Illustrated History and Cyclopedia of Freemasonry
By Robert Macoy, 33°
The Masonic Publishing Company, New York, 1883
Illustrated with More Than 300 Engravings
Description:
This 1883 edition of Robert Macoy’s Illustrated History and Cyclopedia of Freemasonry represents one of the most comprehensive single-volume Masonic reference works of the nineteenth century. Written by Robert Macoy, noted Grand Secretary and founder of the Order of the Eastern Star, this monumental volume was published by his own Masonic Publishing Company of New York, a firm central to Masonic literature in America.
The work combines historical narrative, dictionary-style definitions, and engraved illustrations into an encyclopedic survey of Freemasonry’s arts, symbols, and institutions. It describes the rise and progress of the Craft, the development of its concordant bodies, and the meaning of the technical terms and symbols used by the fraternity.
The book includes hundreds of engravings depicting lodge jewels, emblems, architecture, and biblical and historical scenes, making it both a valuable research source and a decorative artifact of Masonic heritage.
Condition:
Fair to good. The spine is detached but text block remains complete and stable. Pages clean with moderate age toning and foxing typical of the period. Marbled boards present with edge wear. Ownership name (“J.P. Maness”) on front endpaper.
Details:
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Author: Robert Macoy, 33°
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Publisher: The Masonic Publishing Company, New York
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Date: 1883
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Edition: Early post-1871 revision (updated engravings)
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Binding: Marbled boards with leather spine (detached)
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Illustrations: 300+ engravings and diagrams
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Condition: Fair–Good, complete
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Pagination: Approx. 700 pp.
Significance:
Macoy’s Illustrated History and Cyclopedia of Freemasonry remains one of the defining American Masonic encyclopedias of the 19th century. It bridged ritual, history, and symbolism in an accessible, visually rich format and helped establish Macoy’s firm as the leading Masonic publisher of the era.
