Vintage Celluloid Medallion From The United sold Ancient Order Of Druids Grand Grove Of Ohio - Newark Ohio

I had never heard of the United Order of Ancient Druids before finding this badge at an estate sale, but just had to have it! Intrigued by the Druid connection, I came to find that this was a splinter group of the Ancient order of Druids (still in existence) and the adoption of Druid iconography took place around the time of Celtic Revival that was prevalent in the late 1700s. Other than the symbolic embodied in their iconography, they practice no "Druidic" religion or rites, rather being a group of regulars at the Kings Arms tavern in 1781 London and just thought the name "druid" was cool! They turned their social drinking group into a charitable fraternal organization. They are not now, nor have they ever been a Neo Druidic neo-pagan religious group in fact, according to Wikipedia it is "not a religious organization – in fact any discussion on religion or politics is forbidden within the lodge rooms". Instead, its members are expected "to preserve and practice the main principles attributed to the early Druids, particularly those of justice, benevolence and friendship."

The badge is in Excellent vintage condition and was created in1912 for an annual convention. sold The celluloid badge is 1 3/4" in diameter and with the ribbon 4 3/4" in length.