METALLIC ORNAMENTS OF NEW YORK INDIANS 9! 



Brooches, too many for Indians to use with any reference to their 

 meaning. All these illustrations had been prepared, and work was 

 -progressing on these notes, when one day came a catalogue of curios 

 from England, The Amateur Trader of Miss Clara Millard, Tedding- 

 ton, Middlesex. No. 4188 of this had an illustration which was the 

 close counterpart of fig. no in size, form and details. The descrip- 

 tion is " XVII. CENTURY masonic emblem, in jargoons and paste. 

 Exact size. 2 125 6d." Was the Indian silver brooch copied from 

 this, or this from the brooch? The same question might be asked 

 of other forms. The silver brooch of the Indians did not exist in 

 :the 1 7th century, and the age of the above ornament may also be 

 doubted. 



After this was in print a learned German friend pointed out to 

 the writer several brooches of what he said were Scandinavian and 

 other types in his collection, but there has been no time to study the 

 subject, and illustrations of this are hot now recalled. 



Out of a large number of these Masonic brooches, over a score 

 have been selected for illustration, in themselves far more in number 

 than all the Indian Free Masons known. Joseph Brant was a well 

 known member of the fraternity, and Red Jacket has been claimed. 

 There may have been a few others, but these were common orna- 

 ments. The writer has nine still in his collection, after parting with 

 some to his friends. He might easily at one time have trebled the 

 number. This abundance is proof that they had no significance to 

 most of their wearers. 



Fig. 124 was the first of these that attracted the writer's attention, 

 and it now belongs to the Masonic Veterans of Central New York. 

 The base is a half circle with ornaments, and above this the square 

 and compasses are plainly seen. This was long worn by Aunt 

 Dinah, a very old Onondaga woman. Traditionally it first came 

 from Brant's family to her, and was naturally supposed to be a jewel 

 worn by him. Now that the form is known to be so common, this 

 may be doubted. 



Several examples follow from Mrs Converse's fine collection. 

 Fig. 108 adds many things to the simpler form, which is easily de- 

 tected under these accumulated ornaments. Several fine bosses add 

 to its effect. The forms of apertures used in this appear in several 



