1800s Independent order of Odd Fellows Shield

[zaxfire69]

1800's Independent order of Odd Fellows Shield

Hello everyone. This morning i had a while to detect a site that produced a sweet 1800's I.O.O.F. Belt buckle. Well this morning I went back to the site for awhile and dug this amazing find. It is green patina brass. I haven't had a chance to research exactly what it is, but because of the 3 rings above the eye I do know it is from the Independent order of odd fellows. The 3 links stand for friendship, love and truth. All the other symbols I will have to research to learn the meanings of them. I do know that this exact shield was on the back of my I.O.O.F Patriarchs Militant belt buckle I found earlier in the year. Learned it was from the Late 1800's . I dug this with my Garrett Ace 250 around 4 inchs deep. It sounded off. I am also going to include pictures of the belt buckle previously dug at same site. Notice the shield on the back of the buckle. Could this be the shield. Time and research will tell. Well I am going to post a couple of pictures of it for you guys. I hope it is banner worthy, because I know here in this house it is.

Before cleaning. Cell phone for size comparison.

Belt buckle with shield on back.

 

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[Mike_of_Tenn]

Re: 1800's Independent order of Odd Fellows Shield

WOW! That is so cool! Can't wait to hear more information as you find it! Congrats on a SUPER find! And please keep us up-to-date!

Mike

 

[Old_Okie]

Re: 1800's Independent order of Odd Fellows Shield

I bet that about knocked your headphones off. Very cool find.

Old_Okie

 

[lonewolfe]

Re: 1800's Independent order of Odd Fellows Shield

Very nice

 

[Mike_of_Tenn]

Re: 1800's Independent order of Odd Fellows Shield

Banner worthy! Some info I found...

http://www.tngenweb.org/darkside/ioof.html

Wow what a cool find!

Mike

 

[CRUSADER]

Re: 1800's Independent order of Odd Fellows Shield

Very nice. Don't over clean. The green looks just find

 

[Brian in MA]

Re: 1800's Independent order of Odd Fellows Shield

Man, what a great find. I can't wait to hear the history of all those symbols. Don't the free masons use the 'all seeing eye' as a symbol?

How big is that plaque? Wasn't sure what the item is in the pic used for comparison (MP3 player or cell phone?)

Must have sounded like a Buick !!!!

Keep us posted...

Brian

 

[seger98]

Re: 1800's Independent order of Odd Fellows Shield

That is an awesome find!

 

[Mike_of_Tenn]

Re: 1800's Independent order of Odd Fellows Shield

Man, what a great find. I can't wait to hear the history of all those symbols. Don't the free masons use the 'all seeing eye' as a symbol?

How big is that plaque? Wasn't sure what the item is in the pic used for comparison (MP3 player or cell phone?)

Must have sounded like a Buick !!!!

Keep us posted...

Brian

Yer right, the Free Masons used the "All Seeing Eye" ( and some others) and if you'll look at my post above it will kinda give you an idea about it all..It's a "Once in a Life Time" find in my books! I'd have love to have found it to say the VERY least..A Lot of history here that warrants some research...I nominated it for the banner and I hope some of you will also..LOL I think I am just as excited as he is! Is just a VERY cool find!

Mike

 

[kdismuke1]

Re: 1800's Independent order of Odd Fellows Shield

SUPER FIND.

 

[bigtim1973]

Re: 1800's Independent order of Odd Fellows Shield

That is so cool!! I have never seen anything at all that looks like that before!! It maybe some sort of grave marker, or maybe it was originally one someones mausoleum....(i think that is how it is spelled) What type of area were you looking? Park or open field? Just curious. Nice find regaurdless!!!

 

[BuckleBoy]

Re: 1800's Independent order of Odd Fellows Shield

Here's some information on the symbols on your shield:

The symbols in use in the lodges for the purpose of imparting
instruction are: the All-Seeing Eye, representing the omniscience of God;
the Skull and Cross Bones, a reminder of mortality; the Three Links,
representing Friendship, Love, and Truth; the Scythe, denoting man's fading
character; the Bow and Arrow and Quiver, designating the feeling of mutual
defense to be cultivated; the Bundle of Rods, emblem of strength in union;
the Heart and Hand, incentives to love and mercy; the Globe, man's earthly
home; the Ark of the Covenant, the repository of God's grace and His
goodness to man; the Serpent, teaching the wisdom of prudence; the Scales
and Sword, emblematic of justice; the Bible, the source of truth; the
Hour-glass, the flight of time; and the Coffin, emblematic of death.

http://www.ioofmembership.org/Membership Manual.htm


I think that covers all of them...  


The piece is Not a grave marker just because of the coffin and skull and crossbones, in other words!  


But I have no idea what purpose this shield had...



Regards,



Buckles

 

[BuckleBoy]

Re: 1800's Independent order of Odd Fellows Shield

Can I see a photo of the back?

 

[tymcmurray]

Re: 1800's Independent order of Odd Fellows Shield

This is the official IOOF site. GREAT find!!!

http://www.ioof.org/rebekahs.html

 

[zaxfire69]

Re: 1800's Independent order of Odd Fellows Shield

Thanks Buckle and everyone else. Here is the picture of the back. I may have stumbled onto an old lodge site. The site used to have a building on it way back probably before the depression era. That is what an old timer across the street told me.

 

[BuckleBoy]

Re: 1800's Independent order of Odd Fellows Shield

Looks like two attachment points on the back of the shield--one at the all-seeing-eye, and another down on the trunk of the tree.

 

[Mike_of_Tenn]

Re: 1800's Independent order of Odd Fellows Shield

I was wondering if you were gonna reply BB, glad ya did..Kinda knew ya would..

I think it is FANTASTIC! Really gets ya going!

I say BANNER!

Mike

 

[BuckleBoy]

Re: 1800's Independent order of Odd Fellows Shield

I can't say banner yet--because I don't know what the heck this thing is...


But it is Certainly WAY Cool!

 

[Mike_of_Tenn]

Re: 1800's Independent order of Odd Fellows Shield

I was wondering if you were gonna reply BB, glad ya did..Kinda knew ya would..

I think it is FANTASTIC! Really gets ya going!

I say BANNER!

Mike

Well then let's find-out...I Vote banner just on the looks....It's intriguing enough, if it is an "Odd Fellow" and of that age..man...What else more could ya ask for? I love it! It's one of the coolest things I have seen here in a couple of years...Let's get some input on it, I am sure this is a find worthy of many opinions...

Mike

 

[BuckleBoy]

Re: 1800's Independent order of Odd Fellows Shield

I agree with the attachment points on the back being visible in two places. Their (attachment point) placement on the piece would make me think it was a badge to be worn on the breast, but that is just my guess.

It certainly has lots of mysterious imagery!

Or, not so mysterious after my reply above where the symbols are explained.


But perhaps the explanations of the "mysterious" images are themselves mysterious.