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