web analytics
The Secret (a treasure hunt) / Image 05
 | 
  • If you are citizen of an European Union member nation, you may not use this service unless you are at least 16 years old.

  • You already know Dokkio is an AI-powered assistant to organize & manage your digital files & messages. Very soon, Dokkio will support Outlook as well as One Drive. Check it out today!

View
 

Image 05

Page history last edited by Oregonian 9 months, 1 week ago

General notes on Image 5

 

 

Image 5

 

Specific Observations

  Please record your notes about this image in the list below.  Use the letter/number grid to identify the point on the image that you're describing.  To keep things organized, 1) please start each observation with a letter/number combo (in bold), and 2) add new observations in the right place on the list to keep everything alphabetized.

  • G5 - This fencepost matches the fencepost near where the casque was found in Chicago (see below).
  • I8 - The greenish-blue fairy pouring some liquid from a bowl is based on a fountain representing the Great Lakes (see below).
  • J5 - The hat the fellow is wearing is similar to the hat worn by Myles Standish in the Longfellow memorial at Longfellow Park in Boston.
  • L6 & M4 - The 5 warts on the face are what give the birth month of May for this picture.
  • M2 - Some have suggested that the symbol hanging from the ear flap on the hat represents the Chicago Bulls.  (There may also be a symbol for the Chicago Bears somewhere in the picture.)
  • N8 - "JJP," the initials of the artist, John Jude Palencar.
  • O5 - The collar appears to have a very clear "2" followed by a less clear "88."  These may be part of the coordinates for the hiding place (see below).
  • O7 - The jewel is an emerald.
  • P7 - The flower is lily-of-the-valley, the birth flower for May.

 

 

Other Notes:

  • This casque was dug up in Chicago in 1983 (see newspaper article below).  The burial spot was in wooded part of Grant Park, near where East Jackson Drive passes over the railroad tracks.  The Art Institute of Chicago is due north of the burial spot, across Jackson Drive.
  • The presence of lily-of-the-valley proves that this stone is an emerald and that this is the picture for the immigrants from Ireland and Scotland.  However, the written portion of the book strongly hints that those immigrants ended up in Massachusetts, rather than Illinois.  The contradiction has never been explained.

 

 

Image Matches

The middle-left of the image shows the reversed outline of the state of Illinois.
 
The greenish-blue figure pouring water is apparently based on part of a sculpture called Fountain of the Great Lakes at the Art Institute of Chicago.  The sculpture consists of five women representing the five Great Lakes.  Water moves between the women in the same way as it moves between the lakes.  The particular woman shown in Image 5 represents Lake Michigan (which would be a clue towards Chicago).  
The tower that forms the windmill at the upper right is based on the iconic Chicago Water Tower.  

The circular symbol hanging from a block and tackle near the figure's left ear has the design of the terracotta ornamentation that was once on the exterior of the Carson, Pirie, Scott and Company Building at the corner of State and Madison in downtown Chicago.  The facade has now been removed, but this piece was photographed when it was on display at the Chicago Cultural Center in 2010. 

(Photo at right by Jyoti Srivastava.  Used with permission.)

 
The map at far right shows the Chicago Loop outlined in red with Grant Park directly below. If the loop earring in the painting represents the Chicago Loop, the emerald would be right over Grant Park.

The silhouette of the figure on the horse is very similar to a statue called The Bowman that stands where Congress Parkway enters Grant Park.  The statue depicts a Native American on horseback shooting an arrow, but the sculpture was deliberately made without the bow and the arrow, apparently  to focus attention on the form of the human figure.
 

Under The Bowman monument is an icon that resembles an "R9" with a backwards 'R.' This may be a reference to the R9 family of NYC Subway cars and by extension The Pullman Company of Chicago, IL.

 

The “Arnines” were built by several companies including in Pullman’s Chicago factory. Specific R1-9 models (all part of the Arnines family) built by Pullman include the R6-2 and R7A. Replaced by Pullman R46 cars in 1977, either series would undoubtedly be familiar to a New Yorker like Byron Preiss.

 

Another railroad connection may be found in the building/castle hat.

 

Though not identical, there may be some architectural features evocative of the old Illinois Central Depot (aka Central Station). The design with distinct sections and roof lines appears as if different buildings slapped haphazardly together. Perhaps inspiration for the painting. 

 

Demolished in 1974, it was once at the southern end of Grant Park near where the casque was found in 1983. Though gone by 1981, Chicago natives would likely have recalled the structure.

 

The distinctive train tunnel opening is a particularly good match to the image. 

 

 

The Illinois Central railroad was also hinted at in the verse:

Fence and fixture

Central too

 

The pattern of warts on the individual's face might be a map of some kind.  The casque was found in an area of Grant Park where the trees are planted in straight rows and columns.  It may be that the wart pattern indicates a gap in the plantings where the casque was buried.  The different sizes of warts might also represent different sizes of tree trunks.

The design shown on the castle wall is very similar to the distinctive pattern of fencing used along the railroad tracks on the western edge of Grant Park.  There is an arched "halo" of fencing behind each sturdy gatepost where two lower stretches of fencing meet. 

 

 

The lower photo shows the actual fencepost where the casque was found.  (This post no longer has the arched section of fencing, but probably still had it in 1983.)  The view in this photo is looking west, across the fence and the railroad tracks, toward the stairs that lead up to Jackson Drive.

 

  

 

 

Latitude / Longitude Hints

 

Some people have suggested that the framework of the windmill blades might include the numbers needed to 'bracket' the latitude and longitude of Chicago. Allowing for some numbers to be backwards or in reverse order, the example at right might be one way to illustrate those numbers.

 

(Other people have suggested that the windmill is simply there to signify Chicago's nickname of "The Windy City.")

 
Some people have also suggested that the collar might also include those same numbers.  Allowing for some numbers to be backwards or in reverse order, the example at right might be one way to illustrate those numbers.

 

 

Grant Park in Chicago is located at 41.9°N and 87.6°W.  To bracket that spot, the numbers we would expect to find would be 41, 42, 87, and 88.

 

 

News Coverage

 

When the casque for Image 5 was found in Chicago in 1983, the news was reported in an article in the Chicago Tribune:
 
 
 

 

The $50 Bill Connection:

Image 5 appears to be a visual reference to the US $50 bill showing Ulysses S Grant. the portrait is based on a photo that was reportedly taken by Matthew Brady, although he is not known for portraits. It could be by another photographer. There are several notable similarities and it would also be a nod to Grant Park.

 

Notice his nose on the $50 matches much better than the photo

 


 

 

The Fair Folk Link

 

Page 10 of The Secret shows a map of the origins of the Fair Folk described in the book. 

 

The immigration reference for Image 5 is Scotland & Ireland. The map lists the species of Fair Folk that hail from that region as: People O'Peace, Trows, Brownies, Selkies, Kelpies, Sidhe, Leprechauns and Fir Darrigs. If the fairy from each painting is a depiction of one of the Fair Folk from the same country of origin as the immigration reference, the creature pictured in Image 5 is likely a Brownie.

 

It is possible this information factors into the solution. 

 

Description  Features & Characteristics 

The Brownies and Other Tales, Juliana Horatia Ewing, 1910

"Dobby", Harry Potter fan sketch

A Brownie is a household spirit from Scotland. There are many regional names and variations including from Ireland, Northern England and other countries.

 

A Brownie does all the unfinished work the household or servants didn’t finish after they’ve gone to bed. Is NOT to be paid. Food rewards are to be left where they might find them – not given directly. Payment or a gift of clothes will send them away forever or is a way to fire them. 

Other names/variants include:  Uruisg, Country goblin, Hob, Hobgoblin, Dobie, Dobbie, Dobby. Plus, many others.

 

Dobby, a House-Elf from the Harry Potter series is a Brownie. J.K. Rowling drew from the same folklore traditions for his name and qualities.

 

Additional Source: An Encyclopedia of Fairies, Katharine Briggs, 1976.

Very small, about 3 foot high. Brown-skinned and wrinkly with a 'rough' hide. Sometimes hair-covered.  

 

Usually prefer not to be seen and only do their work at night.

 

Habitat: Household.

From Wikipedia: “Brownies make their homes in an unused part of the house, often in attics and holes in walls.”

 

Descriptions of a Brownie's attire differ. One common one is that they wear a cloak (mantle) and a hood

Some Brownies are allowed a single linen cloth once annually that they wear. In other traditions, a Brownie is naked or wears only rushes (a type of plant). Others wear non-clothes items as clothes, as in the case of the story of Aiken Drum who wears non-clothing food items as clothing.

 

 

If you anger or disrespect a Brownie, it may turn into a Boggart and haunt your home. A poltergeist type creature. 

 

 

The creature shown in Image 5 appears to fit the general description of a Brownie. 

 

If this interpretation is correct, the Brownie is wearing what may be a cloak and a hood. However, this Brownie may be wearing non-clothes items as clothes. 

 

It seems to be wearing a building (or miniature building) as a hat.

 

The appearance of its hood is very strange and may be made of a shower curtain. The folds near the forehead may be unlike the way clothing fabric generally folds and its shiny reflection may more resemble a shower curtain. In addition, the "earrings" do not hang from the actual ear lobes. They are part of the garment and the earrings themselves either look remarkably like shower curtain rings or are very odd indeed.


 

 

 

 

Questions, questions, questions...

  • Can anyone interpret more of the symbols that appear in the picture?  What does the collar of the shirt show?
  • Does anyone have additional photos or news reports from 1983 that might tell us more about the discovery of the casque?
  • Does anyone have any solid evidence to identify the spot in Grant Park where the casque was hidden?

 

 

 

Comments (28)

Odeyin said

at 12:08 am on Nov 2, 2015

It appears that if you zoom in on the area underneath the Arch and Post there is a V underlined by and arrow..possibly indicating its position

Odeyin said

at 8:11 pm on Nov 4, 2015

Ok, so after studying the picture and knowing where it was found. You can definitely see the EXACT location of the casque in the above picture. So..

1. you have faintly the word JACKSON spelled in step like fashion above the post.(stairs leading to Jackson St.)



2. You have the Chicago skyline between the spire post and the Arch indicating a western facing direction.

3. Behind the post their seems to be a faint image of a Metra Train.

4. The arrow with the V indicating the location in the earth.

I will upload a picture. Highlighting what I see. Maybe I am seeing things...I don't know..

Odeyin said

at 10:26 pm on Nov 4, 2015

here is the picture I promised: http://s20.postimg.org/ajzkkxfvd/Chicago_Hidden_Hints_Revealed.jpg

please excuse my horrible drawing. The locations of the letters and stuff is right or as close as I could get it.

Brad Hodges said

at 9:47 pm on Feb 18, 2018

Can you please repost? This link is no longer working. Please and thank you

Odeyin said

at 7:48 am on Nov 5, 2015

It dawned on me. The underline is not an arrow, it is the key. The 'V' is the arrow.

Crimson Lion said

at 1:35 am on Nov 6, 2015

Odeyin. There is no point in doing anything for this page. The casque for this puzzle is already found...

tjmurphy said

at 1:38 am on Nov 6, 2015

I disagree. Finding the type of hints that work for the solved puzzles may help in solving the remaining ones. The clues may share some traits. Certainly no harm in looking through these solved ones.

Oregonian said

at 10:35 pm on Nov 9, 2015

I totally agree. It would be very useful to have detailed solutions for the Chicago and Cleveland puzzles. I haven't had time to work on it, but I'm hoping someone else will volunteer to do it.

ack said

at 4:15 am on Nov 6, 2015

I couldn't agree more. As a matter of fact, Cleveland and Chicago are probably the most important of all. It's only by understanding how these work that anybody will even know what to look for in the others. These should be as detailed as possible.

Brad Hodges said

at 9:45 pm on Feb 18, 2018

Odeyln, can you please repost your photo? The link no longer works. Please and thank you

GreenQueens said

at 8:00 am on Feb 23, 2018

I think it would be very valuable to other solutions if we could understand the significance of the highlighted blue outline of the gnome, is it the hat that is a reference or the outline itself or both? If it follows the trend it might be a reference to Grant park I can’t see or understand. Anyone have thoughts about the meaning?

Eric Gasiorowski said

at 7:08 pm on Feb 25, 2018

Greetings all,
just got an email letting me know that there was some interest in this. Ill be on this week, when i get a break and walk through it. thanks for the interest.

be safe
Eric

Michigander said

at 7:46 pm on Feb 25, 2018

Yay!!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Brad Hodges said

at 9:52 pm on Feb 25, 2018

Thank you so much! My wife and I will be visiting Roanoke island in the next few weeks and would love to know as much as possible about where exactly the casque you found was buried, how deep it was buried, and the dementions of the casque and it’s clear plastic box it was buried in. Thanks so much for helping us new hunters!

Jess said

at 4:37 am on Feb 26, 2018

Woo thank you! ^____^

Jess said

at 4:53 am on Apr 16, 2018

As always, maybe a little out there, but... Is it possible that the Leprechaun can be based on Lincoln himself? I mean- the warts, the towering hat, the to-the-side pose... I'm from the UK and the imagery of Lincoln with all of those things must be pretty iconic to have reached me.

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/0c/24/eb/0c24ebbd54f508f75675af2452a64095.jpg

As far as I am aware, warts are not part of a leprechaun's typical mythology. The things counted in the other paintings are pretty varied. Nobody else is wearing a huge hat. I don't think this is a coincidence.

Jess said

at 5:33 am on Apr 16, 2018

I should add that the side pose portrait obviously isn’t specific to Lincoln, but was very prolific in the Victorian era in general (which is why he wa often shown that way).

Jess said

at 5:49 am on Apr 16, 2018

Looking at it now, the paintings actually seem to show a span of historic eras (Roanoke = medieval knight, San Fran = da Vinci Painting, Montreal = Dutch painting links, Florida = Ponce de Leon). Might be significant in some of them?

maltedfalcon said

at 7:46 pm on Apr 28, 2018

no it seems more likely that it is US Grant.

Odeyin said

at 4:03 pm on May 26, 2018

"Brush and music

Hush."

Studying the map around Grant park..my hypothesis is that as commonly known:

Brush = The Art Institute of Chicago
Music = Petrillo Music Shell and
Hush = Harold Washington Library Center

all surrounding grant park..


Mister EZ said

at 8:19 pm on May 26, 2018

Brush and Music.....the Art Institute and the Petrillo Band Shell....sure, okay.

But...regarding 'Hush':

The Harold Washington Library Center, located on State Street (blocks away from Grant Park), didn't exist in the early '80's. Groundbreaking didn't occur until '88. Construction was completed in '91. Furthermore, Washington wasn't elected Mayor until '83.

The temp location of the Central Library, at that time (early '80's), was the Mandel Building. But, that building wasn't near Grant Park.....it was north of the river by the NBC Tower. ('Was', because it was demolished.)

A better solution to Hush may be Roosevelt University or Columbia College, depending on how long either have been there, on Congress Parkway or Michigan Avenue, close to the Bowman statue...and, close to the entrance to Grant Park.




Isstvan said

at 7:11 am on Jul 12, 2021

Hush refers to Jazz Fantasia written by Carl Sandburg

Oregonian said

at 10:56 am on Jul 14, 2021

Interesting idea. If so, it's a VERY subtle hint.

I've added the theory to the page for Verse 12.

KJRP said

at 11:10 pm on Jul 9, 2018

I have taken the liberty of adding some possible source material for the 'Brownie' wearing a 'Castle' on its head like a hat. I know someone is inevitably going to obliterate this contribution to smithereens, so please know that I will not take offense if you would like it removed. As always, thanks for the teamwork!

Kaspius said

at 1:21 am on Aug 16, 2018

Hi, one question, what is the material(subject) of the key? Ceramic?
Thanks

Mister EZ said

at 4:14 pm on Aug 17, 2018

Hi Kaspius,

Correct...Key and casque, both ceramic/bisque. The key found in Cleveland appears to have a thin wire running down the shaft (probably used as support for when the artist was making it).

Kaspius said

at 8:18 am on Aug 18, 2018

Hi Mister EZ, thank you !

Linda S said

at 3:15 pm on Aug 18, 2020

HI just uploaded JJP sketch of this image

You don't have permission to comment on this page.