✅ SOLVED What is it? masonic? Military? Tested as Sterling Silver

[redfish76]

Hey all
I got this pin at a estate sale Friday and have no idea what it is?? The top part looks to be a sun with EX. P. D. B. S. and the bottom has a star and a handshake..
The estate had a lot of items from Denmark and most of the items were from the 1920s and 1930s it Also it tested for Sterling Silver.. Masonic? Military?

Any help would be great
Thanks
Jeff

 

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[nhbenz]

Dang, tough one. It looks like a conference badge that would have had someone's name in the blank on the upper part, but I can't find anything. Is there possibly a small back mark beneath the loop end of the clasp? Geez, who would be so modest as to not mark the back of a well made piece of sterling?! Your pictures are very good by the way.

 

[redfish76]

Thanks for the fast reply nhbenz
I looked all over and didn't find a makers mark and it does look handmade

 

[bman3725]

masonic

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

Whats Crazy, is I found a bracelt with those same hands on it, and it was a James Avery piece..Not saying this is

 

[redfish76]

Wow man thats nuts!!!

 

[Viminacium]

I have middle age ring like this 2 hands... Very interesting...

 

[redfish76]

Nice Viminacium
Do you have a picture? Do you know what that symbol is?

 

[detect-OR-fish]

I think it is masonic. I think I found another example. See link below. Found the following info in quotes on the net.

"The Royal Art of Freemasonry is represented by a brotherly shake of hands over an altar composed of the three geometrical figures of the square, circle and triangle.
A symbol of two hands shaking is representative of the grip or token of a Freemason, the way members may recognize each other in silence."

ANTIQUE FRATERNAL LODGE NO 16 D. B. S. MINDEN NEBR.

 

[BosnMate]

I think it's a fraternal lodge of some sort, but I don't think it's Masonic. The letters are on a rising -- or setting -- sun. If I find more I'll post it. Masonic uses the all seeing eye of God, square, compass, etc. Sudden brain burp, Eastern Star, which I think is the female auxiliary of the Masons. Here are photos of Eastern Star stuff, so I'm changing my mind on that guess. I'm thinking the letters stand for Ex. P. ex-president of what ever organization it is, but I can find nothing on the D.B.S.

 

[BosnMate]

The rising sun and/or the hand shake might be the key to figuring this out. If -- in fact the first letter of the organization is a D, then it could stand for a number of different names, most probably Daughter, however there are others, like department, dames, delta, disciples, disabled, descendants, etc.

 

[vhs07]

Found a Boot & shoe workers medal with a handshake. Your medal does end in B. S.
Just throwing it out there...
By the way, there are lots and lots of organizations that use the handshake symbol on their pins and medals.
Even our Jefferson nickle has it on the back of one of its designs.

Masons used it too.

I hope this one gets solved, it's a really great find.

Charles

 

[BosnMate]

Rainbow girls use the handshake also, and that's a masonic sub group for girls.

 

[Bramblefind]

I think it is masonic. I think I found another example. See link below. Found the following info in quotes on the net.

"The Royal Art of Freemasonry is represented by a brotherly shake of hands over an altar composed of the three geometrical figures of the square, circle and triangle.
A symbol of two hands shaking is representative of the grip or token of a Freemason, the way members may recognize each other in silence."

ANTIQUE FRATERNAL LODGE NO 16 D. B. S. MINDEN NEBR.

Good find! Note the Denmark flag on that piece. I think the D.B.S. there is the Danish Brotherhood Society or the Danish Brotherhood & Sisterhood. I've seen references to both.

Danish Brotherhood in America - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Danish Brotherhood

So maybe the pin means "Ex-President Danish Brotherhood Society"?

 

[BosnMate]

Good find! Note the Denmark flag on that piece. I think the D.B.S. there is the Danish Brotherhood Society or the Danish Brotherhood & Sisterhood. I've seen references to both.

Danish Brotherhood in America - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Danish Brotherhood

So maybe the pin means "Ex-President Danish Brotherhood Society"?

OK, You have the initials pinned down, but the handshake is over a star, not the square, circle and triangle. I wouldn't bet against it being the Danish Brotherhood, but I would bet against it being anything masonic. Wikipedia says the Danish Brotherhood started as a military organization, and merged into the "Woodmen of the World," without a mention of the masons.

 

[Archeodeb]

Hey all
I got this pin at a estate sale Friday and have no idea what it is?? The top part looks to be a sun with EX. P. D. B. S. and the bottom has a star and a handshake..
The estate had a lot of items from Denmark and most of the items were from the 1920s and 1930s it Also it tested for Sterling Silver.. Masonic? Military?

Any help would be great
Thanks
Jeff

.

I was thinking that there was something very familiar in this and started wondering about Celtic jewelry. (Think of the claudagh -- only that is two hands holding a heart.) So I researched Celtic jewelry containing hands. Then, by chance, I found this... . Notice the sunrise (or sunset?) At first I wondered if EX. P might stand for exposition -- as in world's fair, but then I discovered there was no fair in 1866. The fourth one was in Paris in 1867, and I read it was celebrated in "the spirit of Peace" after wars in 1852 and 1866. I am not sure which wars that refers to, but I wonder if the handshake is in the spirit of peace? Given the date on the coin and the Victorian love of hands in jewelry and cards anyway, it seems reasonable to think it may date from that period -- Irish or otherwise. Maybe Ex. P. Is Latin for something like "In Peace"? Who knows?

I also wondered if it could have something to do with the Fenians (The Irish Republican Brotherhood) ? No reason except that they broke up and left America in 1866. Read here if you are interested... What Happened to the Fenians After 1866? | Teachinghistory.org It was a quasi-military organization, and that looks like the sort of semi-secret kind of badge or emblem an organization like that might adopt. The similarities (sunset, clasped hands) between the coin and the medal/brooch/pin make me think there is an Irish connection somewhere.

 

[Archeodeb]

A lot more posts happened while I was looking around, so I wanted to comment again. The D.B.S. does seem to point to the Danish Brotherhood -- especially since you said there were other Danish items at the sale. But so far, the only combination of sun and handshake I have found is on the Irish coin. Interesting.

 

[Gunrunner61]

It is not Masonic in origin cool find though...............................HH

 

[redfish76]

Thank you all for your help

look at the necklace on the far left..

I got the image from The Danish Brotherhood in America website Portland, Oregon, Danish Brotherhood and Sisterhood

 

[Viminacium]

Handshake is used from 2nd century so it can be anything.