Long case clock

This is an extremely rare burrwood long-cased clock, late 18c. with Masonic references by John Blaylock, Longtown, with an etched arch brass style centred by Holy Bible, fields and trowels, half moons, pillars, ladders, scrolls, etc. above a circular Roman numeric and Arabic dial with subsidiary second hand and date aperture with raised brass spandrels with eight-day movement fitted in a heavily carved burr walnut case with star pointed door, the whole raised on splayed supports, 224 cms. high.

It is being sold by Brown and Co. in Brigg, Lincs, later this month with an estimate of up to £2,500.

Masonic comedy

Welsh Mason and stand-up comic Lloyd Davies starred in a TV programme. Here is a sort trailer about him discussing masonry.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/8544274.stm

19th Century Ring

This ring dated 1884 is coming up for sale in North Carolina, US, and is said to have Masonic symbols throughout. There is a Latin inscription and a ruby cabochonb prominently displayed. There is a pre-sale estimate of up to 300 pounds. The sale is on March 20.

1836 Badge

This badege is being sold at Byrne's of Chester next week. The catalogue description reads: "William IV silver Masonic badge, maker J T, Birmingham 1835, shaped chased rectangular form centred with figures and a central crest beneath the all seeing eye, and inscribed `A tribute of respect presented to William Jackson, P.G. of the Duke of Lancaster Lodge, St. Helen`s of the MU of IOF for meritus labours in promoting the interests of his lodge`, dated July 1836, 9.5cm"

It is estimated to sell for up to £80.

David Cameron and lady Masons

This from the Guardian earlier this month...

Documents published today show the Tory leader used House of Commons facilities to host an event for the West Oxfordshire Lady Freemasons.

The documents cover dining facilities in the Palace of Westminster that were hired by members of parliament to host events for outside organisations.

The Tory leader hosted a tea event for the West Oxfordshire Lady Freemasons on 28 October 2008. The records show that the event was held in dining room C and 14 people were expected.
The documents released today cover the period from 1 April 2004 to 30 September 2009, and run to 255 pages.

Cameron also appears to have an interest in oral health. Cameron hosted three events for the British Dental Health Foundation, one for Mouth Cancer Week, and twice he hosted the launch of National Smile Month. The last time was in May 2009, when his opinion poll lead looked solid.
Neither the prime minister, Gordon Brown, nor the Liberal Democrat leader, Nick Clegg, are recorded as having hosted events in the Palace of Westminster.

The rules bar the use of the facilities for directly raising money.
Many MPs used the facilities to host events for charities or non-profit organisations.
Some used facilities for their local parties, with some being used for lobbying firms.

Masonic Museum in Paris

This from the New York Times...

A once mysterious fraternal society continues to put itself in the public eye with the opening of the completely renovated Museum of Freemasonry, which opened in a newly renovated location in Paris last week. The Grand Orient de France, the oldest and largest Masonic organization in the country, has been collecting items dating from as far back as the 1720s, around the time that Freemasonry was established in France. It now has 10,000 objects in total, including a collection of 18th-century earthenware that was recently purchased with the help of the French government.
Gérard Contremoulin, a spokesman for the Grand Orient de France, said that the museum’s previous location was limited to a tiny room. The ground floor of the museum has since been entirely redone to create a bigger exhibition space (Grand Orient de France, 16, rue Cadet; 33-1-45-23-43-97; www.museedelafrancmaconnerie.org; Metro: Cadet). “We decided to open our collection to the public in the spirit of transparency,” Mr. Contremoulin said. “We have nothing to hide.”
About 600 objects are on display including the revolutionary leader Marquis de Lafayette’s sword, the philosopher Voltaire’s Masonic apron, color-fired glass used during rituals, original manuscripts and Rosicrucian jewelry. An image bank has also been expanded for commercial clients; hundreds of documents spanning three centuries have been digitized and are available online.
There are 140,000 Freemasons in France, according to the Grand Orient de France. Unlike the Anglo-American tradition, French Freemasonry allows women to join some of its organizations, and belief in God is not a prerequisite. By spreading ideas of liberty and democracy during the Enlightenment period, the Freemasons played an influential role in the French Revolution. Their motto, like that of the French Republic, is “Liberty, Equality and Fraternity.”
While the Freemasons are a discreet society, Denis Lefebvre, a French historian, said that they are not a secret society. He explained that initiations and rituals are designed to help members work together, while the reason for their discretion is to avoid being the target of anti-Freemason sentiment. “It’s a way to protect members from harm and danger,” he said.
The Museum of Freemasonry is open Tuesday to Saturday, 2 to 6 p.m. Admission is 6 euros (about $8.15).

Masonic watch

This watch is coming up for sale on March 3 at Bonhams and could sell for up to £1,200.

The catalogue descritption reads: "Golay Watch Co. A silver triangular Masonic watch with Mother of Pearl dial Golay Watch Co. London Import Mark for 192515-jewel Nickel movement with monometallic balance, mother of pearl dial with Masonic symbols for hours marked 'Love your fellow man lend him a helping hand' silvered arrow head hands, triangular case with chain decoration around the bezel and blue stone set at 12 o'clock, the hinged back decorated with Masonic symbols, with inner snap on dust cover, with later silver chain, movement signed 51mm."