Antique fraternity necklaces

Lj the SigmaK · #1 07-12-2007, 02:55 PM

Hello everyone! I was wondering if any of you know anything about this particular kind of necklace. It's clearly old, maybe from the 1930s, made of mother-of-pearl, and has a fraternity crest centered in it in gold. Now from reading a previous thread, it seems the only people who should wear the crest are initiated fraternity members, but clearly this neckalce is for a woman....just wondering who would wear it back in the day, and do similar jewelry pieces exist today?

here's an ebay link:
http://cgi.ebay.com/PHI-KAPPA-TAU-fr...QQcmdZViewItem

SWTXBelle · #2 07-12-2007, 03:25 PM

I imagine it would be worn by a mother, sweetheart, or wife. The rules may vary by GLO.

AlphaFrog · #3 07-12-2007, 03:27 PM

Dang - if it wasn't 44.95, it might just end up being for the DAUGHTER of a Phi Kappa Tau.

Lj the SigmaK · #4 07-12-2007, 03:39 PM

Well...I am a sweetheart, not of this particular fraternity, but of Kappa Sigma, and I am completely in love with antique jewelry. I didn't know if it would be out of line to wear something like this. I found other sweetheart jewelry with the crest on it from the Herff Jones company for Kappa Sigma, but I was wondering if the mother-of-pearl was significant of anything. Thanks for any advice or enlightenment.

MysticCat · #5 07-12-2007, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lj the SigmaK

Well...I am a sweetheart, not of this particular fraternity, but of Kappa Sigma, and I am completely in love with antique jewelry. I didn't know if it would be out of line to wear something like this. I found other sweetheart jewelry with the crest on it from the Herff Jones company for Kappa Sigma, but I was wondering if the mother-of-pearl was significant of anything. Thanks for any advice or enlightenment.

Again, rules among GLOs will vary, and only a Kappa Sig could speak with any authority. My hunch, though, is that you shouldn't wear anything not given to you by a member or chapter of Kappa Sig.

AlphaFrog · #6 07-12-2007, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Again, rules among GLOs will vary, and only a Kappa Sig could speak with any authority. My hunch, though, is that you shouldn't wear anything not given to you by a member or chapter of Kappa Sig.

MC - you would just die if you met my freshman roommate. She went out an had a FMA Sweetheart sweatshirt made for herself. She also refered to herself as the "Drumline Princess".

Lj the SigmaK · #7 07-12-2007, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

Dang - if it wasn't 44.95, it might just end up being for the DAUGHTER of a Phi Kappa Tau.

Wow! Well if you are a daughter, do you mind asking your dad if he remembers anyone wearing one of these? I think it's beautifu, and I'm really curious of the history of this kind of necklace.

AlphaFrog · #8 07-12-2007, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lj the SigmaK

Wow! Well if you are a daughter, do you mind asking your dad if he remembers anyone wearing one of these? I think it's beautifu, and I'm really curious of the history of this kind of necklace.

Please, he couldn't tell me what his own pin looked like.

Unfortunatly, to him, Phi Kappa Tau "was somthing he did in college".

MysticCat · #9 07-12-2007, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lj the SigmaK

Now from reading a previous thread, it seems the only people who should wear the crest are initiated fraternity members, but clearly this neckalce is for a woman....just wondering who would wear it back in the day, and do similar jewelry pieces exist today?

As noted in that thread, the rules on who may wear letters or coats-of-arms (the e-bay seller is using the wrong word by calling it a "crest") vary from org to org and have varied over the years even within orgs.

The Phi Kappa Tau website currently says: "The Coat-of-Arms can only be displayed by initiated members."

But my guess is that once-upon-a-time, mothers, sweethearts, fiancées or wives could wear something like this.

honeychile · #10 07-12-2007, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MysticCat

As noted in that thread, the rules on who may wear letters or coats-of-arms (the e-bay seller is using the wrong word by calling it a "crest") vary from org to org and have varied over the years even within orgs.

The Phi Kappa Tau website currently says: "The Coat-of-Arms can only be displayed by initiated members."

But my guess is that once-upon-a-time, mothers, sweethearts, fiancées or wives could wear something like this.

That's my bet - it's from the era when getting pinned meant wearing a fraternity man's pin, wearing his letters, or even wearing the fraternity crest.

Lovely piece of jewelry, though - I hope it gets into the right hands!