The Armour Archive

Black Swan Designs

Host is messing with the servers so the site has been up and down all day. We'll monitor the situation to make sure it doesn't turn into a chronic condition. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Gwen

Black Swan Designs

The arming doublet is down intentionally. Since I make these as ordered/to measure, demand usually exceeds my production capability (especially around the holidays!). I take the arming doublet down when turnaround exceeds 8 weeks or so. When I've caught up, I turn it back on until I get overrun agai...

Black Swan Designs

http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs152.snc3/17967_240982741207_593316207_4740806_4450747_n.jpg Graham Turner mug The first release in a new line of mugs featuring the artwork of acclaimed artist Graham Turner ! You've enjoyed his work in the Osprey 'Men at Arms' series, now you can enjo...

Black Swan Designs

Hi Jason- Can't speak for anyone else, but I didn't think you were questioning the accuracy of his rig. He's the only one in the world with a reproduction heroic armour, so it's not surprising that you haven't seen arms like that before. It's very unique, which is one of the reasons Toby likes it. H...

Black Swan Designs

Hi Wulfgar-

Sure thing. The clock on my wall tells me it's about 8:45AM on Tuesday on your side of the planet- if you'd like to order by phone send me your number and Francena will ring you. We take phone orders internationally with no problems.

Thanks!

Gwen

Black Swan Designs

Ah, DOH! I was transfixed by the splendor of you in your green and black outfit, and completely spaced that that was you in the archer's rig.

Gwen

Black Swan Designs

The lining of Kaoâ€™s coat is rolling out of the lower hem where it looks like it wasnâ€™t basted into the hem.

Do you mean where he has the sleeve turned up (intentionally) to expose the lining? I can't seem to find any other image of him on this thread.

Black Swan Designs

@ Jason, re Toby's arms. From Toby: 'They are quite precise reconstructions of the vambraces on Donatello's St George, made for the exterior of Orsanmichele in Florence. It was a commission paid for by the Florence armourers' guild. The original is now in the Museo del Bargello, while a copy has bee...

Black Swan Designs

Thanks for the interest folks! Francena is standing by to take your order- call her at 760-789-2299. If you place your order today and live west of Texas, you'll have it before Christmas with no expedited shipping (ask Francena to be sure!!!). Anywhere else will take 3 day UPS to be there in time. I...

Black Swan Designs

There's 'perfect world' and 'real world'. If we were super critical and took only the very best, we'd have about 5 people in the world to invite to our events. Obviously that's not going to fly, so we will be accepting kit that might not be as fabulous as Jeff's, or Toby's or Arne's, but still meets...

Black Swan Designs

No spangen, but yes on the bascinet- http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs004.snc3/11162_239542216207_593316207_4733801_4565973_n.jpg http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs004.snc3/11162_239542226207_593316207_4733802_4536416_n.jpg Bascinet is $34.95. I sold what I had of these at...

Black Swan Designs

And another 'oh yeah'- we're just back from a Caid equestrian practice where Jeff was authorized to compete in SCA horse stuff. I guess they thought he was safe enough. So guys (you know who you are), he has his card!! Yeah!!

Gwen

Black Swan Designs

What means 'pulling a Bono?' We're actually moving toward having a panel of experts to assess potential WJT competitors, so it won't just be 'Jeff and Gwen being @$$h%&$'. More on that soon, as well as future events. Gwen Oh yeah, and as for the above images- #1 flunks because we don't allow sa...

Black Swan Designs

Our plastic helmets are made of a very durable polypropylene and painted using environmentally friendly paint. Each helmet is hand painted, so colours will vary slightly. Available quartered silver/gold (as shown) or all silver with gold details. Available in one size only-fits most kids and adults ...

Black Swan Designs

Jeff Wasson jousts too, so he knows how armour should work for jousting. Same with William West of the Englysh Plate Armourie in the UK. There are some really fine up and coming armourers, like Matt Bayley, too.

Gwen

Black Swan Designs

Although I agree that motivation is essential, I agree with Brent- I think focus is key. It's easy to get people motivated when they know exactly what they're getting motivated about. IJL has very vague rules and whatnot- their focus is being a clearinghouse for affiliated events/participants, and a...

Black Swan Designs

Toby Capwell in his chapter robes. Tournament of the Phoenix, October 2009

Black Swan Designs

I forgot to mention that Jeff was quite taken with the way you have a brooch suspended from the top laces of your doublet. He thought it was uber-cool, and plans to wear his Phoenix medallion that way. Nice touch!

Black Swan Designs

why not focus on addressing the legitimate issue of how one makes a very dangerous sport as safe as possible. Equipment. You can't use half-@$$ equipment in this sport. Maybe with foam, but not with balsa. Training- you have to be able to RIDE not just be a passenger. This is not a stunt show where...

Black Swan Designs

Regarding the various tournament organizations, we support the IJL, as it has proven itself viable, and provides a 'circuit' of events with enough scope to keep everyone from newbie to seasoned veteran happy and competing. We hope the SCA will prove to be another circuit. Without numerous events sup...

Black Swan Designs

Hmmm. That's too bad, but if anyone should know about the IJA, it would be you I guess. I suppose the kit thing would be another point for the IJL, as they have several divisions with different kit standards that range from unarmoured (archery and skill at arms), thru the 'sport' jousting, all the w...

Black Swan Designs

I'm afraid the short answer is 'I don't know'. I only know what I've done, which is stitch around the edge. I know guys complained about what a pill it was to sew the voiders on, I started offering the eyelets to lace them on. Problem with that is the voiders and holes don't always line up exactly, ...

Black Swan Designs

http://historicenterprises.biz/bmz_cache/9/9c4a99ea98c9c087c841478dca3a440c.image.521x550.jpg The best method I've found is to put the arming doublet on some sort of mannequin or dress form with arms, and tilt it so the armpit is pointed toward the ceiling. Drape the voiders over the underarm area,...

Black Swan Designs

Hi Lloyd- At the risk of proving myself hopelessly out of the loop, I have to ask if the IJA is at all active in the USA? I have been watching the IJA-USA Forum religiously, but there is generally little activity, and nothing at all since September. The IJA_USA Website is a splash page with no conte...

Black Swan Designs

Jeff and I would absolutely LOVE to be able to include Americans in our events, so seeing this interest and enthusiasm is absolutely awesome.

Gwen

Black Swan Designs

That would be so cool to use in the sca Aluminum cores. Never happen. Well, it looks like there will be balsa jousting in the SCA, so clearly the age of miracles has not passed. Maybe someday you'd be able to use something like this for SCA combat. I suppose it would take a group of people who real...

Black Swan Designs

As the primary organizer for WorldJoust Tournaments, I'd like to point out that virtually *anyone* who is interested in jousting can play an active role in a tournament event, whether they ride, know anything about horses, or ever aspire to joust themselves. The sport and the event that surrounds it...

Black Swan Designs

Tournament of the Phoenix will always be mid 15th C. because that is our period of interest. We have plans in the works for additional WorldJoust events with different 'theme' periods, sponsored by various associates and held in different parts of the US and other countries. 14th C. is on the top of...

Black Swan Designs

I just bought the V&A's 'Fashion and Armour in Renaissance Europe: Proud Lookes and Brave Attire' and 'Medieval Jewellery in Europe 1100-1500' while I was in England a couple of weeks ago. 'Fashion and Armour' is excellent. Casual skimming produced a bad review, but actually reading the book mak...

Black Swan Designs

It's the tail of his hat- the rest of it is hanging over his shoulder.

Black Swan Designs

I bet.

Where did you find the fabric?

Gwen

Black Swan Designs

We work the horses twice a day for the month leading up to the event. People usually start arriving the weekend before, and we start unofficial practices as soon as people start arriving, as competitors want to get used to their assigned horses. Official pre-event practices on Monday, Tuesday and We...

Black Swan Designs

Transmission weirdness, double post deleted.

Black Swan Designs

That's a nice gown Charlotte, good job! [thumbsup] This one is also made of silk in a woven in a 15th C. pattern, bought from Quartermasterie in the UK- http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v77/120/110/593316207/n593316207_272069_749.jpg The customer paid a fortune for the fabric, but I didn'...

Black Swan Designs

Guys, if you're interesting in learning about historical textile patterns, Google definitely is NOT your friend! Most of the descriptions on fabric patterns are either vague ('medieval') or absolutely wrong (renaissance' or 'period'). The exception to this is the Perkin or Historic Room (which has s...

Mug featuring joust art by Graham Turner

CHRISTMAS SHOPPING- Kid's helmets!