The Armour Archive

jester

Spanish style. Nice.

jester

Ooh. Cool. Thank you. The detailing on the sleeves is very interesting. That's more detail that we usually see. The blurb about how renovators used to just throw this 'trash' away stabs at my heart.

jester

Progress. Test printing the improved design worked really well. I am super tempted to add a mark that indicates the orientation of the seal but haven't found this in surviving examples so I'm not. I created the arms of my project patron, Mr. Isaac H Walters, and added them to the round seal matrix. ...

jester

Ah, follow on e-mail. They'll send me the full size pictures for 760 Turkish Lira (around $200). But they only have 16 photographs in their archive and they won't take new photos, can't take photos at an angle (I'm guessing they have a physical setup that doesn't rotate), and won't provide me with t...

jester

https://www.facebook.com/VariantofNormal/videos/1317662768379967/ I did a silent walk through of the process for creating the elements I need. Again, not the instructional video, just me walking through the process and recording it because: why not? My patron, Isaac Walters, has a coat of arms regis...

jester

You know how when you use an item/entity that grants wishes (like a genie or a monkey's paw) you get exactly what you wished for but with a twist you didn't see coming? The Topkapi got back to me. They sent me new images. They are thumbnails. They also suggested that I might apply to another directo...

jester

https://www.facebook.com/VariantofNormal/videos/1314444675368443/ Video of me working on the seal matrices. This isn't instructional. I was testing my ability to share my desktop and record commentary using Facebook. So you're watching my screen as I monkey with the seals (I finished putting togethe...

jester

I've updated my progress. I beefed up the design to account for the basic flaws in my design and my son whipped up a test print in PLA plastic. The ergonomics were much better. The metal print feels like it wants to slip from your fingers where the new design wants to stay there. The thicker face wi...

jester

I wanted one. So I did some research, whipped up a 3D model, and spent my 2017 mad money ($30, whee) on getting one printed in steel (60% steel, 40% bronze). Pictures at the link below. I've got some of the basics right but pretty much all of the details wrong. The stem needs to be thicker and needs...

jester

Decided two months without a reply was long enough. Re-sent the request. Oh, hey, a response. The Topkapi Palace Museum Directorate is telling me I need to amend my petition so it's addressed to the Topkapi Palace Museum Directorate. They also seem to be indicating that the Treasury needs permissio...

jester

Decided two months without a reply was long enough. Re-sent the request. Oh, hey, a response. The Topkapi Palace Museum Directorate is telling me I need to amend my petition so it's addressed to the Topkapi Palace Museum Directorate. They also seem to be indicating that the Treasury needs permissio...

jester

Decided two months without a reply was long enough. Re-sent the request.

jester

Jan wrote:Oooo...what's the timeframe of the Polish cards?

16th Century. The 4 of Acorns has a banner proclaiming 1547.

jester

I haven't made any progress in tracking down Gerald's lawyer. I'm trying a new track in searching for the lawyer who handled the sale of his home. There should be records of that. I did, however, locate a different deck with the same composition. This deck originated in Wroclaw, Poland, and is curre...

jester

Xtracted wrote:This is worth reading:

http://stringgeek.blogspot.se/2017/10/v ... t.html?m=1

Good read! Thanks.

jester

Last month I re-sent the petition to the Ministry of Tourism and Culture sub-department using the format I think they want. Now I have to wait. If they are actively determining how much it would cost to take the photographs and measurements I want they could be dealing with at least two other depart...

jester

What I think I know. Please correct me where I am wrong. Medieval writing medium starts as parchment which is, essentially, a really thin leather. Medieval ink starts as iron gall ink. There are others using lampblack but those are more paints than inks because they sit on the surface of the parchme...

jester

I'm interested to see how those that know respond to this. I suspect that, Medieval society being what it was, being able to afford armor was the primary qualification for knighthood. The acts of distraint of knighthood would seem to support this opinion. A 'poor knight' was typically a 'man at arms'.

jester

Mac wrote:I try not to ever say things like "they never did that", because as soon as words leave my lips someone will show me an example.

I thought I was the only one experiencing that. Huh, good to know.

jester

J.G.Elmslie wrote:Academic paper in a peer-reviewed journal, with evidence demonstrating what you think they are instead?

How critical is an alternate explanation? Based on the evidence that has been made available I'm certain these aren't playing cards. What are they? I don' know.

jester

There are three fragments in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art that are identified as Mamluk playing cards. These fragments are part of the Madina Collection and the classification was apparently made by the owner of the collection Dr. Maan Madina or his wife Dr. Marilyn Jenkins-Madina. Both of t...

jester

Jester, Thank you for this account, it has been one of the most interesting things I've come across in a long time. Thank you for sharing your adventure. Declan You're welcome. Come to Queen's Prize and I'll show you the pictures I can't publish on the internet. The Topkapi Cards quest is moving al...

jester

Response: You didn't do it right. Try again.

I think I understand what they are looking for. I'll try again.

jester

Very not an area I have any significant knowledge of but I was interested and did a sort of cursory search. I couldn't find any grave finds showing chests with that pattern of end holes. Everything I saw indicated nails. Is anyone aware of a chest that might conceivably have used this method of cons...

jester

Hey, check it out. It only took me three years of studying and working to get to the point where I can make a reasonable attempt at this. :) On the one hand, that happened quick! On the other hand, what a slog. Looking back on where I was I can see that I knew the basics but had zero clues about the...

jester

The first rule of research club is "Don't share the raw data with the general public." The second rule of research club is "Don't share the raw data with the general public." Or so it seems. I'm in the position right now of being locked out of some data by researchers and having data shared with me ...

jester

The answer is: No Response. So I submitted a new request. Hey, it takes maybe five minutes and maybe one day one of my emails will connect with someone who can help me. And, again, at least they respond. I've sent emails to institutions in France, Germany, Czechia, and Italy that just drop into blac...

jester

Thanks for the advice, everyone. Message finally sent.

jester

Forwarded the response of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to the Museum. Any bets on what happens next?

jester

Ha, ha. 'MRS. JORDAN, SINCE YOU CANNOT COME TO TURKEY TO EXAMINE THE CARDS JUST CONTACT THE MUSEUM TO GET NEW IMAGES.' I'm wondering if Byzantine should be updated to Istanbulian when referring to complicated bureaucracy.

jester

Heard back from the Topkai Museum. They told me to fill out a form. The form the other department told me was the wrong form. After I filled it out and sent it to them.

yay

jester

In researching the history of playing cards, and some specific examples thereof, I have tracked down researchers around the world and asked them questions. I try to use official contact points only. When no such contact exists (relatives of Gerald Krech who might have inherited the items in question...

jester

Altitude Steel in Denver has a scrap pile where you can buy by the pound. I used them when I had access to the plasma cutter. I had a blacksmith check the metal out and he said it wasn't great but it was better than he had thought it would be and it could be hardened.

jester

A curator at a very large British institution just had a conversation with me, asked me about my research, sent me high-def photos of the new card, and asked me to take a stab at writing a description of it so they can add the item to the online database. Some days the bear eats you and some days yo...

jester

Nothing heard back from the Topkapi. I'm going to try a variation on an old trick. It's always best to communicate in a language that people understand. I have been using Google Translate to put my missives into Turkish and including the original, English, source material. I'm told I sound like a Ni...

Re: Backgammon Set, Redux

Re: Making Playing Cards

Re: Seal Matrix

Re: God bless Western museum curators

Re: Seal Matrix

Re: God bless Western museum curators

Re: Seal Matrix

Re: Seal Matrix

Seal Matrix

Re: God bless Western museum curators

Re: God bless Western museum curators

Re: God bless Western museum curators

Re: Another Research Project - Playing Cards

Re: Another Research Project - Playing Cards

Re: antonio banderas must be so pleased

Re: God bless Western museum curators

Chemistry and medieval ink?

Re: Poor 'budget' knights and their equipment

Re: Riveted Historical Bascinet?

Re: Scratching an itch....

Scratching an itch....

Re: God bless Western museum curators

Re: God bless Western museum curators

Re: Gokstad ship chests with bound corners?

Re: Making Playing Cards

Lock up the data

Re: God bless Western museum curators

Re: Ethics - How far is too far?

Re: God bless Western museum curators

Re: God bless Western museum curators

Re: God bless Western museum curators

Ethics - How far is too far?

Re: Buying steel for crossbow parts

Re: God bless Western museum curators

Re: God bless Western museum curators