Monday, September 3, 2018

Thrift Shop Day

Swedish cookie press set—
Recipe booklet—

Household essential—

Convincing!


Wowee...
Leather apron with painted fraternity motifs. I wasn't aware of the Masonic influence this suggests, but it makes sense for a male group with secret rituals.

Another view—

No clue what's represented by the mask, or by what looks like a stone planter with shrubbery. The only easily interpreted symbol is hearts chained to the University of Michigan ...

Couldn't come up with any Greek speakers to ask, so I used this to try typing out the motto. Translator gave me the first and last word as Αδελφοι - brothers, and Κοινη - common
It fits a joined-in-brotherhood concept. The middle word was harder to discern, though, and the result for my guess was less exalted—
Σρεδτια - walnuts
I like it! But really, this must be some word expressing a highfalutin concept. Unless walnuts is for a version of strong oaks growing from acorns? Or this was a forestry students' fraternity? Maybe it's all something to do with shrubbery.

Apron supplied by—
A company ad (Banta's Greek Exchange: Published in the Interest of the College Fraternity World, 1914)