Found this book at a garage sale. It is just nice and heavy, leather bound published in 1904. The lady at the sale stated that it was her father’s. She has a lot of newspaper clippings from a Kamloops newspaper, dated 1936 relating to the Pythias locally in that area of BC. The lady was really nice and talked a bit about her father. Thought it was really nice item. It is sure well made with good edges. Gold embossing. Don’t really know a lot about the organisation. I think it must be a bit like Freemasons or something similar. An item only owned by those in the “know”.

Pythian History –  Knights of Pythias
By Wm. D. Kennedy
Dated 1904

Contains the life, death and burial of the founder of the order, Justus H. Rathbone;
The Birth and Progress of the order;
The creation of the Supreme Lodge and a review of its conventions since 1868.
The supreme constitutions.

“The Knights of Pythias is a fraternal organization and secret society founded in Washington, D.C., on 19 February 1864. The Knights of Pythias is the first fraternal organization to receive a charter under an act of the United States Congress. It was founded by Justus H. Rathbone, who had been inspired by a play by the Irish poet John Banim about the legend of Damon and Pythias. This legend illustrates the ideals of loyalty, honor, and friendship that are the center of the order.

The order has over 2,000 lodges in the United States and around the world, with a total membership of over 50,000 in 2003. The order is headquartered in Stoughton, Massachusetts. Some lodges meet in structures referred to as Pythian Castles” : Source wikipedia

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Usually if I find treasure in the form of spoons and knives at a garage sale it is because it is sterling silver, or vintage hunting knives. But this time I found something amazing in different way.

I found these 38 butter knives and tea spoons. Each has been hand painted with eye for detail at a tiny scale. They feature pioneer scenes with cabins and nature. One of the most amazing things about the collection is that the cabin in 90% of them is the same cabin from different angles, different seasons and different times. The tiny paintings show how the homestead progressed with addition of out buildings and even a road.

The signed artist is “Ann Simmons” and many have “Fort St John” meticulously painted on them. A Google search for Ann produced nothing. At the garage sale itself the sellers didn’t really know anything about them other than they belonged to a distant relation. The spoons and knives themselves are for the most part older silver plate.

This it treasure. A true look at homesteading in the Peace Region. The conditions people met and conquered. What it took to survive and thrive for those early pioneers to this area.

Cool stuff.