Antique Knights of Pythias FCB Enamel Lapel Pin Rose Gold Filled GF C-Clasp For Sale

This is aKnights of Pythias Pin, a secret society and fraternal organization founded in 1864.At the top of the pin, there is a shield shape. It features three separate colored enamel sections containing the letters F, C, and B, which stand for the order's core tenets: Friendship, Charity, and Benevolence.Below the top crest rests a classic knight's helmet (complete with a visor/crest) sitting atop crossed swords and an additional shield structure.The pin itself most likely dates from the late 1800s to the very early 1900s. This style of un-locked catch, the C-hook, was standard throughout the Victorian era and remained dominant until about 1910.Because open hooks allowed pins to slip off easily, the sliding safety catch was invented and became standard by the 1920s.The Letters: F C BThe initials stand for the core virtues of the Knights of Pythias: Friendship, Charity, and Benevolence.

• The organization was the first fraternal order to be chartered by an Act of Congress.
• It was founded during the Civil War to help heal the nation through these three principles.
• Pins featuring these letters typically include a shield, a knight's helmet, or crossed swords.