Antique MC Lilley & Co Masonic Knights Templar Ceremonial Sword Silver 37"

Description: Antique MC Lilley & Co Masonic Knights Templar Ceremonial Sword Silver 37" Description Our SKU: 10477668 Item Brand: Unbranded Item MPN: Late 19th-early 20th century (Circa 1882-1925) Masonic ceremonial sword and scabbard manufactured by The M.C. Lilley Co. Silver tone metal with faux ivory handle, with painted details. Scabbard and handle are molded with knights and religious iconography. Both sides of the blade are etched also with knights, armies, religious imagery and the name James Turner Reese, thrown into relief with lightly brushed gilding. Includes brown leather case. "From modest beginnings in 1864, the M. C. Lilley Company eventually became world renowned as manufacturers of regalia. The company was founded by four leading citizens of Columbus, Ohio - all veterans of the Civil War. They were Mitchell Campbell Lilley, John Siebert and brothers, Charles and Henry Lindenberg. All four men were members of the Odd Fellows and published the Odd Fellows Companion , a publication of the fraternal organization. Through this newsletter they received many requests from people wanting to purchase regalia. They decided to produce the items themselves and thus a company was born. The Lilley Company produced swords, banners, flags, emblems and uniforms for fraternal societies and organizations such as the Masons, Odd Fellows, and the Knights of Pythias, as well as police and military uniforms. Beginning in a small building at 253 South High Street, the Company eventually grew to occupy several large buildings at the corner of East Long and North 6th Streets. Items produced by the Company can be roughly dated by the changes in the Company s name. From 1865 to 1881 the name was the M. C. Lilley Co. . In 1882 after the death Of Mr. Lilley the name changed to The M. C. Lilley Co. and remained such until 1925 when it was shortened to The Lilley Co. . The Company was merged with the Henderson-Ames Company of Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1931 and the name was changed to The Lilley-Ames Company until 1951 when it was sold to C. E. Ward. It operated under the name of Lilley Ames Co. until 1953. It went out of business in 1965. M.C. Lilley Company was another Columbus business that would benefit greatly as a manufacturer of ready-made uniforms after the war. By 1870, the company already occupied an entire four-story building on S. High Street, with a glass-fronted showroom and retail store on the first floor. This size of an operation positioned the company for tremendous growth and success in the coming "Golden Age of Fraternalism." During this period, from 1870-1910, over 20 percent of men in the United States belonged to a fraternal organization, which served various purposes such as mutual aid and insurance, political interests, social functions, and the comfort of stability and belonging in a dynamic post-war society that was rapidly industrializing. Clothing played a very important role in the ritual ceremonies for these societies, and M.C. Lilley Co. capitalized on this influx of demand by manufacturing ritual costumes and attire. The most demanded and most comercially profitable form of military regalia, however, was the military-style uniform, which the company also produced for state militias, telegraph operators, and railway workers. In addition to the clothing for fraternal societies, the company also produced metal decorations and fasteners to embellish the garments, such as buttons, buckles, studs, and grommets, along with custom-designed suitcases to hold and store elaborate and odd-shaped artifacts, like feathered hats, shoulder epaulets, capes, and gauntlets. This large-scale production of military regalia for fraternal organizations led to M.C. Lilley Co. becoming one of the largest and most successful manufacturers in the world. In an 1882 story about Lilley's new building on Gay Street, the Evening Dispatch reported that more than two-thirds of the company's employees were engaged in producing clothing and regalia, inlcuding sewers, embroiderers, tailors, leatherworkers, and milliners. The 1887 Report of the State Inspector of Workshops and Factories listed The M.C. Lilley Co. as the second largest employer in Columbus with 420 employees. Another report in J.A. Miller Company's, A Glimpse at Columbus and her Industries, published in 1890, stated that the "M.C. Lilley Co. regalia manufactory" was considered to be one of five "mammoth" manufacturing operations in Columbus and one of "the five largest manufacturing companies in the world...exporting its uniforms and equipment for military and other organizations around the world."" (Source: US Militaria Forum) CONDITION Good Overall - Wear to finish; some tarnish/slight rusting to scabbard DIMENSIONS 5.25" x 1" x 36.5" / Blade Length - 28" (Width x Depth x Height) Please let us know if you have any questions regarding a past or future purchase. Check out our entire store for more great products and deals!! Warranty Our inventory is purchased from various different manufacturers, retailers, and 3rd party sources. We do not represent or make any claim regarding any manufacturers warranty. We do however make every possible attempt to accurately describe the inventory we sell and stand behind it. We offer a no-questions asked 30-day return policy on everything we sell if the item is in the same condition it was sold in. If you have any issues at all with your purchase please feel free to contact us, we want to make it right!! Shipping All items are carefully packed and properly protected for shipment. We use several different carriers and choose the most economical for the item and destination based on the estimated handling and transit time. Please make every attempt possible to verify that part/product being purchased is correct for your application In the event of shipping damage, item not as expected, or any other reason to desire to return the product, please feel to contact us. At this time we do not offer internation shipping. About 8TEN Industries Since 2016, 8TEN Industries has been a leading asset recovery provider supporting national retailers, brands, and manufacturers. Our 60,000 square foot processing and distribution facility located in Cass City, Michigan has allowed us to become industry leader in turning difficult problems for manufacturers into great deals for our customers. More Items Store Contact Follow Us 8TEN Industries

Price: 219.99 USD

Location: Cass City, Michigan

End Time: 2024-11-24T15:28:10.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 USD