Origins of the S&C logo

[hanzosbm]

Does anyone know of the first appearance of the common paring of these two?

 

[crono782]

Hmm, well the Rebis is shown with the square and compass dating back to 1613. That's one of the first that I know of.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebis

 

[LAMason]

I don't know if you are referring just to they symbol, but this may give some insight:

"The earliest evidence comes from the Edinburgh Register House MS., of 1696, with two later versions, almost identical, of c. 1700 and c. 1714. They contain only one passage which mentions tools. It occurs in the course of the candidate's greeting to the Brethren on his re-entering the lodge:- " ... as I am sworn by God, St. John by the Square and compass, and common judge ... "

https://www.freemasonry.bcy.ca/symbolism/working_tools.html

 

[hanzosbm]

Hmm, well the rebis is shown with the square and compass dating back to 1613. That's one of the first that I know of.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebis

Thank you brother. I wasn't terribly familiar with the term 'rebis' so I looked it up. I found this article http://dcsymbols.com/rebis/rebis.htm
There is some very interesting information here that will require further reading.

 

[hanzosbm]

I don't know if you are referring just to they symbol, but this may give some insight:

"The earliest evidence comes from the Edinburgh Register House MS., of 1696, with two later versions, almost identical, of c. 1700 and c. 1714. They contain only one passage which mentions tools. It occurs in the course of the candidate's greeting to the Brethren on his re-entering the lodge:- " ... as I am sworn by God, St. John by the Square and compass, and common judge ... "

https://www.freemasonry.bcy.ca/symbolism/working_tools.html

Good information. I'm actually referring to the pairing of the two in the orientation such as in your avatar.

 

[crono782]

I'm not sure as to when the pairing of the two into the familiar "square and compasses" first came into being. My input was rather to when the two symbols were first shown together in any context to represent a larger allegory.

 

[LAMason]

Not the same orientation as the Freemasonry symbol, but similar to the "Rebis", not vouching for the information, but interesting anyway:

http://www.templestudy.com/2008/09/17/nuwa-and-fuxi-in-chinese-mythology-compass-square/

 

[hanzosbm]

Found this article that goes over a few examples. I'm still working on actually seeing some of the images. http://phoenixmasonry.org/the_g_in_masonrys_emblem.htm

 

[hanzosbm]

Here is one from 1761

Interestingly, it is upside down

 

[Mike Martin]

That is the Seal of the Grand Lodge of England According to the Old Institutions (aka The Antients, aka The Atholl Grand Lodge) founded in 1752 and amalgamated with the Premier Grand Lodge in 1813

 

[hanzosbm]

That's very good to know. So it seems that the overlayed/intertwined S&C comes about in the middle of the 18th century.

Although I typically prefer not to put ALL of my researched information out there, for those that are interested, this line of questioning came about after some research into philosophical alchemy and the how it related/relates to Freemasonry. This came about after a very in depth look at the Chamber of Reflections. While I know that the COR isn't commonly used in the US, I feel that understanding its origins and meanings helps to shed light on the thinking of earlier Masons who helped to form a lot of the symbolism of our Order. Alchemy plays heavily into the COR and there is evidence (though certainly not proof) that it found its way into the rest of Freemasonry. Or maybe it was the other way around...

 

[BroBook]

No wonder we are a society with ....,

 

[Warrior1256]

I wasn't terribly familiar with the term 'rebis' so I looked it up

I found the article interesting. So the double headed eagle of AASR would be considered a "rebis"?