Drill Performance Trophies of

St. Bernard Commandery No. 35

Earned at Triennial Conclaves of the Grand Encampment

This ornate, 76 cm (30 inch) tall trophy, crafted by San Francisco's famous George C. Shreve & Co. jewelers, was awarded to St. Bernard Commandery No. 35 for their third place drill performance at the Grand Encampment's 22nd Triennial Conclave in 1883 at San Francisco. The competition was held in Golden Gate Park. 

The trophy includes a revolving silver globe, 25.4 cm (10 inch) in diameter, upon which are traced the borders of the American states, with California - the "Golden State" - inlaid in solid gold.  Atop the globe is an armoured knight, his sword drawn. Standing 20.3 cm (8 in.) tall, the knight is and made of pure gold and silver.

On the base are many beautiful devices. To the viewer’s right is an olde-tyme castle, built of solid blocks of silver and polished gold-bearing quartz from California. Opposite the castle stand three Christian pilgrim warriors’ tents, and in the front, three of our ancient fratres leading a crusade to the Terra Sancta, the “Holy Land” to redeem the tomb of our Saviour from the power of the infidels and to relieve the brethren from oppression, tyranny and wrong. Between the tents and the castle stands the banner of our order, flanked by two beaucéants. The tents, beaucéants, banner, and templar armour are fashioned from silver.

The base supporting the whole is of bronze and silver. The medallion in the centre contains an engraving of three leaders of the First Crusade, on horseback. The medallion to the viewer’s left depicts the emblem of the Illustrious Order of the Red Cross within a seven-pointed star. The medallion opposite depicts the emblem of the Order of Malta within a nine-pointed star. The two emblems are crafted of gold-bearing quartz and ore specimens. The base is guarded by two grizzly bears of silver; the California grizzly bear is the State Animal of California and is depicted on the state flag.

The photograph to the left shows the trophy in 1986 when we lent it to the Oakland Museum of California for their exhibition, "Silver in the Golden State" The image was taken by Stephen Rahn for the companion book to the exhibition, Leslie Greene Bowman & Edgar W. Morse's Silver in the Golden State: images and essays celebrating the history and art of silver in California, Oakland, California: Oakland Museum History Dept. (1986).

Photo credit to Southeby's Auction Catalog dtd January 20th and 21st, 2012

 

This silver brick was awarded to St. Bernard Commandery as the first place trophy for the triennial conclave’s 10 August 1892 drill competition at Denver.

The trophy contains 470.5 ounces of silver from the mines of Colorado, handsomely engraved and showing Mount of the Holy Cross and other mountain scenery in bas-relief.

The mountain was also featured on postcards of the 1913 Triennial in Denver.

Sotheby's Catalog Description

25TH TRIENNIAL CONCLAVE AT DENVER, CO. 1892.   An engraved American silver ingot, presumably Denver, dated 1892

slightly rounded rectangular, the top engraved "Presented to St. Bernard Commandery No. 35 Chicago, For Efficiency in Exhibition Drill, Denver, August 10th, 1892."  the front engraved with a view of the Mountain of the Holy Cross, one end with the badge of the Knights Templar, the other engraved "Chamber of Commerce Committee: W.R. Harp - Edward Eddy / E. Monash - Geo. W. Cook / S.M. Allen - Chas. D. Cobb / W.W. Anderson."
apparently unmarked -- length 8 1/4 in. -- 21cm -- 470oz 10dwt -- 14,633g

Estimate:  15,00025,000 USD

LOT SOLD.  40,625 USD

 

Photo credit to Southeby's Auction Catalog dtd January 20th and 21st, 2012

  

This punch bowl (including serving tray, cups and antler ladle) was awarded to St. Bernard Commandery as the first place trophy for the 29th triennial conclave’s drill competition at San Francisco in 1904.  Sold at auction of Important Americana: Furniture, Folk Art, Silver, Porcelain, Prints and Carpets' held at Sothebys, New York on 20 & 21 January 2012.

Sotheby's Catalog Description

29TH TRIENNIAL CONCLAVE AT SAN FRANCISCO, CA, 1904: AN AMERICAN SILVER AND COPPER "INDIAN" PUNCH BOWL, STAND AND LADLE, ATTRIBUTED TO JOSEPH HEINRICH, NEW YORK, RETAILED BY HAMMERSMITH & FIELD, SAN FRANCISCO, dated 1904

the circular stand in hammered copper etched with geometric motifs, applied with silver rim and "tails", silver-bound horn handles with arrowhead terminals, the copper bowl with row of arrowheads on the foot, the rim applied with central silver and copper shields over trophies of weapons including axes and spears, flanked by bear pelts and patinated Indian-head handles with braids and feathers, gilt interior, applied with enameled badges and "29th Tirennial Conclave" - "San Francisco 1904.", the stag-horn ladle with etched designs and silver bands. Together with two matching silver-bound copper punch cups; 5 pieces.

all stamped Hammersmith & Field / Silver and Copper

length of bowl over handles 24 in.; length of stand 30 in.
76.2 cm

Estimate:  150,000 — 250,000

LOT SOLD. 314,500 USD

 

Photo credit to Southeby's Auction Catalog dtd January 20th and 21st, 2012

 

This punch bowl and ladle was awarded to St. Bernard Commandery No. 35 Knights Templar as the first place trophy for the 30th triennial conclave’s 10 July 1907 drill competition at Saratoga Springs, New York.

Sotheby's Catalog Description

30th Triennial Conclave at Saratoga Springs, NY. An American silver and enamel "Knights Templar" presentation punch bowl and ladle, Gorham Mfg. Co, Providence, RI, 1907

borders of laurel and oves, chased with acanthus, etched on one side "First Prize 30th Triennial Conclave - Won by St. Bernard Commandery #35 K.T. - Saratoga Springs, N.Y. July 10th, 1907 Score 96.4," the other side with names of the participants, flanked by enameled badges and garlands of fruit and flowers, gilt interior, the handles topped by knight's helmets with plumes, matched on the ladle above enameled shield, japanned wood base, marked on bases and coded LXX (bowl) and LXY (ladle), length over handles 22in., height including base 15in., -- 55.7cm, 38cm -- 215oz 10dwt -- 6705g

Estimate

20,00030,000  USD

LOT SOLD. 20,000 USD

 

Photo credit to Southeby's Auction Catalog dtd January 20th and 21st, 2012

This trophy was awarded to St. Bernard Commandery as the fifth place prize for the 35th triennial conclave’s 26 April 1922 drill competition at New Orleans, Louisiana.

Cast of sterling silver by Reed & Barton, the trophy features a bowl supported by a column, the capital of which is a composite of three prominent ionic scrolls above a simplified Corinthian relief. A trio of palm trees ring the column and provide further structure under the bowl.

Two of the bowl's sides are engraved with scenes representative of Louisiana: a pair of orange growers picking their crop from a large tree, and a field of oil wells. The third side reads:

35th Triennial Conclave of the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of the United States of America New Orleans La. April 25-26-27 1922

The base was engraved by the C  ommandery, with the names of the fratres in the victorious drill corps who took the field that day:

B.L. Purinton, Capt.; N.J. Kissick, 1st Lt.; A.W. Rathbun, 2nd Lt.; R.A. Connell, 1st Sgt.; E.A. Dorner, 2nd Sgt.; D.A. Smalley, 3rd Sgt.; R.A. Bechstrin, 4th Sgt; V. I. Chinlumd, J.B. Eckstedt, J.H. Brothersen, W.A. Harders, H. M. Lehman, D.B. Hutchinson, V.H.W.C. Martin, G.M. Rhode, G.R. Buck, S.R. Benner, Lee W. Peterson, W.M. Swatek, A.E. Rathbun, R.R. Harders, M.D. Smith, C.F. Thorssell, C.L. Studders, R.L. Meyer, R.L. Ketcham.

Extras
H.T. Bowers, M.E. Fuller, J.C. Lind, F.W. Ladenburger, S.C. Sheppard, F. Thompson

Catalog Description

35TH TRIENNIAL CONCLAVE AT NEW ORLEANS, LA. American Silver Trophy, Reed & Barton, Taunton, MA, dated 1922

bound bamboo rim, the central column stem flanked by three palmetto trees, the bowl engraved "35th Triennial Conclave of the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of the United States of America, New Orleans, La., April 25-26-27 1922" and with scenes of "Oil Wells" and "Orange Picking," the base with participants' names, the japanned wood base with presentation plaque topped by bales of cotton marked underneath and numbered 61031 A, height of trophy 21 3/4; height overall 28in. -- 55.2cm, 71.2 cm -- 107oz -- 3328g

Estimate

12,00018,000  USD

Photo credit to Southeby's Auction Catalog dtd January 20th and 21st, 2012

The items above were placed with Sotheby's for auction.  Some were sold and some did not sell.  This Commandery also won other drill performance trophies that have yet to be pictured.  You can peruse the Sotheby's Catalog about the above pieces at the link below:

http://www.sothebys.com/content/dam/sothebys/PDFs/Flippable/N08823/index.html#/42/

You can also visit the website of St. Bernard Commandery No. 35 at the link below to see additional drill trophies they won:

http://www.chicagoyorkrite.org/commandery/CommanderyTrophies.html

 

 

              

               

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