Well this is disturbing! (KKK lapel pin)?

[Michie]

I was doing my usual travels today and ran across an estate sale and decided to stop. Looked around and did not see much but saw a jewelry box with vintage costume jewelry and decided to pick it up. These types of items you can use one way or the other. After doing all my business for the day I went through the box. I’m very disturbed by one piece I found. I’m
hoping it’s a college fraternity but I doubt it. It’s a lapel pin with a skull with red rhinestone eyes and instead of crossbones there are two keys in the same position as the crossbones would be. I looked it up and I’m pretty sure it is the Ku Klux Klan. I’m not sure if this is a good idea to sell this piece unless it is a historical society or something. Anyway, I tried to take a few pics but it so teeny tiny it was difficult to do on the phone. Your opinions are appreciated. Not sure how to handle this one.

 

[chevyontheriver]

View attachment 323221 View attachment 323222 View attachment 323223 I was doing my usual travels today and ran across an estate sale and decided to stop. Looked around and did not see much but saw a jewelry box with vintage costume jewelry and decided to pick it up. These types of items you can use one way or the other. After doing all my business for the day I went through the box. I’m very disturbed by one piece I found. I’m
hoping it’s a college fraternity but I doubt it. It’s a lapel pin with a skull with red rhinestone eyes and instead of crossbones there are two keys in the same position as the crossbones would be. I looked it up and I’m pretty sure it is the Ku Klux Klan. I’m not sure if this is a good idea to sell this piece unless it is a historical society or something. Anyway, I tried to take a few pics but it so teeny tiny it was difficult to do on the phone. Your opinions are appreciated. Not sure how to handle this one.

So you are the owner of this relic now? Eeewww!

 

[Michie]

So you are the owner of this relic now? Eeewww!

Yes. I’m definitely having a case of the cooties. I plan on calling my local historical society tomorrow. But I wonder about the owners of the estate sale now. But who knows how this piece landed in her jewelry box? I would not dare to bring such an ugly thing up with the family. I’m thinking’s it’s history, albeit an tragic one. I just need to unload this piece in the best way I can. It’s stressing me out.

 

[d taylor]

Lot - KU KLUX KLAN SKULL LAPEL PIN

 

[Rescued One]

Yes. I’m definitely having a case of the cooties. I plan on calling my local historical society tomorrow. But I wonder about the owners of the estate sale now. But who knows how this piece landed in her jewelry box? I would not dare to bring such an ugly thing up with the family. I’m thinking’s it’s history, albeit an tragic one. I just need to unload this piece in the best way I can. It’s stressing me out.

I live in the north. One day my husband and I were driving through town, and ended up a few feet from a group of KKK gathered in the street near the courthouse. It was shocking and creepy! Michie, you know I'm a conservative.

I have a granddaughter whose father is black. I have two neices whose deceased father was black. Our town won't let the KKK do that again. I understand your stress! I pray about these things and can barely stand to think about people who hate others. I would tell you more, but it's too upsettig for me to mention.

 

[Michie]

I live in the north. One day my husband and I were driving through town, and ended up a few feet from a group of KKK gathered in the street near the courthouse. It was shocking and creepy! Michie, you know I'm a conservative.

I have a granddaughter whose father is black. I have two neices whose deceased father was black. Our town won't let the KKK do that again. I understand your stress! I pray about these things and can barely stand to think about people who hate others. I would tell you more, but it's too upsettig for me to mention.

Yeah it’s not a good thing. It’s disgusting in fact. Just was not something I was expecting. Finding that little nugget in the jewelry box was disturbing. Yet I know history is what it is. If the historical society wants it just to educate others, they can have it. Gratis.

 

[Joined2krist]

I would toss it into a River if it was me. I would also be wary of people who own such items

 

[Tuur]

I looked it up and I’m pretty sure it is the Ku Klux Klan.

Strikes me more like an SS emblem than a Klan's, but it's not an exact replica of that, so may not be. Noticed two keys instead of bones below the skull, and that has me wondering if it's an Oddfellows emblem. The Oddfellows were a secret society, like the Masons, but used a skeleton in their initiation as a reminder of mortality. Even today, people stumble across these skeletons tucked away in barns and cellars and attics and such.

 

[Tuur]

I live in the north. One day my husband and I were driving through town, and ended up a few feet from a group of KKK gathered in the street near the courthouse. It was shocking and creepy! Michie, you know I'm a conservative.

I have a granddaughter whose father is black. I have two neices whose deceased father was black. Our town won't let the KKK do that again. I understand your stress! I pray about these things and can barely stand to think about people who hate others. I would tell you more, but it's too upsettig for me to mention.

Once, decades ago, the KKK came to call in a local town. It was likely a recruitment drive. The local's response was to gawk. Just gawk. No counter protests, no one taking literature, nothing at all. Just gawking like it was a spectacle. And the KKK never returned.

BTW, you know how the KKK wears robes and used to wear hoods? That didn't end up fooling anyone. Local blacks knew who they were by their shoes.

 

[Michie]

Strikes me more like an SS emblem than a Klan's, but it's not an exact replica of that, so may not be. Noticed two keys instead of bones below the skull, and that has me wondering if it's an Oddfellows emblem. The Oddfellows were a secret society, like the Masons, but used a skeleton in their initiation as a reminder of mortality. Even today, people stumble across these skeletons tucked away in barns and cellars and attics and such.

It’s definitely a KKK pin. Odd Fellows was a good group. I checked it out with a few dealers I know today.

 

[Michie]

Can we not edits our posts anymore??

 

[Tuur]

It’s definitely a KKK pin. Odd Fellows was a good group. I checked it out with a few dealers I know today.

A search today turned up the following:

Skull and Keys. A college fraternity with the skull and keys motif.
Several Tri-Kappas, fraternities and sororities. One fraternity changed it's name to Kappa Pi Kappa this year.
Several Tri-Kappa pins that look like yours, associated with fraternities and sororities. These had the Greek letters Kappa Kappa Kapp on the forehead. One, for a sorority, apparently went for a high price on an online auction site.

The KKK used to be in the news more, and I don't recall them using the Death's Head symbol. What I remember was a sort of white cross in a red circle.

 

[Michie]

I

A search today turned up the following:

Skull and Keys. A college fraternity with the skull and keys motif.
Several Tri-Kappas, fraternities and sororities. One fraternity changed it's name to Kappa Pi Kappa this year.
Several Tri-Kappa pins that look like yours, associated with fraternities and sororities. These had the Greek letters Kappa Kappa Kapp on the forehead. One, for a sorority, apparently went for a high price on an online auction site.

The KKK used to be in the news more, and I don't recall them using the Death's Head symbol. What I remember was a sort of white cross in a red circle.

I’m not going to debate it. It is what it is. I researched it as well. It’s KKK. I just need ti make a game plan as to how to unload it responsibly.

 

[Tuur]

I

I’m not going to debate it. It is what it is. I researched it as well. It’s KKK. I just need ti make a game plan as to how to unload it responsibly.

It's your's to do with as you please. Just look for Skull and Keys. and Tri-Kappa. That's what led me down an interesting rabbit hole.

 

[Blade]

Is it like Tylor posted Michie? Yeah I can't see any of the pictures. As for editing. I did one yesterday. Now maybe they changed it and if you don't edit RIGHT THEN.. then you can't any more. NOT good

 

[WarriorAngel]

Well, the attachments cannot be seen.
Does it have the kkk stamp on it and yes indeed I looked up their pins with skulls and keys are def something they use.

 

[Tuur]

The following is a link to a completed auction by Harris Brothers Auctions to a similar pen, and describes it as follows: Original Antique KKK (Tri-Kappa) Fraternity Membership Skull Pen: Original Antique KKK (Tri-Kappa) Fraternity Membership Skull Pin | Online Auctions | Proxibid

Rubylane has one for sale, described as a Vintage Tri Kappa Sorority pen, with charm and guard, for $220. Since it's an active sale, I'm not adding a link.

In the process I found actual KKK memorabilia on sale by Cowan's, an auction house. I'm not providing a link to that both because it's an active sale and for obvious reasons, but it doesn't include this one.

Here's link of a Tri-Kappa name change, but no emblem: Kappa Kappa Kappa fraternity changes name to Kappa Pi Kappa

And here's the link that led me down this rabbit hole: The Skull and Keys Skull & Keys - Wikipedia

With this I think I'll leave off because I think neither of us is convincing the other. It's yours to deal with as you see fit. But I will point out that the Rubylane pen is going for $220, so if you wish to sell it, you could pick up some descent money. Or you could destroy it.

 

[Michie]

Well, the attachments cannot be seen.
Does it have the kkk stamp on it and yes indeed I looked up their pins with skulls and keys are def something they use.

Yes. It hhas a very clear KKK stamp. I’ve already taken it to several historical dealers. It’s definitely not a college fraternity pin. I just have figure out how to unload it.

 

[Tuur]

The pin aside, in the Cowan's auction is a postcard of a Rose Bowl parade float which was a car covered in flowers, with a swan on the hood, and a man and a woman as passengers. On the side and the front is a circle with KKK. Which has me wondering: Did the Rose Bowl Parade let the Klu Klux Klan enter a float or was that a Tri-Kappa float?

 

[Michie]

The pin aside, in the Cowan's auction is a postcard of a Rose Bowl parade float which was a car covered in flowers, with a swan on the hood, and a man and a woman as passengers. On the side and the front is a circle with KKK. Which has me wondering: Did the Rose Bowl Parade let the Klu Klux Klan enter a float or was that a Tri-Kappa float?

I don’t care. Seems you want to debate this. I already took the pin to several dealers. I know what it is. And it not a fraternity pin.