The Armour Archive

Black Swan Designs

Cool. I can't find a story for St. Narcissus, so she's probably a minor saint who enjoyed a revival in one of the confraternaties popular in the 15th C.

Also, FWIW, I'm with you regarding generatlities vs.absolutes. I've not seen anything that would prompt me to make such an absolute judgement.

Black Swan Designs

Ooooh, that's a good one Lorenzo! Any idea what the image represents or what it's from?

Black Swan Designs

also here: m eeerrrr....... you know that's the same image, right? Or did I miss something? In any case, the woman both of us are referring to is out worshipping with the rest of the 'family', so regardless of her pedigree, she's clearly not a 'member of the kitchen staff or a laundress'. I'm not s...

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The woman in the hood in this image is NOT a 'commoner', she is a member of the noble woman's retinue. http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v182/120/110/593316207/n593316207_887331_6156.jpg Giovanni Boccaccio Von Minne, Kampf und Leidenschaft- die bilder der wiener Theseide Akademische Druck-...

Black Swan Designs

Knight School this weekend John, sorry Uncle Sam has booked your dance card. We'll be having Open Practices once a month in addition to Knight School starting in a couple of weeks, so I'm sure we'll see you soon. Jeff will send you an update on that. Until then, here's a really nice short piece by D...

Black Swan Designs

Buffoon.

Blancmange of chicken is absolutely delicious.

Gwen

Black Swan Designs

it isnt a matter if IF you are going to come off a horse...Its WHEN Hehe, isn't that the truth? Thankfully, both John and I have crossed that bridge and lived to tell the tale. We should remember that some people make a very good living falling off horses, and for some the number of times they get ...

Black Swan Designs

Just for information's sake, all of the guys who wear the arming doublets I make don't wear pourpoints under them, and find they work just fine. My arming doublets fit tightly from the waist down to support the leg harness. The fit is pretty loose from the waist up, so there's room for air flow arou...

Black Swan Designs

I don't stock multicolour hose, but can do them to order.

Black Swan Designs

Email me directly to make an enquiry- gwen @ historicenterprises.com

Gwen

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Hi Marco- Taken with a tape measure: Low waist (where your jeans sit) with tape held snug but not tight Inseam- along inside leg from high in the crotch to the floor with no shoes Shoe size (US) we can also do them with stirrups on request. Gotta get to the airport now, I'll catch you again when I g...

Black Swan Designs

100% machine washable and dryable. If they fit well, cold/delicate wash, low dry. If they have bagged in the butt or knees, warm/regular wash, regular/short dry. If you've worn them in the rain for a week and they have 'grown', hot/regular wash, hot dry. Oh, and I thought I'd post these unrehearsed ...

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Everything is sold. Thanks for the interest.

Gwen

Black Swan Designs

I've held off commenting, but you're willing to consider purchasing hose and are concerned about the 'ripping out problem'.... A couple of years ago, the head honch of the Medieval Siege Society in the UK was told by a MSS member that my hose were 'indestructible'. He replied "yeah, that's what...

Black Swan Designs

XXXXXXXXX EDITED TO NOTE ALL ITEMS HAVE BEEN SOLD XXXXXXXXX After reading Charlotte's post I started thinking- I have some of our valet's old clothes left from the Red Company days- shirts, hose, doublets, a coat. Some of it was literally worn once before he grew out of it. Some is more worn. I coul...

Black Swan Designs

XXXXX THESE ITEMS HAVE ALL BEEN SOLD. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST. XXXXX After reading Charlotte's post I started thinking- I have a bunch of our valet's old clothes left from the Red Company days- shirts, hose, doublets, a coat. Some of it was literally worn once before he grew out of it. Some is m...

Black Swan Designs

I just put up some images from yesterday's training session here Impromptu Knight School/training session, 11-15-09 For a guy who did the lion's share of his riding 10 years ago and started riding again with 2 lessons in the last 2 weeks, John did AWESOME- http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs078.snc3/14...

Black Swan Designs

Hello all- Historic Enterprises / Black Swan Designs will be at The Original Reenactor's Market (TORM) at the Sports Connection in Ryton on Dunsmore November 20, 21, 22, 2009. We will have a good supply of various favorites such as boiled wool hose, arming doublets, points, shirts, underpants, etc. ...

Black Swan Designs

Oh yeah, that was a shetland from Hart, Shaffner and Marx. I have a supplier on the east Coast for that stuff. She snagged that off the top of the last batch of wools I bought to make winingas out of.

Black Swan Designs

FH- What colour was it? I make all of F's clothes, but don't remember what the last 15th C. [wool] one was made of.

Black Swan Designs

There is much you can do to control heat by banking and spreading the coals, but raising and lowering the cooking pot is fast and easy and doesn't mess with the cooking fire for whatever else you have on the heat. You don't have to move the fire to control heat, picking the pot up and moving it fur...

Black Swan Designs

Serious pedant question from me- Why hang a cauldron with feet???? If they have feet, they stand in the coals, if they have a round bottom they hang. End of story. And yes, I am the one who goes through the photos of 'uber period' groups and complains how the lovely fresh [grapes/pears/apples/fill i...

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Wade at Carolina Calicos usually has a pretty nice selection.

Black Swan Designs

Oh, that's too funny!!!

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'zactly. We need to have a caption contest for this photo-

'WTF mate! We're not going to get much done with you like that now, are we?'

'Duarte didn't say nothin' about this move, bro!'

Black Swan Designs

Oh, and I should mention be sure to hit the gym. Core strength is absolutely essential to good riding. I started with the gym before I ever got in the saddle, and man oh man, was that the way to go. I go 4 days a week and do interval/weight stuff. Crunches, push ups, and lunges are your friend!! As ...

Black Swan Designs

John- Hanging on is good. I know this because I do it regularly. I ride in either a dressage saddle or an all purpose, and have found the gullet is great for either one or 2 handed holding on. I have been told by countless people that after lessons, improvement is just a matter of saddle time. That'...

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hahah Bob, you crack me up! Pot calling the kettle black in the talking down to department 'I've only been riding since I was 12 after all'. Told me, huh? Hilarious! Hey Saritor, I will leave you in the hands of the experts. One of the cool things about my job now is that I get to ride every day. I...

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OK, Bob, I'm not interested in a fight, so I'll defer to your expertise on the subject. I'm sure you've read a lot more about this than I have. I really only have the word of guys who study the subject, ride in reconstructed saddles and participate in medieval activities in those saddles to go on, n...

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But Western riding isn't all about reining, it has a lot to do with seat, or lack thereof.

Black Swan Designs

I would argue that a Western seat is much closer to a Medieval seat than an English one. You are of course welcome to your opinion, but I know we would not be the only ones to argue the point. Direct reining is used to train horses what to do, but is not necessary once they know the drill. Actually...

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Anything that gets you on a horse is a start, but if you can find classical dressage/equitation, go for that. You need a balanced seat to be able to do what these guys do, you can't just sit in the saddle like a load of bricks.

Black Swan Designs

Oh, OK, I get it. I'm the same way so I understand.

That said, a St. Inglevert Tournament is a way cool plan and you should get off your butt.

Black Swan Designs

Why harsh?!?!?! It wasn't meant to be anything but a statement of fact.

Black Swan Designs

Sure would make putting together a 14th C./ St. Inglevert tournament easier!

Black Swan Designs

I have an idea.....

SOLD/Thread closed: 15th C. kid's clothing for sale

SOLD / THREAD CLOSED: 15th C. kid's clothing (boy)

HE/Black Swan Designs at TORM