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Jim McDougall · 24th March 2011, 04:46 PM

Im looking forward to more information on these Oddfellow and Shriner type helmetsfrom the latter 19th century. It seems that not only were the flood of fraternal organizations that evolved after the Civil War highly enamoured with neoclassically themed regalia, but similarly themed costumes as well.

While the swords and much of the regalia items have a degree of resource material available to learn more about them, I have found little information on these costumes and ceremonial accoutrements, can anybody out there offer suggestions?

This helmet certainly does seem contrary to anything I have seen worn on the frontiers, and the opening at the top seems to defy any notable purpose. As noted there are no apparant indications that it served as an aperture for placement of any sort of attachment.

According to what is known on the helmet and mantle, they are stated as having been found together c.1870 in a remote location in Texas. They were kept as curiosities and apparantly changed hands several times before finally arriving at a museum. As the provenance of the mantle, and presumably the helmet were in anything but 'static' situation through the changes of ownership and location it would seem possible that they may have come together sometime during this period rather than at the initial find.

Much in the same manner of personal display outside of the focused environment typically presumed in museum context, it seems quite possible that a helmet such as this might have been added to the mantle's 'ensemble' for effect. This would have likely occurred prior to the 1907 news item which described the mantle and helmet and thier arrival in the museum.

The individuals who owned the mantle were all of professional stature, and would have been of the social demographic which would have probably either been involved with fraternal groups or closely associated with those who were.

Now we just need confirmation on such helmets being worn in either fraternal or theatrical context between 1870 and 1907; or even better, discovering evidence of such styled helmets used militarily.

24th March 2011, 04:46 PM	#6
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,739	Im looking forward to more information on these Oddfellow and Shriner type helmetsfrom the latter 19th century. It seems that not only were the flood of fraternal organizations that evolved after the Civil War highly enamoured with neoclassically themed regalia, but similarly themed costumes as well. While the swords and much of the regalia items have a degree of resource material available to learn more about them, I have found little information on these costumes and ceremonial accoutrements, can anybody out there offer suggestions? This helmet certainly does seem contrary to anything I have seen worn on the frontiers, and the opening at the top seems to defy any notable purpose. As noted there are no apparant indications that it served as an aperture for placement of any sort of attachment. According to what is known on the helmet and mantle, they are stated as having been found together c.1870 in a remote location in Texas. They were kept as curiosities and apparantly changed hands several times before finally arriving at a museum. As the provenance of the mantle, and presumably the helmet were in anything but 'static' situation through the changes of ownership and location it would seem possible that they may have come together sometime during this period rather than at the initial find. Much in the same manner of personal display outside of the focused environment typically presumed in museum context, it seems quite possible that a helmet such as this might have been added to the mantle's 'ensemble' for effect. This would have likely occurred prior to the 1907 news item which described the mantle and helmet and thier arrival in the museum. The individuals who owned the mantle were all of professional stature, and would have been of the social demographic which would have probably either been involved with fraternal groups or closely associated with those who were. Now we just need confirmation on such helmets being worn in either fraternal or theatrical context between 1870 and 1907; or even better, discovering evidence of such styled helmets used militarily.