| There are four pictures showing views of all (6) Unusual 1908 - 1910 Knights Of Birmingham Fraternal Items in this lot. There are two more program brochures included that are identical to the one in picture #4 below. I do not know anything about this organization and have not been able to find anyt information. All of these items came from Rochester, New Hampshire. They contain much strange text and very bizarre images. The first item pictured is the large printed envelope that all of the other items were found. It pictures a Jackass with an "Ancient Relic" hanging from it's neck. It has a Washington postage stamp with a 1909 postmark. It has overall wear and brittle edges. It is simply addressed to someone in Milton, N.H.. It reads: KNIGHTS OF BIRMINGHAM
FROM THE GRAND SECRETARY
C.M. BAILEY,
ROCHESTER, N.H.
SIR KNIGHT Picture #2 has a four page (8 panel) March 1908 program brochure. The event was at the McDuffee Hall of Rochester, N.H.. It has a strange looking man running with a knife and fork. Inside is an image of a black man being pulled by a jackass. There are also (8) red images of men. There is much text and on the back is a very bizarre menu. In picture #3 there is another large program brochure. This one has a very detailed graphic Devil or Satan image in red on the cover. Under that image it reads: "OUR GOOD AND KIND CONDUCTOR" It is a 25th anniversary (1884 - 1909) publication. The event was at the McDuffee Hall of Rochester, N.H. on March 26th, 1909. Inside is a schedule with many very graphic images. These images include two devil or gnome characters, a ram butting heads with a man in a straight jacket, and a blindfolded man riding backwards on a goat. There is another Devil cooking men over an open fire. Those are all printed in red. In blue there are images of a hooden man with skull & crossed bones with an ax, a man riding a goat, a man hanging from a noose, a man on a slide, and two men fist fighting. The back has a graphic of a man being squeezed in a vice. There are men listed with their positions. Some of the men have their towns named with them. These include the following: Concord, N.H., Sanbornville, N.H., Wolfboro, N.H., Hudson, Massachusetts, Dover, N.H., Wolfboro Falls, N.H., Waterboro, Maine, Windham Junction, Manchester, N.H., Portland, Maine, Nashua, N.H., Haverhill, Mass., Fremont, N.H., Somersworth, N.H., Farmington, N.H., Lewiston, Me., Alton, N.H., Lakeport, Syracuse, New York, Milton Mills, N.H., Reading, Ma., Boston, Ma., Providence, Rhode Island, and Newmarket, N.H.. Picture #4 has a 1910 program brochure for the group. As mentioned above there are (3) of these included. The event was at the McDuffee Hall of Rochester, N.H.. The cover of this one has a black man with a shell gambling game in front of a circus freak show tent. Inside there is an image of the Rochester Fair Grounds "COLD SPRING PARK" gate. This gate to the fairgrounds / horse trotting park no longer exists. There is an image of a jack ass with a hanging "Ancient Relic" charm, a blindfolded man riding backwards on a goat, a Devil cooking men over an open fire, a hooden man with skull & crossed bones with an ax, a man riding a goat, a man hanging from a noose, a man on a slide, a man falling through a chair, a black man being pulled by a jackass, and two men fist fighting. The back has an image of a clown balancing a feather on his nose. As with the others there are many names and towns / cities mentioned. To judge the sizes the envelope measures 8-1/2" x 10-1/2" and the folded brochures are smaller. The envelope has wear, but all of the others are in excellent or better condition. |
