the course of the fraternity’s existence, Freemasons developed and retained their regalia to suit both the organization’s needs and prevailing fashion styles. The traditional garments became part of their identity, reflecting the organization’s values and ideals, as well as a man’s membership in a centuries-old, well-respected group.
Masonic Royal Arch Degree Team, 1890–1900. Baxter Springs, Kansas. Special Acquisitions Fund, 88.42.112.
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