Apron

Clothing/Dress/Costume

Vermont Historical Society

Name/Title

Apron

Entry/Object ID

1960.38

Description

Silk Masonic apron decorated with watercolor and ink. The apron has a semi-circular flap at the top featuring the symbol of the all-seeing eye. The main body of the apron is painted with a design of two golden pillars topped with globes flanking a checkered floor, a compass and square, sword piercing a book, sword piercing a hear, ladder to space, shining sun, a book on stilts, an ark, a beehive, a sand timer with wings, and a burning urn.

Context

Owned by Albert Hager of Reading Vermont, state geologist.

Acquisition

Accession

1960.38

Source or Donor

Rugg, Harold Goddard (1883-1957)

Acquisition Method

Gift

Made/Created

Date made

circa 1830

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Apron

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Protective Wear

Nomenclature Class

Clothing

Nomenclature Category

Category 03: Personal Objects

Dimensions

Dimension Description

Overall

Height

16-1/4 in

Width

14-1/2 in

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

Hager, Albert David (1817-1888)

Person or Organization

Freemasons

Related Places

Place

Town

Reading

County

Windsor County

State/Province

Vermont

Country

United States of America

Continent

North America

Web Links and URLs

Albert D. Hager journal, 1841-1843.

Interpretative Labels

Label

Masonic Apron, c. 1830 Owned by Albert D. Hager (1817-1888) Reading, Vermont Painted Silk Bequest of Harold G. Rugg, #1960.38 Aprons were worn during Masonic rituals. The mysterious symbols and secret ceremonies conducted by the Masons led many to be suspicious of its members. When Masons appeared to hold a disproportionate number of key public offices and play important roles in community life, non-members saw a conspiracy and viewed the organization as a threat to democracy.