Mason in court

A Mason has gone to court to overturn his expulsion. Here's the story from Adelaidenow in Australia...

The state's Freemasons have been rocked by innuendo, abuse and a member's unfair expulsion, court documents claim.

Six years of unrest within the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of SA and NT are the subject of an Adelaide Magistrates Court lawsuit.

James Spriggs has asked the court to force the reinstatement of his Freemasons membership.

He claims the elite group denied him "natural justice" by expelling him when he complained about the way it ran an aged care facility.

The society, however, has told the court Mr Spriggs' "persistent and unwarranted interference" amounted to "conduct unbecoming a Freemason".

Dating back to 17th century stonemasons, the male-only organisation promotes charitable community work, morality and friendship.

Its detractors include the Catholic Church and Nazi Germany, and it often features in conspiracy theories and books such as Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol.

Freemason Grand Lodges, located in capital cities, oversee the actions of members in their area or "jurisdiction".

The court action centres on Mr Spriggs' opposition to the running of the Memorial Masonic Village in Darwin. Court papers assert that, since 2006, he has written letters accusing the village's board - consisting of Freemasons - of mismanagement.

At the time, he held the elected position of "Worshipful Master" of the Darwin Lodge, which falls under the jurisdiction of Adelaide's Grand Lodge.

Mr Spriggs' letters claimed "unchecked innuendo" about the village potentially being sold had done "psychological abuse" to its tenants.

In his statement of claim, Mr Spriggs says his expulsion was "oppressive and unreasonable". "They did not advise me of any details of the matters they considered I had done wrong," he says.

Mr Spriggs has asked the court to reinstate his membership and award him costs.

In their defence documents, the Freemasons say Mr Spriggs' "persistent" claims of mismanagement were not supported by any evidence. "(He was told) the consequences of continued conflict with the elected board would be expulsion," the papers say.

Corner cupboard

This corner cupboard is being sold by Bonhams in Chester on January 19 with an estimate of £150.

The catalogue description reads:

"Of Masonic Interest: An oak, mahogany crossbanded and inlaid mural corner cupboard, early 19th Century.

With canted corners, the frieze applied with reel and bellflower-shaped mouldings above a rosewood-veneered crossbanded central tablet, the single panelled oak door inlaid to the centre with the Masonic compass, set square, crescent moon, trowel and mallet, and enclosing three shelves, with single oak-crossbanded short drawer below, 98cm wide x 48cm deep x 121.5cm high, (38.5" wide x 18.5" deep x 47.5" high)"

Nebuchadnezzar

This cut 'n' paste from the Daily Mail reports about an ancient artefact that includes a picture of King Nebuchadnezzar II, who destroyed Solomon's temple.

A carving of the Tower of Babel has been found on a stone tablet dating back over 2,500 years.

It comes from the newly published book Cuneiform Royal Inscriptions And Related Texts In The Schøyen Collection.

The collection is owned by Norwegian businessman Martin Schøyen, who has amassed over 13,000 ancient manuscripts and tablets.

Rare: A reconstruction of the tablet, right, showing what the images would have originally looked like before they faded

One of the images shows King Nebuchadnezzar II, who ruled Babylon 2,500 years ago, standing next to a huge ziggurat – a pyramidlike structure dedicated to the god Marduk that some scholars believe is the Tower of Babel of Biblical fame.

Professor Andrew George writes that this drawing is one of ‘the stars in the firmament of the book’.

The depiction of Nebuchadnezzar is one of only four in the world.

WHAT WAS THE TOWER OF BABEL?

According to the Bible, following the Great Flood, a giant tower was built in Shinar - an area in Mesopotamia, covering parts of present-day Iraq and Syria - that would reach to Heaven itself.

It was a presumptuous project in the eyes of God, who is said to have come down and scattered the language shared by the builders into many.

He thought that humans had too much freedom so dividing their language was a way of hindering them.

Babel, is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as a 'scene of noisy confusion'.

Interestingly, the phrase 'Tower of Babel' is not mentioned in the Bible, but is described as 'the city and its tower'.

Professor George says: ‘The others are carved on cliff-faces in Lebanon at Wadi Brisa (which has two reliefs) and at Shir es-Sanam.

‘All these outdoor monuments are in very poor condition and their depictions of the king are much less impressive than that on the stele [stone tablet].’

Elsewhere in the book is an interesting translation of a 3,000-year-old copy of the law code of Mesopotamian king Ur-Nammu.

Within this scholars discovered an ‘eye for an eye’ rule, predating Hammurabi’s famous 1780BC code by hundreds of years.

However, Ur-Nammu’s version was less cruel and stated that blinding someone should result in a fine, not the losing of an eye.

Bar tabs were also enshrined in law. If, for example, you told a ‘female tavern-keeper’ to put a beer on a tab in the summer, she could order you to pay a tax in the winter – though it doesn’t specify how much.

Miguel Civil translates the text as follows: ‘If a female tavern-keeper gives [in] summer one beer-jar to someone on credit its nigdiri-tax will be [...] in win[ter]...’

Old the front page: A copy of Ur-Nammu's law which included an 'eye for an eye' rule and a code on bar tabs

Globes

These terrestrial and celestial globes are being sold by Bonhams on January 18. They are expected top fetch £40,000.

Here is the catalogue description...

A pair of Bardin terrestrial and celestial library globes, English, mid 19th century,
the terrestrial globe with cartouche printed The the Right Honorable Sir Joseph Banks Bart KB, President of the Royal Society this new British terrestrial globe containing all the latest discoveries and communication from the most correct and authentic observations and surveys to the year 1849 by Capt Cook and more recent navigations engraved from an accurate drawing by Mr Arrowsmith, Geographer, as respectively dedicated by his most obedient humble servant, W & L Bardin Manufactures & Sold by wholesale and retail by S S.Edkins son in law & successor to the late Tim M Bardin, Salisbury Square London celestial globe with cartouche engraved To the Rt Nevil Maskelyne D.D.F.R.S. Astronomer Royal this new British celestial globe containing the positions of nearly 6000 stars, clusters, nebula, planetary nebuli & correctly laid down to the present period from the latest observation and discoveries by Dr Maskelyne, Dr Herschel, the Reverand Fr Wollaston As respectively dedicated by His Most obedient servant W M Bardin, both spheres mounted in brass meridians within rings applied with coloured printed calendar and zodiac scales, raised on four mahogany brackets above tripod base decorated with carved acanthus leaves and stretcher centred by printed compass rose, 40in (102cm) high

Masonic watch

This watch is expected to sell for £1,000 at Christie's in New York on December 16.

Here is the catalogue description

American Waltham Watch. A Fine And Rare 14 Gold Hunter Case Keyless Lever Masonic Pocket Watch With Enamel Odd Fellows Dial
Signed American Waltham Watch Co., Appleton, Tracy & Co. Model, Made For E. A. Sutter, Abilene Kansas, Movement No. 4'708'179, Case No. 4'849'147, Circa 1892
Size 18 full-plate gilt-finished lever movement, 17 jewels, bi-metallic compensation balance, gold cuvette, white enamel dial, Odd Fellows symbols for numerals, sunken subsidiary seconds dial, circular Keystone engine-turned case, plain medallion to the front, engraved scroll motif to both rims and band, dial signed, movement signed for Railroad inspector
53mm diam.
American Waltham Watch Co.

Naval group of mason for sale

This wonderful archive of a Mason and his career at sea is being sold by Lockdales of Ipswich, Suffolk. It is estimated to sell for £800.

The catalogue description reads: "Superb Naval group to James Joseph Day. Day joined the Fleet as a boy on 18th July 1895 finally attaining the rank of Master Superintendent on his retirement 9th May 1946.

He was Awarded the Humane Society Bronze Medal in 1912, Mentioned for Gallant Conduct on 7th June 1926, and thanked by the Colonial Government for the efficient manner in which he officiated as Captain of the Port, Gibraltar during the Spanish crisis during the period 23rd - 27th July 1936, also the appreciation of His Excellency The Governor and Commander-in-Chief for his valuable work. MBE Gazetted 13th June 1946, and ISM Awarded 20th Dec 1946. Medals - Cased MBE (Civil) + Original Certificate, BWM & Mercantile Marine Medal, 1935 Jubilee Medal, GVI Imperial Service Medal (boxed) with original paperwork, Humane Society Medal in Bronze (cased) with original Certificate, plus matching Miniature Medals. Day was a keen Racing Yachtsman, with the lot including his original Log Book for his yacht the Poppy dated 1924 to 1930 which he raced at the Gibraltar Yacht Club, several framed and loose photos of the Poppy and of Day in his Masonic Regalia.

Also noted seven Masonic Medals in silver & gold, various Regalia including his Sword, and two Flying Helmets. An interesting lot worthy of further research."

Cartoon fun

Another humorous postcard showing masons is being sold by Trevor Vennett-Smith at his saleroom in Nottinghamshire.

This is estimated to sell for £30.