Of Historical Interest -
A rare silver pendant belonging to the Secret Society The Ancient Noble Order of the Gormogons - a short-lived, satirical 18th-century secret society in England formed around 1724, likely created by the former Freemason Philip Wharton to mock and rival mainstream Freemasonry.
One side of the pendant is engraved with a sun with rays of light and a face, representing the illuminated. A dragon sits at the top 9and is pierced with a silver ring so that it can be hung on a chain) Around the sun is written - UNIVERSUS.SPLENDOR.UNIVERSA.BENEVOLENTIAAN;INST 8799
(universe splendor universe benevolence)
The other side is decorated with a portrait of the mythical first Emperor of China from whom the sociaty claimed originate.
Around him is written CHIN QUAN KYPO (the emperor) OECUMENICAL (supreme) VOLGI (his title as in Grand Master) ORD. GORMOGO (order of the Gormogons)
"The Ancient Noble Order of the Gormogons was a short-lived 18th century secret society formed by the expelled Freemason Philip Wharton, 1st Duke of Wharton.
It left no records or accomplishments to indicate its true goal and purpose.
From the group's few published articles it is thought that the society's primary objective was to hold up Freemasonry to ridicule.
During its brief existence it was accused of being a Jacobite-leaning group, perhaps because the first known Grandmaster (or Oecumenical Volgi) was Andrew Michael Ramsay of Ayr, Scotland, a Jacobite of strong convictions.
It also appears to have been a charitable organization, at least according to its surviving bylaws.
There are also some surviving pendant badges, bearing their sign, and William Hogarth famously satirised them in an engraving titled The Mystery of Masonry brought to Light by ye Gormagon.
It purported to be descended from an ancient society in China, founded by the first Emperor of China Chin-Qua Ky-Po, and Confucius as their original Oecumenicae Volgee (Grand Master).
A mysterious ‘Mandarin’ then travelled to England and admitted several ‘Gentlemen of Honour’ into their ‘most illustrious order’.
The word ‘Gormogon’ is – according to The Freemason (Nov. 16, 1895) – a ‘compound Chinese word consisting of “Gor”, signifying “Brother or Friend”; “Mo”, a “word of Eminence”; and “Gon”, signifying “Antiquity”, or that the province of “Mo-Gon”, in China, denotes “The Most Excellent and Most Ancient Kingdom”’.
Scholars offer differing accounts as to when this order became extinct. For instance, it was proposed that it ended in 1738. Another account maintained that it survived until 1799, when an Act was passed in July 12th of that year suppressing all secret societies with the exemption of Freemasonry.
Very few examples of the silver badge appear to be extant with examples held by the
The Library and Museum of Freemasonry at Grand Lodge of England
Manchester Masonic Museum
and the British Museum."
Weighs - 21.13g
Measures - 72.5mm x 40mm
Date - circa 1724
Material - Silver
Excellent condition