Odd Fellows Shelf and Mirror

John Haley Bellamy, Odd Fellows Shelf and Mirror, ca. 1850-1900, carved and painted wood with mirrored glass, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson, 1986.65.84A-C
Copied John Haley Bellamy, Odd Fellows Shelf and Mirror, ca. 1850-1900, carved and painted wood with mirrored glass, 35 3⁄8 x 29 7⁄8 x 7 3⁄8 in. (89.8 x 75.8 x 18.7 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson, 1986.65.84A-C
Free to use

Artwork Details

Title
Odd Fellows Shelf and Mirror
Artist
Attributed to John Haley Bellamy
Date
ca. 1850-1900
Location
Dimensions
35 3⁄8 x 29 7⁄8 x 7 3⁄8 in. (89.8 x 75.8 x 18.7 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson
Mediums
Mediums Description
carved and painted wood with mirrored glass
Classifications
Object Number
1986.65.84A-C
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1986.65.84A-C

Artwork Description

This shelf was probably made for a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Organizations like the Freemasons and Odd Fellows often decorated objects with fraternal symbols to remind members of their commitment to the brotherhood. In this piece the three pillars and the three-link chain represent the Odd Fellows motto---"Friendship, Love, and Truth." Only members of the order understood the symbolism of the serpent, staff, horn, and tent.