Norse bling

[SyrTheo]

Hello Everyone,

I have had some time to do acouple projects since stepping down. Please check out the pics at Flickr.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eldesar/?saved=1

See copper alloy group that was made and then silver plated.

I am very happy with the 3 arm rings and drinking bowl. But, I always look to get better so appreciate advice or critique. My dog got un-blinded so she's ok.

Cheers, EikBrandr

[Mord]

Nice. What are you using for documentation?

Mord.

[kenrickb]

Hello Everyone,

I have had some time to do acouple projects since stepping down. Please check out the pics at Flickr.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eldesar/?saved=1

See copper alloy group that was made and then silver plated.

I am very happy with the 3 arm rings and drinking bowl. But, I always look to get better so appreciate advice or critique. My dog got un-blinded so she's ok.

Cheers, EikBrandr

I really like the arm rings. How did you make them? That is, did you do lost wax to cast blanks?

Thanks
Kenric

[Halvgrimr]

Nice work Theo!

[Derian le Breton]

Nice work!

I think your punchwork may be a bit deeper than is typical, at least going from the examples I've looked at from the Cuerdale Hoard and the Vale of York Hoard. Particularly the bracelet with the hexagonal shape in the middle. The one with the circles and lines of little rectangles looks to have shallower punchwork that is more typical of the originals.

I think they might be a bit thicker than the examples from those hoards too, but it's hard to tell from just looking at photographs.

Again, I've only examined those two hoards in detail, so my basis for what is typical may be incorrect.

-Derian.

[SyrTheo]

Nice. What are you using for documentation?

Mord.

Thx.

The bowl is from a hoard [can't remember which right now] that I found out of "From Viking to Crusader"

The twisted armring is my first of that type, so its generic in that the twist is from numerous hoards. And technical insights / examples from James Graham-Campbell's "Viking-Age Gold & Silver of Scotland"

The small flat is a woman's sized Cuardale hoard "style"

and the closed loop armring is also fitted for my Cup-Wif. Its closure is found in many finds, the shape and punchwork are my own attempt at something Norse like.

I have plans to make a repro documented for A&S of the gold arm ring forund in the Vale of York Hoard. The stamp in this ring is made and was used on this last ring above. See 4 center stamps.

I am also working on a Typology / research of the various armring styles made and worn by the Norse. If you know of an extant typolgy to help, that would be great. :0)

Best Regards Mord!
Eik

[Halvgrimr]

Are you going to be selling the little silver bowls?
I have always wanted one

Halv

[SyrTheo]

Greetings Sir,

The armrings I make are all hand hammered, stamped, chased, twisted, etc. I have no casting capabilities..... "yet", but do know many of the Norse arm rings were cast.

I have some Theories I am trying to get more info about presently.

The theory is that I think a percentage of the Cast armrings are also hand hammer stamped / chased for detailing.

Another theory is that many of the Ceuadale style armrings were cast into Silver blanks "Flat" and then stamped and formed after that. The concern in this theory is that the blank would be potentially porous and thus would "likely" need hammer work to finish shaping it first. [not a big deal, but not having done the casting yet, I am not certain. You?]

Thanks for the compliment !

All this work may lead to some armrings to sell at Pennsic, depends on time.

Skol,
EikBrandr


[/quote]

I really like the arm rings. How did you make them? That is, did you do lost wax to cast blanks?

Thanks
Kenric[/quote]

[SyrTheo]

Are you going to be selling the little silver bowls?
I have always wanted one

Halv

Yes, I am thinking about that.

The drinking bowl in the picture is a period form, there are others, but I really like that shape. Is this the shape you like best as well?

oh, and based on my best research and size proportions from that research, this bowl will hold 11.75 ozs of liquid. But that's to the brim and not recommended. :0) It will hold a good 10-11 ozs, so that last ounce gets swigged from the bottle or its no biggie cause the fill is from the Birka pitcher I have. :0)

Would you want solid silver?, or plated?

Thx,
EikBrandr

[SyrTheo]

Nice work!

I think your punchwork may be a bit deeper than is typical, at least going from the examples I've looked at from the Cuerdale Hoard and the Vale of York Hoard. Particularly the bracelet with the hexagonal shape in the middle. The one with the circles and lines of little rectangles looks to have shallower punchwork that is more typical of the originals.

I think they might be a bit thicker than the examples from those hoards too, but it's hard to tell from just looking at photographs.

Again, I've only examined those two hoards in detail, so my basis for what is typical may be incorrect.

-Derian.

Some very good points and insight, thx Derian.

Have you had a chance to examine any armrings by hand. That would be so cool. I have not. I know Ny Bjorn has, maybe we will get lucky and he will see this thread. I use the books and have spent ALOT of time on the Historik Museet sight.

Eik

[kenrickb]

Greetings Sir,

The armrings I make are all hand hammered, stamped, chased, twisted, etc. I have no casting capabilities..... "yet", but do know many of the Norse arm rings were cast.

I have some Theories I am trying to get more info about presently.

The theory is that I think a percentage of the Cast armrings are also hand hammer stamped / chased for detailing.

Another theory is that many of the Ceuadale style armrings were cast into Silver blanks "Flat" and then stamped and formed after that. The concern in this theory is that the blank would be potentially porous and thus would "likely" need hammer work to finish shaping it first. [not a big deal, but not having done the casting yet, I am not certain. You?]

Thanks for the compliment !

All this work may lead to some armrings to sell at Pennsic, depends on time.

Skol,
EikBrandr

I really like the arm rings. How did you make them? That is, did you do lost wax to cast blanks?

Thanks
Kenric[/quote][/quote]

I've been plotting out a bronze foundry primarily for casting blanks to make arm rings. So I'm very curious. If you don't cast your blanks, where do you get your metal?

Thanks,
Kenric

[Mord]

Nice. What are you using for documentation?

Mord.

Thx.

The bowl is from a hoard [can't remember which right now] that I found out of "From Viking to Crusader"

The twisted armring is my first of that type, so its generic in that the twist is from numerous hoards. And technical insights / examples from James Graham-Campbell's "Viking-Age Gold & Silver of Scotland"

The small flat is a woman's sized Cuardale hoard "style"

and the closed loop armring is also fitted for my Cup-Wif. Its closure is found in many finds, the shape and punchwork are my own attempt at something Norse like.

I have plans to make a repro documented for A&S of the gold arm ring forund in the Vale of York Hoard. The stamp in this ring is made and was used on this last ring above. See 4 center stamps.

I am also working on a Typology / research of the various armring styles made and worn by the Norse. If you know of an extant typolgy to help, that would be great. :0)

Best Regards Mord!
Eik

I have heard (which is to say I have not seen it) of a typology of oval brooches for woman, but really nothing else for jewellry.

Btw, you might want to look in some hack silver collections from hordes.

Mord.

[Halvgrimr]

Are you going to be selling the little silver bowls?
I have always wanted one

Halv

Yes, I am thinking about that.
<snip>
Would you want solid silver?, or plated?

Ideally solid silver
That said, Im putting an SCA hard kit back together so currently Id probably be willing to do whatever was cheapest:)

[SyrTheo]

[/quote]

I've been plotting out a bronze foundry primarily for casting blanks to make arm rings. So I'm very curious. If you don't cast your blanks, where do you get your metal?

Thanks,
Kenric[/quote]


Cool !! Bronze foundry

Copper alloy sheet or silver [fine or sterling] sheet

This can be bought at Mcmaster Carr [expensive] other various metal suppliers, or found as a kick plate in a flea market.

The "raw material" is just that. Being sometimes in the alloy and thickness I want at the get go is a plus. I have hammered small thick blanks into long thin blanks and visaversa.]

The casting of blanks would speed the process up in many ways, IMO. And it would be more period. Though based on the hammer to refine concept, I am still thinking that the cast blank would be potentially more of a Standard size shape that would be hammered to exact shape required for the artists / Customers need.

Thoughts??

So you have alot of experience casting??

Best, Eiki

[Mord]

Just a thought, Syr: in my moments of slowness of slowness here that the Oz Municipal Salt Mine & Biblioteck, I've been skimming through "Fornvannen," one the premire archaeological periodicals on available online. Tedious at times, but profitable. All sort of neat stuff there. Give it a try.

Mord.

[SyrTheo]

Great site, thx Mord!

I already found one armring to study up on. It takes a while to download the pdf's for me. Do you have any suggestions on search methods?

Eik

[kenrickb]

I've been plotting out a bronze foundry primarily for casting blanks to make arm rings. So I'm very curious. If you don't cast your blanks, where do you get your metal?

Thanks,
Kenric[/quote]


Cool !! Bronze foundry

Copper alloy sheet or silver [fine or sterling] sheet

This can be bought at Mcmaster Carr [expensive] other various metal suppliers, or found as a kick plate in a flea market.

The "raw material" is just that. Being sometimes in the alloy and thickness I want at the get go is a plus. I have hammered small thick blanks into long thin blanks and visaversa.]

The casting of blanks would speed the process up in many ways, IMO. And it would be more period. Though based on the hammer to refine concept, I am still thinking that the cast blank would be potentially more of a Standard size shape that would be hammered to exact shape required for the artists / Customers need.

Thoughts??

So you have alot of experience casting??

Best, Eiki[/quote]

I've cast a lot of pewter but only a few things in bronze. They were small enough that I used a small sand casting flask I had. I've been reading up on low cost furnace designs and I have one that I think will come in under $100 easily. Ultimately I want to set up a ground hearth to do the casting but that takes a bellows to do it right so i have to get that first.

Kenric

[Mord]

Great site, thx Mord!

I already found one armring to study up on. It takes a while to download the pdf's for me. Do you have any suggestions on search methods?

Eik

Well, I've just made it a point to browse and take notes--time consuming, but interesting.

Also, try looking at "Nordic Archaeological Abstracts" online. There's a "free" part and "subscribers" part. It's a little funky, but worth-while.

Good luck. Be patient. Have fun.

Mord.

[SyrTheo]

I've cast a lot of pewter but only a few things in bronze. They were small enough that I used a small sand casting flask I had. I've been reading up on low cost furnace designs and I have one that I think will come in under $100 easily. Ultimately I want to set up a ground hearth to do the casting but that takes a bellows to do it right so i have to get that first.

Kenric

Hi,

That sounds VERY interesting, I would really appreciate some direction in this "Very cost effective" furnace design you speak of , Sir!

Eik

[SyrTheo]

Great site, thx Mord!

I already found one armring to study up on. It takes a while to download the pdf's for me. Do you have any suggestions on search methods?

Eik

Well, I've just made it a point to browse and take notes--time consuming, but interesting.

Also, try looking at "Nordic Archaeological Abstracts" online. There's a "free" part and "subscribers" part. It's a little funky, but worth-while.

Good luck. Be patient. Have fun.

Mord.

Thx Sir!!

[Greenshield]

Beautiful work as always Sir!

Looking forward to seeing you and your lady (and your new bling) at GW!

Cheers!

Cam

[Ceadda]

very cool work.

[SyrTheo]

Thanks to HRM Camric and Crimthann!!

[Derian le Breton]

Some very good points and insight, thx Derian.

Anytime.

Have you had a chance to examine any armrings by hand. That would be so cool. I have not.

That would be super cool, but alas, I haven't. I have some nice photos in one of my Vikings & Medieval Scandinavia textbooks, and I've seen some similar pieces in museums. I *think* I've seen the Cuerdale Hoard in the British Museum, but that was before I was really into medieval stuff so I didn't pay close attention.

I've handled some 14th century punched jewelery bits, and a really awesome engraved Anglo-Saxon thingy:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/derianlebr ... 432964658/

The depth of punched decoration in medieval jewelery is generally rather shallow, from what I've seen. Just enough to provide crisp edges and catch the light, it seems...

-Derian.

[SyrTheo]

Great A/S piece!