rare relic

[adamt]

i found this rare relic in creswick victoria.
museum of canberra research department hasnt seen anything like it before. they date it to early 1800s or before and are not quite sure if its roman, greek or a family crest, they also believe it may be related to freemasonry. as for a value they were unable to put one on it due to its rarity. so to me that makes it priceless.
i hope you all find your own priceless pieces of history cheers.

 

[Mackka]

Most unusual.
Mackka

 

[travelergold]

Could it possibly be a wax seal? Just thinking different line of thought. Nice find.

 

[Trash]

Wax seal , maybe

Very off track but - Hephaestus was a Greek figure of forge & blacksmithing ?

 

[adamt]

all cool ideas as to what it could be.
havent found any images that are remotely close to it as yet.

 

[7.62marksman]

all cool ideas as to what it could be.
havent found any images that are remotely close to it as yet.

i looked for about 2 hrs today cant find anything like it
i reacon and i know there is some out there that will prove me wrong and i bet they cant but i think it has something to do with blacksmith/forge master craftsman
lapel button/pin

 

[adamt]

cheers marksman. maybe one day its secret will be revealed.

 

[Goldpick]

all cool ideas as to what it could be.
havent found any images that are remotely close to it as yet.

i looked for about 2 hrs today cant find anything like it
i reacon and i know there is some out there that will prove me wrong and i bet they cant but i think it has something to do with blacksmith/forge master craftsman
lapel button/pin

It may represent Vulcan, God of fire - just a thought.

 

[casper]

a Freemason or Guild badge ??

 

[Ded Driver]

2cents worth ... to me it looks like the 2 hands are carving a sculpture of a head. As Casper said above, A Sculptors Guild maybe?

 

[user 794]

I reckon a stone mason holding a lump hammer and a chisel.

 

[ctxkid]

maybe Russian

 

[StoneTheCrows]

If the hammer wasn't there it almost looks like a hand holding a noose

May also be the first explanation of a hammer head

 

[casper]

How's this?.....maybe it is a freemasonry badge - perhaps worn to signal fellowship to other brethren that you might encounter on your travels ...... then follows the knowing look of acknowledgement and then the "secret handshake" .......

I know! rubbish you say - probably is! but then again ................

 

[casper]

If the hammer wasn't there it almost looks like a hand holding a noose

May also be the first explanation of a hammer head

to me it looks like holding clothing...... there is a lot of mysterious symbolism depicted in that lapel badge

 

[casper]

Done a little reading since my last post and I think that the lapel badge might have been worn by a freemason who had achieved the Third Degree in Freemasonry. I think the individual depicted on the badge is Hiram Abiff , one of the 3 master masons supervising the construction of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem who was murdered by disgruntled masons for refusing to reveal a secret. I gather that the symbolism of the story of Hiram Abiff and of the badge is one of "integrity".

I'm not a mason and do not know any but there's likely a PA member who knows from personal experience

 

[Moneybox]

Maybe the only recorded evidence of a gruesome murder taking place :argh:

 

[casper]

Maybe the only recorded evidence of a gruesome murder taking place :argh:

yes, and an enthralling read too. I'm thinking it could be that the hand that holds the gavel represents the ruffian who struck Hiram - the head is the candidate (who presents blindfolded and participates in a reenactment of the murder of Hiram) the other hand I think is holding that blindfold.

My money is on the wearer being a master mason

happy to be corrected

casper