Pedestals

Need some pedestals? Then here are some going under the hammer at Thomas Roddick Scottish Auctions in Edinburgh on December 3.

Will you be the lucky bidder when the gavel comes down?

Snuff box

Being sold at Christies is this 18th century meissen gold-mounted triangular-shaped masonic snuff box.

The catalogue description reads: "The cover painted with Fortuna holding a cornucopia and leaning against a column inscribed Le grand Art de se taire, masonic instruments at her feet, within a gilt line and band border, the sides with figures, carriages and buildings in parkland landscapes, the base with three birds perched on a rocky outcrop supporting a triangle below the inscription Trois au veritable., the interior of the hinged cover painted with a mason in a tricorn hat wearing and holding masonic symbols, with further instruments strewn at his feet, in a draped portico before distant classical buildings, the interior of the box richly gilt (slight wear to base and to gilt border of cover)3¼ in. (8.3 cm.) wide overall."

The sale is on November 17 and it is estimated to sell for up to £3,000.

Ladies' Night Tragedy

A distraught son has told how he watched helplessly as his father slipped through his fingers and plunged 40ft to his death from a hotel balcony.
Chris Riley, 43, found himself locked out of his room at an exclusive hotel when he drunkenly tried to climb from the balcony of his son's room onto his own.
He misjudged the manoevure and ended up holding onto the railings. He cried out to his sleeping son Nicholas for help as he dangled from the fourth floor balcony.
The 24-year-old grabbed hold of his father's arms and desparetly tried to haul him to safety.
But he told an inquest that his dad was too heavy and he slipped from his grasp.
Mr Riley fell to the ground, striking another balcony in the fall. He suffered severe multiple injuries and died several hours later.
The hearing heard scaffolder Mr Riley was at the 185 pounds a night Sandbanks Hotel on the exclusive peninsula in Poole, Dorset, with his family for the weekend.
His father-in-law, David, was a Freemason and the organisation was staging a ladies' night ball there at the time on Saturday, September 5.
Mr Riley, a married father-of-four, had been drinking all day and night and returned to his hotel room at 2am the next morning to get some more money.
But he didn't have his key and so went next door to Nicholas's room.
Nicholas went back to bed while Mr Riley sat out on the balcony before attempting to climb the adjoining wall.
He said: "My father had been sat in the chair on the balcony looking out to the sea. I just dozed off before he started shouting 'Nick help.'
"I ran straight out onto the balcony and he was hanging from the railing on his side.
"I couldn't grab him so I went to try and kick his door in but it was solid.
"I ran back into my room and climbed over the balcony. I grabbed hold of him but he was just too heavy.
"He was a bit sweaty as well, I couldn't get a proper grip. I think I was holding onto both his arms and he was holding onto the balcony.
"I couldn't hold on to him."
He said: "I ran straight downstairs in my boxers and went out to the back of the hotel. I found him and put him in the recovery position.
"He was making a gargling sound. There was nobody about at that point and I ran back inside and called for help."
Mr Riley's wife Clair was still at the ball when she spotted her son run through the reception area.
She said in a statement read out to the Bournemouth inquest: "I remember seeing Nick running past the reception desk, he was screaming and calling for help.
"I had no idea what was going on but he was saying that his dad had fallen.
"I went outside and could see Chris on the ground, he was on his back."
Mrs Riley, who had been with Mr Riley for 24 years and married for 15, said previously: "I was begging him not to die, telling him to wake up and stop being so silly."
Mr Riley, from Bognor Regis, West Sussex, suffered a fractured left shoulder and multiple fractured ribs, two of which had punctered his lung.
A post mortem examination revealed he died from multiple injuries.
Toxicology tests showed he was three times the drink drive limit when he died and had traces of cocaine in his blood as well.
Police investigated the death but concluded there were no suspicious circumstances.
Mr Sheriff Payne, coroner for Bournemouth, Poole and East Dorset, recorded a verdict of accidental death.
He said: "He died as a result of an accident which brought a happy, family weekend to a tragic close."

Judges win in Human Rights Battle

From today's Telegraph...

Judges will no longer have to declare being a Freemason after Jack Straw scrapped a 11-year-rule he introduced – amid fears he would lose a human rights battle.

Since 1998 those becoming judges or magistrates have been required to say if they are a Mason after the then Home Secretary – Mr Straw – said membership of "secret societies such as freemasonry" could raise suspicions of impartiality and objectivity.

But now, Justice Secretary Mr Straw has abandoned the requirement after the United Grand Lodge of England threatened legal action following a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights.

In 2007, the court ruled in favour of Italian Masons that making an official declare their membership breached their rights to free association and was discriminatory.

Mr Straw yesterday said a review had shown no evidence of "impropriety or malpractice" as a result of a judge being a Freemason and that it would be "disproportionate" to continue with the practice.

The move sparked a furious backlash in 1998 and attempts to make a similar requirement for police officers was dropped in favour of voluntary declarations.

John Hamill, spokesman for the United Grand Union, said: "We are very happy the right thing has been done at long last."

West Indian?

This queer-looking thing is coming up for sale at Philip Serrell auctioneers in Malvern on November 12.

The catalogue description reads: "A carved coconut rum flask, decorated with a reserved panel of the bust of a man also decorated with an eagle over a shield and with masonic symbols and with "bugbear" eyes, probably 18th century and possibly West Indian, length 5 ins."