1911 Shriners Syria Temple Rochester, NY ~ Pittsburgh, PA Clear Souvenir Champagne Glass

I purchased this on an 'online only' Seeck Auction in May of 2015. The last photo is the auction catalog picture. This is the second different Shriner champagne glass in my collection now. It is written in many resources that Westmoreland and U.S. Glass companies were commissioned to make these through the years as souvenirs for the different conventions all over the country. The owner of Westmoreland, Mr. West, was a Shriner himself. What better way to give of himself and his business.

They certainly are fun to collect. In the article mentioned below, it is said these champagne glasses were traded amongst members like baseball cards at these Shriners/Masonic annual conventions.

This glass is 4 7/8" tall and 3 3/4" wide. The outstanding, vibrant yet delicate iridescence is ever so lightly applied to crystal clear glass resulting in an elegant glow which does not overwhelm the theme subjects.

I love the hand-painted and gilt details on all the high relief scenes including a photographer, a man riding a camel, a scene from the city of Pittsburgh, PA and a scene from the city of Rochester, NY. There are three swords with silver blades, known as scimitars, with carved gilt handles, known as chenangkas, that act as a decorative, supportive tripod for the bowl to rest on.

The foot, or base, is hexagonal and measures 2 1/2" in diameter.

I took some nice closeups for you so you can see all the amazing details. What do they all symbolize? Go to this website Pheonixmasonry Masonic Museum and scroll down under the pictures and you'll read the very interesting story behind the symbols and figures of this particular champagne.

The Christina Katsikas Collection