[Rarebooks] FS: Hand Oil-Painted, Mother of Pearl Inlaid: Freemasonry Gift Book (1856)

[Ezra Tishman]

Ezra from Aardvark offers this one-of-a-kind hand-painted, mother of pearl inlaid, “gift” book, most likely presented to newly elevated Freemasons.



Freemasons. THE EMBLEM; A GIFT FOR ALL SEASONS, WITH NEW AND ELEGANT ILLUSTRATIONS; "FAITH, HOPE, CHARITY." New York: Leavitt and Allen, 1856. 8vo. Custom painted upon what appears to be a black, lacquered hard board. Black leather spine. All edges gilt. A gift book -- most likely a reissue of "The Masonic Offering, a Gift for All Seasons" (1854) intended for members of the Masons, consisting of prose, poetry and songs elucidating the higher ideals of freemasonry.

Beautiful custom binding, with original oil floral painting to front board, within a gilded crest, surrounded by a border of flat,

iridescent mother-of-pearl (?) pieces. Front board double-ruled in hand-painted gilt, with cornerpiece designs. Frontispiece engraving after a piece by Theep, of a beautiful woman with flowers in her long tresses, engraved by John Sartain (1808-1897) who pioneered the art of mezzotint engraving, and who was a 33rd degree Mason himself,

Beautiful floral engraved presentation page with beautiful three-sided, elaborate, floral lithograph by "H. Lawrence 33

Williams", with previous owners name and town ("Mrs. M.E. Edwards, Southbridge, Mass"). Five engravings in all,

throughout (including the frontis): "Justice" (by Westfall) and "Hope", "Faith" and "Charity" (by Dubufe), each tissueguard -protected.

Articles (by Comp. Bradley, Miss M.J.E. Knopx, John T. Mayo, F.J. Otterson, John Boyle, J.C. Hagen; Alfred A. Phillips;

Duncan Gray; J.B.Murphy; James Adair; Dr. Anderson; Bro. Caleb Atwater, and others) amply perforated with many inspiratonal poems, odes and songs, include "Ancient Mysteries"; "Origins of Freemasonry"; "Three Pillars of Masonry"; "Masonry, a Republican Institution ("The institution of Freemasonry is truly republican; and can never flourish...under any other form of government..."); "Jane Willson"; "The Light-House"; "Secrets of Masonry"; "The Pressgang"; "The Reclaimed"; "The Wedding"; "Masonic Counsel"; "Joshua"; "Masonry a Universal Religion"; "Constantine Talbot"; "Masonry in 1776"; "The Four Cardinal Virtues"; "Patriot-Masons", etc. etc. Very Good Plus. Hardcover. 

(Interesting as well was Sartain's close friendship with Edgar Allan Poe, who visited Sartrain just four months before his (Poe's) death. Poe arrived at Sartrain's apartment and asked for a razor to shave off his mustache so he wouldn't be recognized, because he had overheard people on the train conspiring to murder him. Later, however, Poe admitted to Sartain that he had probably been hallucinating.) 


 																																					$450


	https://www.dropbox.com/s/bi7kx5u037b3kcc/EMBLEM1.jpg?dl=0 <https://www.dropbox.com/s/bi7kx5u037b3kcc/EMBLEM1.jpg?dl=0>

https://www.dropbox.com/s/rftb2i6d3g5k7vn/EMBLEM2.jpg?dl=0 <https://www.dropbox.com/s/rftb2i6d3g5k7vn/EMBLEM2.jpg?dl=0>

https://www.dropbox.com/s/k075fuikfko6key/EMBLEM3.jpg?dl=0 <https://www.dropbox.com/s/k075fuikfko6key/EMBLEM3.jpg?dl=0>

https://www.dropbox.com/s/xf0tsvvjvuw4ucr/EMBLEM4.jpg?dl=0 <https://www.dropbox.com/s/xf0tsvvjvuw4ucr/EMBLEM4.jpg?dl=0>

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ezz0fw8hmprmshy/EMBLEM5.jpg?dl=0 <https://www.dropbox.com/s/ezz0fw8hmprmshy/EMBLEM5.jpg?dl=0>

https://www.dropbox.com/s/w9t5abwr4i5dolt/EMBLEM6.jpg?dl=0 <https://www.dropbox.com/s/w9t5abwr4i5dolt/EMBLEM6.jpg?dl=0>

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1oenoc1vgdjkome/EMBLEM7.jpg?dl=0 <https://www.dropbox.com/s/1oenoc1vgdjkome/EMBLEM7.jpg?dl=0>

https://www.dropbox.com/s/eyslttftt5ctc9j/EMBLEM8.jpg?dl=0 <https://www.dropbox.com/s/eyslttftt5ctc9j/EMBLEM8.jpg?dl=0>




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