Derived from the city of Fez, Morocco, the fez was chosen as the official headgear of the fraternity to complement the organization’s pomp and pageantry, theme, ceremonies and events. This particular fez also serves as a great example of a modern fez, with the logo being made up of individually set rhinestones, the letters being outlined in metallic thread, and the owner’s unit being denoted across the front. Zembo Shrine is located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He modernized military adopted Western style uniforms and, as headdresses, the fez with a cloth wrapped around it. The first organization was that of “Lu Lu Club of Reading”, so named because most of the members, if not all, were members of Lu Lu Temple, Philadelphia. I do NOT see a SIZE on this but it just about fit Not only is it white (which is a common varience in Shrine fezzes) but it also has a black tassel and some extreme ornamentation. Two regiments of the Indian Army recruited from Muslim areas wore fezzes under British rule (although the turban was the nearly-universal headdress among Hindu and Muslim sepoys and sowars).

This fez hails from Salina Court No. Oliver said there’s “nothing funny” going on within the organization. This was followed by its Charter on May 13, 1913, as the 131st Temple in North America. While the fez was a colourful and picturesque item of uniform, it was in several ways an impractical headdress. This fez was added to the collection as it displays another  trend in Shriner’s fezzes – that of doing the entire design in rhinestones.

amzn_assoc_linkid = "0f84484859255704ef8899fa20fce1c4"; The Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine for North America (A.A.O.N.M.S.)

The name “Moolah,” is an Arabic word meaning “Title for one learned in teaching dignity for the law of the Koran or religion.” It is not a title conferred by authority, but rather an expression of public respect. The tarnish is very evident, but the fez is in good shape otherwise. Regarded as the “heart and soul of the Shrine,” Shriners Hospitals for Children is a charitable healthcare system consisting of 22 hospitals that offer orthopaedic, spinal cord and burn care to youth under 18.

Seen as exotic and romantic in the west, it enjoyed a vogue as part of men's luxury smoking outfit in the United States and the United Kingdom in the decades surrounding the turn of the 20th century. On August 24, 1893, Lu Lu Club of Reading dissolved and all its records and members became part of the proposed new Rajah Temple. It is still favoured among the royal court.[13]. As a result, it was increasingly relegated to parade or off-duty wear by World War II. The Libyan battalions and squadrons of the Italian colonial forces wore lower, red fezzes over white skull caps.

This one, however, is white with a yellow tassel.

Meaning “white oak” in Arabic, this Shrine is based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Twenty thousand fez-sporting Shriners and their Ladies will invade Downtown this weekend. Algeria Shrine is located in Helena, Montana. However, the invention of low-cost synthetic dyes soon shifted production of the hat to the factories of Strakonice, Czech Republic (then in the Austrian Empire). The officers of a local Court are referred to as a “Cast” being led by a Director, who acts as the Presiding Officer. This thread does tarnish over time, making it tough to find older fezzes that retain their luster. It meets in Hicksville, NY. The founders thought giving the fraternity a bit of mystery would help draw new members. The red fez with blue tassel was the standard headdress of the Turkish Army from the 1840s until the introduction of a khaki service dress and peakless sun helmet in 1910. This fez, if you can call it that, is an usual piece. According to Shrine legend, Florence chose the Araban theme after attending an Arab diplomat’s party in France. Most shrine emblems show a scimitar with a drop holding the crescent and sphinx. Shriners take an oath not to allow women into the group, in keeping with the group’s belief that same-sex groups are most productive.

[17], Today, the fez is worn by many, most prominently in the Balkans and Morocco. The Shriners’ distinctive greeting “Es Selamu Aleikum!” means”Peace be with you!”.

We’ve added it to the museum as an example of the way the basic fez can be changed into something entirely different.

The tassel is not original and is a replacement. More than 3,000 Shriners will promenade from South 17th Street to South 9th Street along Hennepin Avenue for two three-hour parades Tuesday, July 8, 9:30 a.m., and Wednesday, July 9, 7:30 p.m. Expect clowns, funny little cars, marching bands, horses and men clad in Araban garb. The logo, as depicted here, is the one of the first versions used by Shrines and remains unique to Mecca. [9], In 1826 Sultan Mahmud II of the Ottoman Empire suppressed the Janissaries and began sweeping reforms of the military. Membership is by invitation only and is generally composed of the most active and long standing members of a local Shrine Temple. [13] In Morocco, it became a more pronounced cultural symbol in the 20th-century against French dominance. Over time, the fez came to be seen as part of an Oriental cultural identity. amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart";

It is a great example of what senior officers within the local bodies would wear.

This fez comes from Kaaba Shrine located in Davenport, Iowa. As of 2011, this Shrine reported 523 members on its rolls, making it the 16th smallest Shrine. Medinah is the 14 oldest Shrine in the country and ranks around 18th in size.

It now survives in the parade uniform of the Presidential Guard in Athens. Knights of Peter Claver wear a blue fez. Rinaldo D'Ami, page 72 "World Uniforms in Colour", Volume 2, Casa Editrice AMZ Milqn 1966 SBN 85059 X. Masons claim 13 signers of the Constitution and 14 U.S. presidents, beginning with George Washington (the last two are Harry S Truman and Gerald Ford). If you have any further information on what this fez may relate to, please drop us a note over on the Contact Us page. One of the current trends in Shrine fezzes is having the entire symbol done in embroidery with simple non metallic thread. It was purchased privately and added to the collection for its unique character. The Imperial Grand Council governs the entire fraternity. In recognition of the first 13 Masons to join the Shrine order, here’s a 13-part field guide to Shrinedom, featuring information on everything from free Downtown events to the fez-wearers’ mysterious symbols and ways.

Here we have another variation on the basic Shriners fez. Despite its use declining in popularity, the fez is still used in traditional marriage ceremonies. The origins of the Fez are unclear and there are different theories. This fez is now on semi-permanent loan as part of the Shriners International exhibit at the The George Washington Masonic National Memorial in Alexandria, VA. The Italian Arditi in the First World War wore a black fez that later became a uniform item of the Mussolini Fascist regime. Sadly, it no longer has its tassel, but such is to be expected from such an early piece. The fez had become traditional to the point that Mustafa Kemal Atatürk banned it in Turkey in 1925 as part of his modernizing reforms. The Temple began when ten Nobles of Medinah Temple from Chicago, Illinois, who met weekly to dine at the Stockyard Hotel, decided to form another Shrine Temple for St. Louis. The money comes from gifts, bequests, an endowment fund, fund-raising events and an annual assessment paid by each Shriner. To be a member, a man must be a Shriner (which, in and of itself, requires him to be a Freemason.)