The United Ancient Order of Druids was one of the earliest fraternal organizations to emerge in the modern era. Founded in London, England, in 1771, the organization established its own Grand Lodge just two years later. The first lodge in the Americas was chartered in New York City in 1830. California, however, would eventually become one of the Order’s strongest centers, with the first local “Grove” there chartered in 1858.

Like many fraternal organizations of the period, the Druids incorporated a system of degrees and developed several affiliated or appendant bodies. More information on Druidism can be found on the Marin County Historical Site.

Druid Groves appear to remain active in parts of California and Nevada, although the organization was reported to have fewer than 6,500 members by the middle of the twentieth century. In California, the Druidic family is composed of three separate branches: Groves, representing the Brotherhood; Circles, representing the Sisterhood; and Chapters, known as the Fun Branch.

Members of the Brotherhood may, in time, also join the Sisterhood, although members of the Sisterhood are not eligible to join the Brotherhood. Members of either branch may join the Chapter. Each of the three branches claims roots in antiquity and maintains its own traditions and moral teachings. The home page of the Druids of California can be found here.

This fez comes from a Grove located in San Francisco, California. Based on its construction and embroidery, it likely dates from the mid-twentieth century.

This piece represents a remarkable and unusually rare addition to the collection. As indicated on the fez, it belonged to a Past Grand Chief Knight, or State President, of the Grand Chapter of the fun arm of the United Ancient Order of Druids.

The fez arrived at the museum in somewhat degraded condition, but a careful cleaning with a lint brush restored much of its original color and appearance. It does retain several condition issues, including minor losses to the rhinestones, some discoloration to the tassel, and significant cracking to the sweatband. Even with these flaws, however, the rarity of the piece makes it a particularly valued addition to the collection. Based on the dates appearing on the fez, it dates to the mid-1980s.

Following its acquisition, we were contacted by the Druids of California, who were able to provide additional provenance. The fez was a standard piece presented annually to the Past Grand Chief Knight of the Grand Chapter following his term of office. This example belonged to Thomas Durkee, who served as Past Grand Chief Knight for the 1983–1984 term and was a member of California Chapter in San Francisco. Durkee has since passed away, and California Chapter has closed, although three local Druid chapters remain active in the state.

Our thanks to Mr. John Zeni, Past Noble Grand Arch of the Druids of California, 2007–2008, for providing this valuable historical information.

We had never encountered a red Druids fez until this example appeared at auction. Druids fezzes are relatively uncommon to begin with, making this unusual color variation an especially interesting addition to the collection.

The fez features three seven-pointed bullion stars, along with the words “Past Arch” rendered in rhinestones. This likely refers to the office of Arch Druid, the presiding officer of a local Grove. The fez is finished with a standard-length yellow tassel.

Based on its construction and decoration, we believe the piece likely dates from the 1920s through the 1940s, although it may be somewhat later. Unfortunately, no identifying information survives to indicate the specific Grove or location from which it originated.