DeMoulin Bros. Exploding Chair

This wonderful chair came from a 50 year member belonging to the Masonic lodge of Highland, Illinois.  He purchased it 20 plus years ago from a 'surplus property' auction whom they had hired to raise money for a large roof repair.   He told me he showed it to his Masonic neighbor when he got it home, (whom was 80 years old at the time) and he said do you want to sit on it, and he said: "$#@%  No", I  sat on it 50 years ago, and once was enough for me!

Here's how it works:  The jokester brother yanks on the cord which releases the hook on the side... the legs fan out and as the base of the seat hits the floor a smokeless gunpowder charge lets loose with a "big bang" scaring the $#!% out of the new candidate seated in the chair, now on the floor, while at the same time entertaining all the brethren present with a good belly laugh!  Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!!!  This was back when they made going to Lodge entertaining and strangely enough, lack of attendance or membership wasn't a problem!  Maybe our past brethren are trying to tell us something!

Here is the DeMoulin Catalog page from 1930 describing the trick chairs with all of the available features.  To see more of this side degree paraphernalia (click here)

  A special "Thanks" from Brother Al Lohman, a 30 year collector and 30+ year Masonic Lodge member from Wisconsin.  Al trades on eBay under the User ID  "lochlohman"

 

              

               

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