The Armour Archive

Black Swan Designs

I'm working on some right now and will put them back on the website in a couple of hours when I have them finished. Who knew strips of fabric would be so popular???? I can't believe how many of the silly things we've sold int he last 2 weeks, we can't keep them on the shelf!

Gwen

Black Swan Designs

Oops, forgot to answer the size question- My model is 6'2" tall. He has a 46" chest and 40" waist. He is wearing the 'One Size" tunics, and other than being about an inch shorter than I intended, they fit him perfectly. I think the OS Gored Kyrtle might be a tad snug on a 48" chest, but the Anglo-Sa...

Black Swan Designs

Emmm..yes... well....the hood.... I was prepared to offer the Early Medieval hood as part of this Dark Ages group, and even had gone as far as to make up stock in some Dark Ages wools- [img]http://www.historicenterprises.com/images/products/453_large.jpg[/img] Then that discussion about hoods happen...

Black Swan Designs

The culmination of 6 months of research and development, we are proud to announce our new range of Anglo-Saxon and Viking clothing ! As thoroughly researched and well made as our other clothing, these garments have been developed in consultation with the Authenticity Officers for Regia Anglorum and ...

Black Swan Designs

I say coat of plates, Jeff says coat of plates or jack. He pointed out the triangular shaped 'demi-fauld' of plate lames over the solar plexus.

Gwen

Black Swan Designs

Madder makes a 'red' dye, but having just spent the last 10 days buried in natural dye samples I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that madder red and scarlet red are definitely not the same thing. Madder reds are orangey/rusty and cochineal/lac/grain red is scarlet or cardinal red. Madder is...

Black Swan Designs

Lacking further information, I suspect no red or green because they are expensive colours to dye. no shoes with embroidery or pointed toes, no bridles, saddles, breast-plates and spurs that are gilded or have other superfluous ornamentation no buckles or belts ornamented with gold or silver, or even...

Black Swan Designs

El Jeffe does mounted combat, jousts, etc. in all of his HE helmets with historical liners.

He's fallen off horses, got smacked in the face, etc and still has all his teeth so I guess they work OK.

Gwen

Black Swan Designs

What's the context of the story? That may have something to do with it.

Or maybe he's a lay brother. If I understand correctly, lay bretheren didn't have to wear habits.

Gwen

Black Swan Designs

Clergy are never 'off duty'.

Would *you* want to be responsible for telling God to 'leave a message' if He decided He had something to say to you at 3 in the morning?

Seriously, I'm not aware of any clergyman from any religion who has official 'off-duty' clothing.

Gwen

Black Swan Designs

WOO HOO!!!!

Thank you!!

Gwen

Black Swan Designs

Update- Marc Carlson has very kindly provided images of the Skjoldehamn outfit, including the hood. According to information in M. Nockert's book Att Datera Textilier, the Skjoldehamn is in Tromso Museum. I've already written to them for more info. This outfit has been radio carbon dated to AD1029. ...

Black Swan Designs

Thank you! At least now I know I'm not losing my mind....at least in this regard. You mention the Skjoldehamn hood. The only info I can find on it is this picture from an unknown source- [img]http://storm.nazwa.pl/wiki/images/a/a4/Skjoldehamn.jpeg[/img] This shows gores in the center front and cente...

Black Swan Designs

Ny, perhaps you can help shed some light here. I've looked at the 'Hedeby hood pattern' on the Vikes site about 10,000 times, and for the life of me I can't make figure 21a look like figure 21b. I can see how 21b is basically an oversized 3 part coif they're calling a hood, but those are not the pat...

Black Swan Designs

You guys crack me up.

If nothing else it's worth the price of a couple of pairs of winingas for the amusement value you boys provide.

Gwen

Black Swan Designs

For anyone in this thread who is still waiting for goods from this person, please let me know if I can help you. I am in no way connected to Francesca , but I make something of a habit of helping out you guys who get ripped off by unscrupulous costumers. I do it to help counteract the negative karma...

Black Swan Designs

For anyone in this thread who ordered winingas from this person, I will make good on her debt and send you a pair free of charge. I am in no way connected to Theodora, but I make something of a habit of helping out you guys who get ripped off by unscrupulous costumers. I do it to help counteract the...

Black Swan Designs

Blanket is blanket, i.e. too heavy for clothing. Fine for hats, cloaks and other utility outerwear but much too heavy for tunics, trousers or other body garments.

Just a thought.

Gwen

Black Swan Designs

Hi all- We just added Lance covers to the website. Once you get your lances painted up all purty these are perfect for protecting your paint job. They're also great for protecting the inside of your car from scuffs and damage. We use covers like these for Jeff's lances and they work great! Super plu...

Black Swan Designs

There's a navy one in stock and the possibility that the black and burgundy ones will finish tomorrow AM.

How soon do you need it? If we ship tomorrow via Next Day Air you'd have it Tuesday, 2 Day gets it to you Wednesday, 3 Day gets it to you Thursday.

Gwen

Black Swan Designs

Fabric Direct is having a sale on cotton/linen fabric, $1.49 per yard.

Gwen

Black Swan Designs

I'm planning to run this sale through January 15. That should encompass every end of year/beginning of year holiday I can think of AND give everyone enough time to sort out holiday gifts, gift certificates, etc.

Gwen

Black Swan Designs

This has been a good year and I'm feeling grateful for all the work. There's been a lot of chatter about early 14th C. stuff on these boards lately, so I thought I'd put this garment on special as a bit of a thank you. Split skirt tunic- c. 1250-1340 [img]http://www.historicenterprises.com/misc/spli...

Black Swan Designs

Bump!

We still have lots of these in stock, ready to ship in time for Christmas delivery.

Gwen

Black Swan Designs

Should I answer this or are you waiting for opinions from someone else? I haven't said anything because I figured you wanted input from other people.

Gwen

Black Swan Designs

Just got an email this morning so I guess it's time to post this again- ------------------------- I just tried to set up an account on your website and ran in to a snag. Your site is not set up to do APO adresses so my attempts keep getting bumped back. I bring this to your attention in this forum b...

Black Swan Designs

The cotton plant has very specific growing requirements. Because of that it only grows in a few places that have the right climate. The Middle East and part of Italy were the only places in the medieval world where cotton was under domestic cultivation [that I know of]. Cotton for cloth was an expen...

Black Swan Designs

but there was more access to silk, so I think silk should be the standard for outer garments anywhere on the Mediterranean. Don't most people in the Middle East wear cotton on a day-to-day basis? Cotton I could see, silk seems to be a stretch for me. I'd like to see more hard info on this point. Mo...

Black Swan Designs

Dearest Vitus-

I'll be happy to give you my opinion on this subject, but I'll do it in another thread. Don't want audax to have a meltdown over the direction of his thread.

Look for it a bit later, I'm currently having a Monday.

Gwen

Black Swan Designs

Fascinating, all of this. Is the "Shemagh" the exact same as the indegenous people wear, or has it been adapted and made a US Military colour? I think I have seen this on native people in white/blue or black but the link is to one that is tan and black, and notice an OD green version. Simon quotes I...

Black Swan Designs

I know very little of this period, so this is all very interesting! I wasn't insinuating that you were fabricating anything audax, I honestly don't know much and was looking for more info. There was a huge bias against 'going native' in the age of exploration, so I was applying that bias to an earli...

Black Swan Designs

Since my persona hails from the Holy Land it is not unlikely I might have worn a turban or other head wrap, since it is a time honored solution to the heat and dust of the region. Time honored for a native, but how about for a non-native? There is a huge bias against 'going native' especially when ...

Black Swan Designs

YES! That's it exactly! Why don't more people try that? It looks ace.

Gwen

Black Swan Designs

There's a time and a place when coifs are appropriate, and 1300 is definitely one of the times. However, the "hood as hat" from the Manessa is a very cool look I have not seen anyone attempt. One of the chaps from de Lieebarts is wearing it and I think it looks great.

Gwen

Black Swan Designs

J. Peter Wild discusses wool colouration in his book 'Textiles in Archaeology' (Shire Archaeology, 1988, ISBN 0-85263 931 7), including a bit on Scottish sheep. He says the first sheep were dark brown with paler underbelly wool. White is a dominant gene, so early on men began to breed selectively so...

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