Freemasons, Magic Carpets, Paddling Machines and Marching Band Uniforms.

Ah...Freemasonry...the rituals, the secret handshakes, the cryptic symbols, the rumors of ties to the occult/the Illuminati/Fred Flintstone - this secretiveness and mystery, this supposed veiled evil makes quite a tasty dish for creative conspiracy theorists to feast upon and then throw up all over the place. These folks would like to have us believe the Freemasons control everything from the world's financial system to your cable service.

Your phone mysteriously ringing only once at 3:00am. The sudden popularity of Miller High Life Beer amongst aging hipsters in the Midwest region of the US. The long lines at grocery stores. The weird smell coming from your great-grandma's chest of drawers. The Freemasons could be behind it all.

Regardless of your opinion of the Freemasons, these amazing scans from The 1930 DeMoulin Bros. & Co. Fraternal Supply Catalog No. 439 Burlesque and Side Degree Specialties; Paraphenalia and Costumes reveal to us that the lodge meetings of old in which new members were "lightly hazed" must have been a total hoot!





Imagine the "to do list" for a typical meeting!

1. Plan world domination via control of the US Dollar
2. Set up the Tunnel of Trouble, The Trick Camera and The Surprise Chair.
3. Learn the script that accompanies the introduction of The Wireless Trick Phone.

The Freemasons of the olden days must not have had much free time.

DeMoulin Bros. & Co. is still in business! Even though I'm mildly tickled at the image of a gaggle of Freemasons cavorting about dressed as Pagan - Fire Worshippers, they no longer stock the grotesque and offensive Race Costumes.

Nowadays it's all marching band uniforms and tuxedos for the Brothers DeMoulin.

It also seems that they also no longer stock anything that is rigged to explode.


Dig the whole 1930 catalog!