Description
Odd Fellows fraternal ritual prop “Heart in Hand” axe, c. 1850s. An early example, the axe has a handsome aged surface with honest wear from ritual lodge use, its gilded hand and heart with a beautiful warm patina. An iconic piece of American fraternal folk art, the piece displays as sculpture on a custom iron stand.
As an Odd Fellows fraternal symbol and ritual prop, the axe represented the need to purge oneself of the evil that prevents one from helping others, with the “Heart in Hand” representing “cheerful giving” and benevolence to those in need. The chain painted on the axe symbolize the “Triple Link Fraternity” and core values of the Odd Fellows: Friendship, Love, and Truth.
The historic command of the Odd Fellow is to “visit the sick, relieve the distressed, bury the dead and educate the orphan.” Founded in Baltimore, Maryland in 1819, the International Order of the Odd Fellows grew to become the largest fraternal organization in the United States, with hundreds of thousands of members by the late nineteenth century and fraternal lodges in every state, and in some regions, every town. While the organization is still in existence today, the Odd Fellows are now extinct within most of the communities their charitable and community endeavors once thrived.
Condition
Good antique condition with aged patina and wear. Old repair to blade, which has been reglued.
Measurements
26 inches long
With stand: 27 inches high and 10 inches wide
Shipping
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