1896 Syria Temple Glass - Cleveland

Each year Syria Temple produced a glass to commemorate the Imperial Shrine Session that they were to attend.  These glasses were sold and traded much like todays baseball cards and pins and were the most sought after collectibles at these conventions.  Syria Temple commissioned Westmoreland Glass Co. to produce a different glass each year with a "theme" suited to the city that they were visiting.  The year this gold handled cup was made, 1896, the Imperial Council Session was held in Cleveland, Ohio so they chose for their  theme a picture of the famous Ft. Pitt on the front within the shrine emblem and a Shriner riding a bucking camel on the back.  He's probably yelling out to new candidates to "Hang on to the rope!"  This cup stands 2 7/8 inches tall and 1 7/8 inches in diameter at the base.  These early Syria Temple glasses are rare due to their extremely delicate condition.   These are hand-blown thin-walled glasses and not the thicker molded glasses that were made in later years.  They were also not made in the same quantities. 

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