Date

Materials

Description

Small silver cake dish on a pedestal with three legs. The base of the stand is circular and has three plain narrow legs that extend out to the edges. The legs bend towards each other and meet in the middle before flaring outward again to hold the dish. The dish itself has a shallow well and the edge has been cut in a wavy pattern. The engraving inside the plate, which is very swirly and has some floral images, is very elaborate and detailed and covers almost the entire surface. Right in the middle surrounded by the flora and swirls is the image of a scimitar behind a man's head. The man seems to be wearing a hat shaped like a crescent moon. Attached to the moon below the man's head is a single five-pointed star.

This silver-plated serving dish was likely produced sometime in the early 1930s by the Lipman Brothers, a silver manufacturing company that was based out of Toronto, Ontario. The writing on the base, “Victorian Plate,” was one of the two registered trade marks used by this company over the years, and clearly identifies it as Canadian-made. 

The engraving in the well of the plate, specifically the combination of the scimitar, star, and crescent moon, indicates that there is connection between this specific dish and the Wa-Wa Shriners. Established in 1872, the Shriners are a semi-secret organization that describes themselves as a Masonic fraternity defined by “fun, fellowship, and philanthropy.” The symbols they use are heavily influenced by Near Eastern imagery, as at the time the Shriners was established the Near East was still viewed as mysterious and exotic in the eyes of westerners. The scimitar represents the members, the backbone of the organization, the star represents the children helped by the organization, and the crescent moon is representative of the characteristics embodied by the Shriners. The “WA-WA” engraved into the middle specifically represents the Wa-Wa Shriners, which is a larger chapter that includes many different Shriner groups across Saskatchewan.

Diefenbaker was a Shriner for most of his life, having been initiated in 1922 and remaining a member until his death in 1979.

Marks/Labels

"WA-WA

1936" engraved in the middle of the well of the plate.

"VICTORIAN

PLATE

E.P. COPPER

1018" engraved into the base of the stand.

“80.5.335” written in black pen on the base.

Category