The Armour Archive

Black Swan Designs

I thought this forum was about history and authenticity* . If this is an SCA-exclusive forum devoted to the construction of cooler cosies someone please let me know and I'll bugger off. I've read all the arguments and I remain unswayed from my original position- this board should be about history an...

Black Swan Designs

Hear, hear! FWIW I second FireStryker's ideas, and anyone who recommended dumping "Authenticity". I post pretty infrequently because of time constraints, but if I had to provide an MLA citation for every post I'd probably have to stop completely. If the source and a way to get to it are enough, that...

Black Swan Designs

From Fashion in the Age of the Black Prince , Stella Mary Newton "These gaufres or wafers, were small ornaments stamped into fanciful shapes from thin sheets of gold or silver-gilt, and either powdered at random, sometimes held by a few stitches through a small hole, so they hung loose all over the ...

Black Swan Designs

people jump for the buckram rather than puzzle out how a piece might have actually been put together. Are you 100% certain that canvas stiffened with glue [buckram] was *not* used to make hats in the medieval period? I've always rather wondered about it myself, so if it has been determined that the...

Black Swan Designs

Thanks very much for the info! I thought it was Asbjorn but wasn't able to find anything to confirm that.

Thank you!

Gwen

Black Swan Designs

Hello all- I'm trying to get information on the Historic Combat Series at this year's Pennsic War, and so far I've been unsuccessful. If anyone here could point me the person running it, or a list of what's happening I'd be grateful. If this has been covered before, please forgive my ignorance. I di...

Black Swan Designs

OK Morgan, I think I misunderstood your point. Sorry.

Gwen

Black Swan Designs

Its not too heavy to walk in plate armour. Most people just won't do it. "My persona had money/ a horse/was tougher than me, so its ok for me to be lazy as hell since I'm not all those things" seems like a fairly big misconception. I won't contest the "lazy as hell" part, but if you want to know ab...

Black Swan Designs

I'm a bit suprised that noone has suggested decorating the garment with bezants rather than embroidery. There is much to indicate that embroidery in this period (especially the opus anglicanum suggested above) was used almost exclusively on religious vestments, church cloths and ceremonial robes. Be...

Black Swan Designs

EQT, if you find it again I'd be interested in your source for a "tank top" smock in a period text or context. I know this style has become popular as an "authentic 14th C. smock", but the only "tank tops" I've seen are the Bohemian bathhouse gowns which I take to be a completely different garment a...

Black Swan Designs

Adding to that, that everything has to brand new, or fit perfectly. We know from documentary evidence that there was an absolutely thriving trade in second hand clothes, so it's logical to assume that there were a large group of people wearing stuff that was slightly/very worn and/or didn't fit perf...

Black Swan Designs

I have one of your linen coifs (I do), and I am wearing a cotehardie, would I have worn it then? No. Under armour? Possibly. Hats? (As a knight/squire/man-at-arms.) Assuming you're before 1380 or so and the cotehardie is an outer garment, no hat, hood probably worn on the shoulders as a fashion acc...

Black Swan Designs

Coifs on mid 15th C. portrayals (1430-80) who are not doctors or fieldworkers. The coif under the chaperone worn by the guy on the cover of Skirmish last month leaps to mind. Coifs on post 1360-70 portrayals of people of means, not doctors, lawyers or fieldworkers. The "coif under crown" look sport...

Black Swan Designs

Jeff came off a horse twice during our last round of travel- once during practice in armour, and once at the tournament when in soft kit. Interestingly enough, he wasn't hurt at all from the armoured spill, but he did bruise his ribs quite seriously when he went off in soft kit and landed on his arm...

Black Swan Designs

OK, thanks for the tip! I could probably mix it in his beet pulp, he slurps it down like it was candy, he'd never know it was there.

What -would- it do to a Belgian's coat? If it made it darker chestnut that would be nice.

Gwen

Black Swan Designs

We just bought a bay (m) how much paprika are you recommending, and are there any side effects? You could also advertise on one of the US jousting lists like "In the Lists". It's not unheard of for people to be looking for horses for jousting on a list like that. Our Bella was a Percheron/Morgan cro...

Black Swan Designs

grimmy, I know you're a big fan of floppy hats, so I'm directing this one to you. Floppy hats of every description seem to have been quite the rage in the early years of the century but I can't seem to find any evidence for them past about 1430 or so. Do you have evidence of them later? I was thinki...

Black Swan Designs

There is no historical alternative to hose for this period. Here's a list of clothing for this portrayal with supporting pictorial references: m The references are for Burgundian from this period; the harness in question is a Milanese -export- harness and could have been worn just about anywhere. If...

Black Swan Designs

I'd like to add to Jeffrey's comments by saying what we're after is recreating all the elements that made medieval jousting the sport it was. We can easily infer from texts such as RenÃƒÂ© that jousting was a spectacular spectator sport- the caparisons, armour, crests, the knight's arms displayed on...

Black Swan Designs

Both Toby and Mac know about this thread, so once again I leave it to them to respond or not, as they choose. As to Rhoetus' comment These guys appear to care a little more than the average American jouster, as far as looks go at least. It's not only a matter of caring, good kit is a requirement of ...

Black Swan Designs

Oh, OK, well there you go. I'm rather glad Adam had a picture, as I had forgotten that there was a tie in the chin area. I think this is the one I made for Toby, right before I did Adam's. The only difference is that Adam's is twice as thick from the ears up and is therefore tufted in that area, rat...

Black Swan Designs

Please forgive the double post, Jeff has been really busy this week and not reading the boards.

We crave your indulgence as we blather a bit about our new "kid". I guess you could say we're really glad to have him.

Gwen

Black Swan Designs

Samuel, I hope your comment wasn't serious, as your inference isn't kind to the point of being insulting. As a friend of his, I can tell you Toby works his butt off for what he has, noone is handing him anything on a silver platter. I've sent Toby a link to this thread so he can say what he likes (o...

Black Swan Designs

I'm sorry but I'm afraid I don't have any photos of the liner. We look at them as sort of a utilitarian, "who needs a picture of that anyway?" sort of thing and don't photograph them. Jeff and I have been kicking around whether to offer them for sale though, so maybe we *should* get some pictures. I...

Black Swan Designs

I make the liners, Jeffrey installs them. They are a suspension liner at the top with an integral "cape" that runs to the edge of the maille. It's made of unbleached/natural linen with cotton batting inside, 2 layers in the body and 6/8 layers in the skull area. From the edge of the helmet down is c...

Black Swan Designs

We often recommend wearing the G63 gown over other 14th C. garments as a "coat" for warmth. Cloaks and capes, while very romantic, aren't very good at keeping you warm, where a buttoned up coat is. The G63 also looks wonderful over a nicely fitted cotehardie, as it provides a nice smooth foundation ...

Black Swan Designs

The latest issue of the Historic Enterprises Journal is now available online. In this issue- ⋅ Jeffrey Hedgecock talks about his experience as the guest armourer at the Royal Armouries, Leeds ⋅ The full scoop on the Historic Enterprises / Mandrake Armory alliance ⋅ A ne...

Black Swan Designs

Gwen get boom stick, Korg back off. -MY- beast!

Gwen

Black Swan Designs

OK, just wanted to be sure. There have been some pretty sensitive toes around this board lately, and I wanted to make sure I wasn't treading heavily.

Gwen

Black Swan Designs

I suppose I should point out that any list I posted was geared for 15th C. England and Lowlands/France/Burgundy, and that list is going to be a lot more restrictive than the "SCA Period list" that morristh is asking for, because "SCA Period" covers the entire world. So my list excludes North America...

Black Swan Designs

Bob, he's a darling. Like most geldings and puppies, everything goes right into the mouth. We brought an arm harness and a maille standard for him to see and after chewing on the harness leather he grabbed the standard and started trying to swing it around- whee! Jeff, we miss Bella too. This weeken...

Black Swan Designs

Jeff and I are pleased to introduce our new destrier Leopold http://www.historicenterprises.com/misc/leopold2.jpg Leopold is a 3 year old, 15.2 Clydesdale/Thoroughbred cross. Although we can never replace Bella, we are very excited to have found Leopold, and look forward to resuming our reenactment ...

Black Swan Designs

We carry a felt hat that can be reblocked as desired:

http://www.historicenterprises.com/cart ... &p=115&c=7

I posted details on how to reblock/reshape on this thread:

http://forums.armourarchive.org/phpBB2/ ... hp?t=46507

All the best-

Gwen

Black Swan Designs

OK, troll or not, I'm beginning to lose patience with your accusations Lothar. that white belt means something real. what he believes and what he has learned and teaches others. he didnt just drop a credit card on a bunch of stuff and say hes a knight. he doesnt play dress up. he lives it. its real....

Black Swan Designs

Thanks for the update on Gavin MS-S, I've often wondered what happened to him, and was fearful that he'd gone up in flames years ago. I'm very glad the hear he's doing well. I hope I get to see him again someday so I can thank him. Gavin gave me the first historically based boot to the head that cha...

Historic Combat Series at Pennsic- info please

Historic Enterprises Journal #3 now online

Please welcome our new destrier!