R.A.O.B. - Jewels from the Middle East

[oamotme]

Gentlemen,

Further to my post of 12 December 2020 I detail below another Latitude Zero Gan jewel. In this instance the ribbon also bears  a RAOB letter device and in addition a clasp or bar with the inscription,

'Latitude Zero Lodge  9188 / MILLENIUM / 20th October 1980' 

The reverse is plain other than the makers mark, 'PARRY B'HAM'

What is particularly interesting is that the design of the jewel has been flipped - the red crescent is now to the right of the jewel whereas on the first jewel it is to the left. A different ribbon also applies.

As noted in the earlier post RAF Gan was situated at the south of the Maldives islands and established as a military base in 1941 - used as staging post for RAF flights and closed in 1976 and handed back to the Maldives Government.

Kind regards,

Owain

[oamotme]

Gentlemen,

Another generic Egypt RAOB jewel but this time with a clasp or bar bearing the inscription, 'R.A.F. Aboukir No.3739'. The reverse does not bear the recipient's name.

An Aboukir specific lodge jewel was illustrated in my post of 1 November 2022.

As noted previously Aboukir is on the Mediterranean coast of Egypt and the bay in the Nile Delta is known for a sea battle of 1798 when the British Navy, under Nelson, defeated the French navy.

I attach my image of 1 November and also another of a similar jewel with the clasp/bar 'Akrotiri' which suggests that the lodge did indeed relocate to Cyprus.

Regards,

Owain

 

 

[oamotme]

Good morning Gentlemen,

This time a generic RAOB jewel with the ribbon brooch bar inscribed, 'Cairo' and the lower suspension bar inscribed, 'Sub Examining Council'. The reverse reads, 'Presented to / Bro. C. Luck C.P. / for services rendered / as Vice-President / 1945'. Luck would have been a member of the council that examined RAOB members for knowledge & proficiency to obtain promotion within the RAOB.

Kind regards,

Owain

[oamotme]

Gentlemen,

Further to my post of 8 July 2020, form the internet, another example of the Shamal Lodge No. 9948, but with a, " 25th Anniversary" bar - reverse not seen.

Also from the internet, a previously unseen RAOB Lodge jewel, "Jerboa  8776" - again reverse not seen - the badge is that of a desert rat or jerboa.

Two possible origins:

1. A post WW2 related jewel - possibly in Libya or Egypt - 7th Armoured Brigade  - Desert Rats.

2. A post Gulf War related jewel - possibly in Saudi Arabia  - 7th Armoured Brigade Operation Granby.

Without a context for the jewel all is supposition.

Regards,

Owain 

 

[oamotme]

Gentlemen,

This time a generic RAOB jewel - pictures from E-Bay - a second degree Primo's badge worn on a blue neck ribbon. Other examples of this jewel are usually seen on a breast ribbon. Perhaps this neck ribbon format was an especial mark of favour. The reverse is inscribed, "Bro. / George C. Reed / Raised 15-3-65 / Aden Phoenix / Lodge No. 8506". No makers mark and presumably of gilded base metal.

It is interesting to note that despite the deterioration in the security situation in Aden at the time the Phoenix Lodge continued to meet.

Regards,

Owain

 

[oamotme]

Gentlemen,

From a group of seven RAOB jewels sold today at a Suffolk auction house - I was the underbidder!

• Obverse - "Flying Bull Lodge No. 8903"
• Reverse - Blank
• Obverse - "Bedouin Lodge Iraq No. 8800"
• Reverse - "Bro. R.A. Oval C.P."
• Obverse - "Royal Baghdad Lodge Iraq No.3647 R.A.O.B." with clasp, "Royal Baghdad 3647"
• Reverse - "Presented to Bro. R.A. Oval C.P. 28.1.58."

All three are silver gilt pieces, marked, by F.C. Parry of Birmingham, with date letter marks unclear except the latter which is "H" for 1957. 

 

There were four other jewels, generic jewel Kimberley Lodge, specific jewel Yarre or Jarre Lodge West Germany, specific jewel Iraq (see earlier posts) and generic jewel River Jordan Lodge.

 

Regards

Owain

Edited June 18, 2023 by oamotme

[oamotme]

Gentlemen,

I attach the other images that accompanied the aforementioned lot - sadly no reverse of the four jewels. I suspect that the lot all belonged to Bro. R.A. Oval.

Owain

[oamotme]

Gentlemen,

Recently sold on E-Bay a group of five unnamed Egypt & Cyprus RAOB medals - none named.

• Obverse - 'Bitter Lake Lodge Egypt Cyprus 8414' with clasp 'Bitter Lake LGE 8414'.
• Reverse - Plain

• Obverse - 'Overseas Buffalo Association Per Orbem Golo' with suspension inscription, 'Egypt and Cyprus'. 
• Reverse - Maker's marks 'FCP' & 'Parry Birmingham'. 

• Obverse - 'Justice Truthy Philanthropy G.L.E.' with suspension inscription 'Egypt' - see earlier posts.
• Reverse - 'Member of the Province of Egypt Bro.'

• Obverse - 'Donor G.A. of Egypt Benevolent Orphans Fund' with clasp 'Egypt & Cyprus Branch No. 6 O.B.A.'.
• Reverse - Plain

• Obverse - 'Overseas Buffalo Association RAOB' with clasps 'Egypt & Cyprus Branch No. 6 O.B.A.' and 'O.B.A. Egypt No. 1 Branch'.
• Reverse - Maker's mark - unclear but possibly/probably 'Birmingham'.

Kind regards,

Owain

[oamotme]

Gentlemen,

A new addition to the series - this time an image from a manufacturer's (F.C.Parry) trade brochure of RAOB Regalia. (F.C. Parry were founded in 1937 and in 2013 the company was purchased by the RAOB.) The images is of the 'Pride of Libya' lodge - the lodge number is unclear but may be No. 8935. No reverse image. The ribbon is of the colours of the flag of the Kingdom of Libya - red, black and green. The bade of the jewel is an interesting mix of a cross bearing a crescent and star.

Regards,

Owain

[oamotme]

Gentlemen,

 

Further to my opening post of May 2020 where I illustrated a jewel from the Province of Palestine I can now illustrate the successor to this jewel - the Province of Jordan. The same design but with the word Palestine replaced by Jordan. I would infer by the change that the former is pre-1948 and the latter post 1948. 

• Obverse - Province of Palestine
• Reverse - D.C. Commins, Initiated 16/5/56

The manufacturer is - Fattorini & Sons Ltd., Bradford Works, Birmingham 

 

Kind regards,

Owain

[oamotme]

Gentlemen,

From a very large group / lot of assorted RAOB medals an OBA (I think Overseas Buffalo Association) with the medallion in the shape of a leaf bearing the word 'IRAQ'. Sadly the lowermost inscription is unclear. Ditto the hallmarks on the reverse. The colours of the ribbon may allude to the flag the Kingdom of Iraq.

Further to sight of a a generic RAOB OBA jewel the lower inscription is 'PER ORBEM COLO' (Around the World).

Regards,

Owain 

Edited December 28, 2023 by oamotme

[oamotme]

Gentlemen,

Whilst searching the Museum of Freemasonry website for something else I came across a selection of RAOB jewels for Provincial Grand Lodge of Egypt Egypt presented to Bro. J. Jarvis. Only the obverse of the jewels were shown. It would appear he was a member of the RAOB Sphinx Lodge as well as being a member of the Provincial Grand Lodge.

Owain.

 

[oamotme]

Gentlemen,

It seems that there is some value to these jewels. Recently a jewel for the Trucial Oman Aero Trucial Lodge No. 9147 was sold on EBay for £770 - too rich for me. I did illustrate this badge back in 2020 but now am able to show the obverse and reverse of the recently sold badge. It is one of the more colourful and well designed badges and I am presuming that it relates to a lodge whose members were mostly, if not all, RAF personnel based in Sharjah during the period before the independence of the United Arab Emirates in December 1971.

The hallmarks indicate that the badge is of silver struck in Birmingham by FC Parry in 1965 (date letter 'q').

Regards,

Owain

[oamotme]

Gentlemen,

 

Thais time a group of four medals to Harry Yard:

 

Generic RAOB medal in silver:

• Obverse - "Nemo Mortalium Omnibus Horis Sapit" (No man is at all times wise)
• Reverse - "Presented to Bro. H. Yard by The Ninak Lge No. 5201 for Services Rendered". The hallmarks are for a silver piece made by the Birmingham company "C&Co" (Cashmore & Company) with a date letter 'E' for 1929.
• Suspension - "Ninak Lge No 5201"  

 

Generic RAOB medal in silver:

• Obverse - "GLE" (Grand Lodge of England), "Royal Antedeluvian Order of Buffaloes" & "Unity Liberty Charity"
• Reverse - "Presented to Bro. H. Yard by The Garden of Eden Lodge No. 3579". The hallmarks are for a silver piece made by the Birmingham company "C&Co" (Cashmore & Company) with date letter 'C' for 1927.

 

Generic RAOB Iraq medal in gilded base metal

• Obverse - "Royal Antedeluvian Order of Buffaloes / S.T.B. / Iraq" (I am unaware as to what STB stands for)
• Reverse - "Bro. Harry Yard / Member Of The / R.A.O.B., G.L.E. / In Iraq" & the London maker's name,  "L. Simpson & Co. / 56 York Road / King's Cross N1"

 

Generic RAOB Egypt medal in gilded base metal

• Obverse - "Justice Truth & Philanthropy" & "GLE" (Grand Lodge of England).
• Reverse -  "Member of the Province of Egypt Bro. H. Yard", and the makers mark, "Fattorini & Sons Bradford".
• Suspension - "Egypt" 

 

All four pieces I would suggest, are from the 1920's when Harry Yard was serving with the RAF in Iraq and Egypt.

Regards,

Owain 

[oamotme]

 

Gentlemen

Further to my post of 11 January 2023 I have obtained two examples of the Sands of Arabia Lodge No. 9963 with their ribbons and suspension  - one is silver gilt and the other gilded base medal. As noted previously - Arabian numerals have been used. The obverse bears a crescent, palm tree and crossed swords and I have inferred that this lodge was (is?) based in Saudi Arabia - no doubt on on of the British aerospace bases. I suspect the 'pillar' to the right of the central disc is representative of a 'sand devil' or small whirlwind often seen in Saudi. The reverse markings are as follows:

• Silver gilt - FCP Birmingham silver, date letter 'E' for 1979
• Gilded base metal - Parry B'ham

Owain

 

 

[oamotme]

Gentlemen,

Today a 'new' RAOB jewel - gilded base metal, for Tabuk Shifting Sands Lodge No. 9962.

Tabuk is in the north west of Saudi Arabia and is the home of a British Aerospace base.

The obverse Arabic reads, "Tabuk Sands Shifting 9962" - the Arabic is a direct transliteration of shifting sands into Arabic script. The design is that of a sand devil on the sands of Arabia. The reverse bears the makers mark, "Parry B'ham". 

Owain

Gentlemen,

 

Now for two generic Lodge jewels featured before however these are better examples:

1. An 'OURS' jewel - some manner of charity jewel but specific meaning unknown. The reverse is engraved, "Shifting Sands Lodge N.9962", with the makers mark, "Parry B'ham".
2. An Overseas Buffaloes Association jewel with reverse bearing the makers mark, "Parry B'ham".

Owain

 

[oamotme]

Gentlemen,

An finally today two oddities:

 

1. A jewel for Shamal Lodge No.9948 which consists of a mounted silver Saudi riyal coin. The obverse reads, "Abulaziz Bin Abdulrahman Al Saud King of Saudi Arabia". The reverse reads, "One Saudi Arabia Riyal Struck at Mecca Al Mukarama 1270". The date equates to 1950/51. The 30mm diameter coin is 11.6 gms of 91.7% silver and was actually struck in the USA not Mecca! See also images in my posts of 8 July 2020 and 31 May 2023.
2. A jewel ribbon and suspension only for the Golden Gulf No. 9683 Lodge - see my post of 8 July 2020 for an image of the jewel pendant, where I infer from the design that the Lodge was based on a British Aerospace compound in Dharhan, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia.

 

Kind regards,

Owain

 

 

 

 

 

[oamotme]

Gentlemen,

A new acquisition - a previously unseen gilt Egypt jewel with a design incorporating a portico, pharonic wings, lotuses, the sphinx and a pyramid - to my mind a most attractive design.

 

Obverse  - the initials, "R.A.O.B.G.L.E."  (Royal Antedeluvian Order of Buffaloes Grand Lodge of England). The suspension brooch bears the word, "Egypt".

Reverse - plain other than the inscription, "Bro. G.E.Seldon RAF Aboukir Lodge 3739".  The makers name is noted, "Henry Slingsby Ltd. Nuneaton".

 

As noted previously Aboukir is on the Mediterranean coast of Egypt and the bay in the Nile Delta is known for a sea battle of 1798 when the British Navy, under Nelson, defeated the French navy.

 

Owain

[oamotme]

Gentlemen,

Previously illustrated in my first post from May 2020 I now illustrate another RAOB Dhofar Lodge No.9721 jewel however this would appear to be an earlier example of silver gilt with a hallmark dating it to Birmingham 1972 - date letter 'X', and by 'FCP' (FC Parry of Birmingham). Sultan Qaboos had only been Sultan for two years and the war against the insurgents in Dhofar continued until December 1975. I would suggest that this Lodge probably met at the RAF base at Salalah on the coast of Dhofar. During this period Omani forces and British forces were entitled to their respective General Service Medals - both with the clasp 'Dhofar'.

Regards,

Owain

[oamotme]

Gentlemen,

 

An older piece in silver and enamel.

Obverse - Palestine - Examining Council - Justice Peace Philanthropy

Reverse - Presented to ------ as President Examining Council 1932 (Maker's mark F & ? - Sterling i.e. silver)

Top bar - President

Lower bar - 1932

An attractive piece, missing its rear long pin, and a relatively light piece compared to similar pieces. It would seem that the recipient did not have his name engraved.

 

Owain

 

[oamotme]

Gentlemen,

 

This time a silver gilt generic jewel from the Flying Six Lodge of Iraq - see my post of 12 July 2020.

• Obverse - "Nemo Mortalium Omnibus Horis Sapit" (No man is at all times wise)
• Reverse - "Presented to Bro. D. Poole K.O.M. By The Flying Six Lodge  For Services Rendered As Trustee 1949-50". The hallmarks are for a silver piece made by the Birmingham company "F&S" (Cashmore & Company) with a date letter AE' for 1950.
• Suspension - "Flying Six Lodge No. 6546"  
• Top Bar - "Trustee"

Kind regards,

 

Owain

[oamotme]

Gentlemen,

Further to post on 26 May 2020, 12 January 2023 and 16 November 2023, another RAOB Palestine jewel - this one with three clasps.

• Obverse suspension, "Palestine".
• Obverse jewel, "Province of Palestine", with a central castle or fort, no doubt representing a location in Palestine - perhaps Kerak Castle?
• Clasps - "Brabazon Rees Lodge", "Jerusalem Lodge" and "Haifa Lodge".
• Reverse - "Bro. E.M. Hickey Member of the Palestine Province".

Jewel is of silvered base metal with the makers name, "Fattorini & Sons Bradford House Birmingham". 

 

I have yet to see evidence of any specific Palestine Lodge jewels.

 

Owain

[oamotme]

Good morning from London,

 

Further to my post of 17 December 2020 I have obtained an example of the second Libyan RAOB Lodge jewel medal illustrated. The badge consist of a central depiction of ruins superimposed upon a flaming torch (Royal Army Education Corps?) and crossed swords (Army Physical Training Corps?). I remain unable to ascertain the significance of Sha'araan.

• Obverse - "RAOB / Arabic script (Sharaan) /  Sharaan / Lodge 9197"
• Reverse - "FCP" (Parry) Birmingham silver mark - letter "M" for 1961

In addition I have obtained an example of the gilt base metal Batinah jewel - my post of 8 July 2020.

• Obverse - "Batinah Lodge No. 9898"  - depicting a part of the coast line of the Sultanate of Oman and the flag of Oman - named after the Batinah coast north of Muscat the capital of Oman
• Reverse - Blank other than the makers name "Parry B'Ham"

Regards,

Owain

Edited November 8 by oamotme

[oamotme]

Gentlemen,

Further to my post of 31 March 2023, from the internet, another example of the "Jerboa  8776" jewel and this time with a "25th Anniversary" bar - reverse not seen. The jewel is part of a large auction lot of 14 related or unrelated jewels.

As previously noted two possible origins:

1. A post WW2 related jewel - possibly in Libya or Egypt - 7th Armoured Brigade  - Desert Rats.

2. A post Gulf War related jewel - possibly in Saudi Arabia  - 7th Armoured Brigade Operation Granby.

However the evidence of the 25th Anniversary clasp on the ribbon would indicate an older provenance and thus it is highly unlikely that it is a post Gulf War jewel.

Regards,

Owain 

[oamotme]

Gentlemen,

 

With reference to my very first post of this thread of 26 May 2020 I detail below a further image of a Point Lodge jewel - an EBay offering. As with the earlier image this is a silver hallmarked example  - damaged enamel on the obverse, but it does have a clasp, "Gulf". It may be that after the British withdrawal from Aden in 1967 this particular RAOB Lodge was relocated elsewhere in the region hence the clasp.

 

Regards,

Owain