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This is almost certainly the neck badge (termed a 'jewel') of the Senior and Junior Deacons of a Masonic Lodge. The deacons are ceremonial messengers - rather than shout across the lodge room the master and the two wardens pass messages to the deacons who walk across to deliver them. They carry wands of office with the dove on top as well. (Their old badge was Mercury, messenger of the Gods.) It is just possible that it could also be a neck badge from a friendly society fulfilling  a similar function. Date late 19th century if masonic, a somewhat more 'solid' pattern was universally adopted in Masonic lodges c.1910
 
Mark Dennis
Curator, Library and Museum of Freemasonry
www.freemasonry.london.museum
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: Liz Neathey [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 13 December 2005 08:42
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [SHCG-LIST] Help with object identification

This is an email sent via the SHCG List. If you reply to this message, your message will be sent to all the people on the list, not just the author of this message. ---------------
I wonder if anyone can help?  I have received an object for identification.  It is a bird (possibly a dove) holding a laurel branch in its beak.  It is made of metal and measures 8.5cm in length.  It is flat and has a ring attached to the reverse.  It is too big to be a piece of jewellery and so I want to ask if anyone has seen or have something similar to this so I can obtain further information.  It is in good condition which would make me guess it is possibly late Victorian or early twentieth century in date?  I attach two low resolution images of the front and back.
 
Thanks for your help.
 
Yours
 

Liz Neathey - Museum Officer

North Somerset Museum Service
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The SHCG list is provided for members of Social History Curators Group to discuss subjects relevant to social history in museums. To join SHCG visit www.shcg.org.uk . Opinions expressed in this email are the responsibility of the author and are not necessarily shared by SHCG. To leave the list do not reply to this message but send an email to [log in to unmask] with a blank subject line and these words as the body of the email: SIGNOFF SHCG-LIST