The Secret Tradition in Freemasonry (1911) - Page 59

Detailed copperplate engraving depicting a portrait bust of Elias Ashmole set within an arched stone niche. Ashmole is shown with long wavy hair, a mustache, and a small beard. He wears a falling band collar A wide, flat collar that was a standard fashion in the mid-seventeenth century. and a classical-style robe draped over his left shoulder. The bust rests on an elaborate architectural pedestal constructed from books. The central section of the pedestal features a rectangular plaque inscribed with "ELIAS ASHMOLE" and a draped cloth hanging from rings. To the left and right are stacks of books. The left side features a shield with a hunting horn, representing the Ashmole family coat of arms. The right side features a shield with a cross. The entire ensemble sits upon larger folio-sized books A "folio" is a large book format where the printing sheets are folded only once, creating large pages. placed horizontally at the base.

ELIAS ASHMOLE

Elias Ashmole (1617 to 1692) was a famous English antiquary, politician, and student of alchemy. He is a foundational figure in Masonic history. His diary contains one of the earliest recorded instances of a person who was not a professional stonemason being initiated into a Masonic lodge, which took place in 1646.