1800's Antique Masonic Black Ball Ballot Box Fraternal Membership Election VOTE

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For your primitive wooden box or historic Freemasonry collection we have a fabulous 1800's Antique Victorian Masonic Black Ball Ballot Box Fraternal Membership Election VOTE . To vote yes, members would enter a white marble or small clay ball. To vote no, members would enter a black ball. You now know for sure where the term " black-balled " came from...straight from this rare early antique membership voting box! If the white balls amounted to greater than the black balls, a new member was voted in. If the black balls out numbered the white balls, a person was considered, "Black-balled" and thus, not admitted for membership into the voting organization. This box is put together with wooden pegs (or dowels) and there are two replacement screws on the bottom back edge where the pegs may have long ago come out. Looks to have had several cotes of paint over the years, among the colors, red, white and blue. The sensational tapered octagon handle is indicative of very, very early 1800's ballot boxes that are extremely rare to come by in this day. This one weighs 2 pounds 2 ounces and measures 13" long from the front of the box to the back end of the handle x 5 3/4" wide from side to side x 4 1/4" high to the top of the opening. The drawer is missing. Shows a beautiful heart shaped or "sweetheart" mount for the 8-sided octagonal wooden read more

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