This apron and collar were worn by a member of the Odd Fellows’ Emblematic Lodge No. 169, located in Reading, Pennsylvania. The use of this regalia was inspired by Freemasonry, whose aprons were modeled on the protective aprons of working stonemasons. Odd Fellows ceased this practice in 1882, when their degree structure was reorganized, probably due in part to the fact that their ritual was not rooted in the craft of stonemasonry. However, like Freemasons, Odd Fellows still wear collars. 

The apron and collar display a white-and-pink color scheme, signifying that they were worn for the Second Degree prior to 1882. The many editions of The Odd-Fellow’s Manual, by Rev. Aaron Burt Grosh, indicate that pink represents a love that should never be turned from its purpose, and recommends that rosettes of white and pink may be worn on the collar in this degree. The apron is hand-painted in gold with Odd Fellows symbols that refer to the degree and the friendship between the biblical figures of David and Jonathan, and also includes a banner bearing the name of the lodge.