jendobyns

What I want is small (say holding a cup or less), matching, square-bottomed bottles with mouths for corks. I have some for my medicine chest, but they're all machine-made.

This gentleman lists both Jamestown and another glasblower as making custom blown glassware. So you might want to contact them and find out if they'll do what you need. Sounds like most of the work is already done, just working out size and price with them.

http://www.livinghistoryshop.com/resources.html

For that matter, it might be worth googling other glassblowers to find out if they'll also do the work, or if a school could hand off the project to a student for a good price.

Mistress Dobyns

$20 - $30 seems pretty standard, really.

Hey QMJ, do you know of any decent sources for square-bottomed, corked bottles (other than Jamestown)?

I'm not QMJ, but do you mean this? http://www.plimoth.com/reproductions/case-bottle.html

That isn't where I got mine, but it's the first I could find online looking for case bottle/bottles

Brick dust was traditionally used to keep firelocks "armory bright". It was mixed with sweet oil (think olive) and used as a buffing compound.

Pics would help....

Yep, that was it!

Welcome aboard! Love the avatar, do I see Pirates of Penzance?

Hi everybody!

I've been browsing this forum for months, as a flibustiers fan.

I come from Bretagne (France), and I apologize for my basic english.

Basically, I'm in a company reenacting britto-roman soldiers in the very early middle-age but I've started a 1670-80 flibustier kit recently.

Piracy and flibuste period is not much reenacted in France, so...here I am!

kenavo!

Welcome aboard! You've found good company here. It's a privilege to have a member from such a historically rich part of the world.

And your English fine! Certainly better than my primary school French (and I suspect you're probably the only one on this list who might also speak Bretton or Gallo, eh?)

Jen Dobyns

That's an awesome idea with the leather oxford shoes! I'll have to check out my local thrift store.

Ok, some time in the last couple of weeks I finally posted a pic of DH's first shoes, the remodeled ones from the thrift store, but I don't remember if it showed up in the gallery at the top of the Pub page. But it should be in mine.

And, talking to a friend the other day who is trying to do this on a dime, she's noticed while searching the thrift stores that the shoes with the most potential have been Italian. Something to think about.

If you are curious about the history of punch and its variations over the centuries, you'll enjoy this book, which is part history and part how-to guide on punch through the ages.

Punch: The Delights (and Dangers) of the Flowing Bowl

http://www.amazon.co...93713995&sr=8-1

Thanks, Hurricane. That was timely. We just mixed up a batch of punch last night. It'll be a bit green for New Year's (not that anyone's likely to mind) but should be nice and mellow in a week, then we'll bottle it up.

So, did this book inspire you to start making up your own?

Is there a 7th Annual Fells Point Event planned ?

Yes, there will be a 2011 event planned, and it will be held on APRIL 16TH, with the ball Friday night the 15th.

More details will be available later in January.

Duncan

Yaaaaayyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!! That means there's no conflict with the foodways symposium!!!!! *doin' a happy dance* And there I was, thinking I'd have to miss something

you may want to try walnut hulls, if you boil the hulls with the nut still entact it will give off a variety of tanish to grayish color , but wool doesn't dye that well, unless you use a commercial type of dye. why would you want to make your outfits ratty, it took time to do that and after you go to a variety of encampments it will become stained and such, remember everything started out new, most pirates wanted items that looked new and smelled fresh(they wanted to emulate officers of rank anyways). remember the caribbean is very humid ,clothing didnt last long anyways, you can drag clothing items behind your car with ropes -within 20 miles your outfit will look tattered.

I don't know why you say that wool doesn't dye that well. It takes a great number of colors in a veritable rainbow of shades. One needs to understand dye chemistry to a certain extent, but a basic dye bath of dyestuff, mordant and water + heat, can yield some results even for a beginner. Walnut hulls (the nuts are not necessary) should work for just about anyone, possibly too well. Just look around at a rendezvous, there's an entire population of guys wearing walnut dyed clothing! If you just want it to look messy and used, put on a pair of rubber gloves, pick up some black walnuts (this works well when they're still green and juicy), bruise them and rub them where you want the color. I don't recommend dyeing a finished garment made of wool. You're likely to end up with something a bit smaller than you'd like.

This page shows some samples of dyed wool (granted, it's Navajo, but some of the dyes are also used in European textiles from the period)

http://weavinginbeauty.com/workshops/dyeretreatsamplesandclassbegins

And in this video, a woman takes you through a sample book. She gets to walnut dyed yarn around 1:15 or so.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-dJuus0BlQ the video is called: Nancy Today: Natural dye 92) sample book of... (in case the link doesn't work).

Wearing your clothing as much as possible seems to be the best way to age things realistically. I have known people who hang their clothing out on the clothesline for weeks to let the weather get to it, but you'll need to hang it so it looks like it would when wearing it, not so you get the wear marks & sun bleaching half way down your breeches where they were folded over the line. Volunteer to muck stalls and do yard work in your period clothes. That'll do the trick, trust me! Nothing like horse sneezes to mess up a god jacket

What about leather? I know leather predates the GAoP and leather hardening techniques have been around since midevil day.

The Royal Armories museum offers this one:

Royal Armories Meseum Shop

it states:

These handmade leather tankards are modelled on the shape of tankards recovered from the Mary Rose, Henry VIII's flagship.

however I have not seen nor read anywhere of their findings after 1500/1600 ?

*************************

To reply to m'self, I just came across this "The History of Leather Drinking Vessels" on a UK page; they claim:

Later fashion, particularly in Tudor times, added a wider base, presumably to promote better stability as found with those discovered with the wreck of the Mary Rose.

However, use of the jack continued until Nelsons time when they were known as Boots, hence the naval phrase "Fill up your Boots" meaning "have a drink".

and they go on to say they were still used in the 20th century and popular among the mining and steel industries; but I digress as we are all 'dead' by this time...

The History of Leather Drinking Vessels

Oh, those Royal Armories leather jacks are lovely!

OK, here's one for a start: http://www.nga.gov/e...ndez/index.shtm

You want painting #15, although the rest of his stuff is really cool (the cork "wine cooler" got a lot of attention with the RevWar folks)

Late for GAoP, the artist was born 1715. And I'm just starting to look for samples from earlier.

thanks jendobyns. these pictures are cool and it's extra nice that the paintings are Spanish!!

So... now I want to have a CHOCOLATE POT also...

Ah, yes, please let me know when you find a source for those*G*

And when I get my chocolate cakes to look like the ones in the paintings, I will be a happy woman indeed. Just need more practice with the right tools.

The source? That's easy it's already on this thread... My link ... scroll 2/3 down fore the 1703 version like on the paintings...

Oops, sorry about that, I was thinking ceramic! The copper are definitely available, and he does excellent work. I may just spring for one of Peter's, as the copper is so much more durable. My brain's just been stuck on ceramics lately, bein' a Redcoat officer's wife and all.

http://www.pewtertan...p?p=1_7_British

Thanks for that, and the previous one as well. My holiday reading list is becoming quite full *G*

The pics from the QAR look just like the things I was finding in the earlier artwork. I love it when art and archaeology converge

OK, here's one for a start: http://www.nga.gov/e...ndez/index.shtm

You want painting #15, although the rest of his stuff is really cool (the cork "wine cooler" got a lot of attention with the RevWar folks)

Late for GAoP, the artist was born 1715. And I'm just starting to look for samples from earlier.

thanks jendobyns. these pictures are cool and it's extra nice that the paintings are Spanish!!

So... now I want to have a CHOCOLATE POT also...

Ah, yes, please let me know when you find a source for those*G*

And when I get my chocolate cakes to look like the ones in the paintings, I will be a happy woman indeed. Just need more practice with the right tools.

I just love Julia's stuff. Have a few pieces of it 'round here, they are all beautiful. And she is such a nice person!

Your one stop shop for all your clayware needs...

http://www.juliasmit...istoricpottery/

And who said the 17thC/18thC was drab... good lord... what wonderful colors... if you ever find yourself on Cape Cod, in Sandwich, make sure you visit the oldest house there. It's from the mid-to-late 1600s, and the color scheme is out of this world.

Thanks for the early Christmas present! That's such a cool reference.

art with metal and ceramic shapes for plates, etc:

Date range 1600-1700: http://www.vads.ahds.ac.uk/large.php?uid=86694&sos=2

While the date is early, I find it interesting that the blue and white ceramics are painted (and possibly shaped) like later period ceramics:

http://www.vads.ahds.ac.uk/x-large.php?uid=89508&sos=2

I think these would most likely have been Chinese in origin.

After surfing around looking at other still life paintings, the majority of earlier period pewter plates (no bowls seen at all in pewter) seem to be basic, un-ornamented round shapes. I do know an archaeologist who would be familiar with artifacts from the period and will check in with her over the holidays to see what she says. It'll be interesting to find out.

Very interesting to see that Wilton calls this pattern Country French. The pics I"ve found of anything close to that so far have been Spanish *G*

OK, here's one for a start: http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/2009/melendez/index.shtm

You want painting #15, although the rest of his stuff is really cool (the cork "wine cooler" got a lot of attention with the RevWar folks)

Late for GAoP, the artist was born 1715. And I'm just starting to look for samples from earlier.

I also have a collection of assorted pewter and Wilton Armetale pieces that I use, some of it is in the picture below. I'm not sure of the time period the Wilton stuff is supposed to represent. Maybe someone here can comment on the period correctness of some of these items so others can get an idea. Most of the stuff here is from thrift stores and yard sales (including my not-so-rare solid bottom horn mug!) so getting a set together for re-enactment use isn't difficult.

My (limited) sources tell me that the shape is Queens shape (for the plates and bowls in the picture). Block molds *for ceramics* to cast elaborate shapes for plates, teapots, tankards, etc. had been established in use by the 1730's. This variation on an earlier, barley pattern style (where the plate rim was divided into sections where now you just see an indentation) appears to date later into the 18th century. Iirc, second half, 1760's or so.

I've seen this shape in metal (there's a still life or two that shows metal plates in this shape) but I seem to recall them being later half of 18C, too. Worth digging around in the arts sites. Lots to do, so I can't get into too thorough a search at the moment. Maybe when the dust settles 'round here and I can surf and dig in the books. I know of at least one pic in my collection here that shows it, by a Spanish artist.

Hope this helps somewhat!

I also have a collection of assorted pewter and Wilton Armetale pieces that I use, some of it is in the picture below. I'm not sure of the time period the Wilton stuff is supposed to represent. Maybe someone here can comment on the period correctness of some of these items so others can get an idea. Most of the stuff here is from thrift stores and yard sales (including my not-so-rare solid bottom horn mug!) so getting a set together for re-enactment use isn't difficult.

Shouldnt be a problem with re-tinning......

Great! I'm going to check with the guy who made them first, give him a chance to stand by his product (they've barely been used and shouldn't be having this problem), but if that doesn't fly, I'll be talking to you about fixing it (or them, need to check the rest of the set). And I might know other folks whose copper needs re-tinning, so PM me if you're interested in my sharing your info with them, and info about how much it would cost (rough estimates, of course), please?

Thanks!

Can you do re-tinning on things like the copper pot? Mine has a worn spot and looks like it might be down to the copper.

I have a box full of mis-matched pewter, there are plates, goblets and I think a mug or two....I'll try to get pics up, as they are Williamsburg......

Mr. Hand, I can make you a nice copper mug.....used to make a bunch of stuff..

I ran into one such a tankard! What period is that??

That depends. They were still making them well into the 1960's or 70's, complete with a Playboy bunny logo on them

There were also tankards with glass bottoms so the wary drinker could keep an eye on the tavern suroundings, even when drinking, in case a foe or anything unsavery approached. My mom has a bunch of those in her basement from when we were on a local Medieval Faire's cast

Interesting. I had always heard that the reason there were glass bottoms was so the drinker could check and make sure there were no coins in the bottom. If the King's recruiting sergeant was buying drinks, a ploy to get recruits to "take the king's shilling", thus essentially signing on to military service, was to put the coin in the tankard. When they got to the bottom they'd pick it up out of the tankard ( lookit this! there's money in me grog!), thus "taking the King's shilling". I'd also heard they were a 19C invention. Worth doing some research again, I guess, to make sure what I remember isn't another reenactorism or museum myth perpetuated from docent to docent.

I have a flinlock pistol I got from a vendor at a medieval faire, problem being it's covered in rust, and the spring beneath the frizzen is weak. I was told by a member of 'Blackberd's Crewe' to heat the spring to a grey heat and bend it, My old fencing teacher told me a good way to clean rust off swords is to run some wet tinfoil own it, and I wonder if that would work the same, Any advice?

I think Quartermaster James has hit some good points here already. And below is the reply from our unit's acting gunsmith/gun repair guy (and county cop), Dave Woolsey (which seems to have some overlap with QM James):

OK first what is "weak"? Does the frizzen not stay closed when the gun is pointed down, or if it is shaken? Does the gun not throw a proper spark? Does the frizzen spring not actually hold the frizzen closed?

I ask as these are very important, for a proper flintlock the frizzen spring has a very small task, to hold the frizzen closed during movement of the gun, but it really doesn't deal with ignition, it can only enhance it. IF for example the frizzen doesn't spark well, that's probably a function of a bad frizzen, or a bad mainspring, not the frizzen spring.

First, the easiest way to deal with the problem is to contact Track of The Wolf, and buy a hard copy of their catalog…, which has pictures of locks in a 1:1 ratio, so you can hold parts up from odd locks to the photos, and see if the currently produced locks have a part that will fit, or can be modified to fit. It's pretty easy and it's why they do the catalog that way.

Otherwise, the way to fix the spring, is to have it heated to a dull red, then bent. (A lesser color won't allow the metal to bend) It is then quenched in Canola oil, (I noticed the pirate consulted didn't mention quenching) and the spring will then be brittle. It must then be retempered by heating it to about 600-700 degrees, and the easiest way is to submerge it in melted alloy of lead and tin, for twenty minutes or so, and then to allow it to air cool.

The next way is to have a spring made for the gun.

I have asked the gunsmith in our group what he thinks may be done. One of the techniques I have heard the lads talk about for rust is to rub brick dust on the metal, but I think there is more to it than that (a paste of brick dust and ? olive oil, perhaps?) Will forward his reply.

I have a flinlock pistol I got from a vendor at a medieval faire, problem being it's covered in rust, and the spring beneath the frizzen is weak. I was told by a member of 'Blackberd's Crewe' to heat the spring to a grey heat and bend it, My old fencing teacher told me a good way to clean rust off swords is to run some wet tinfoil own it, and I wonder if that would work the same, Any advice?

Dear Mr. Brass,

Twas not me who asked the question regarding the appropriateness of sand cast tin. It was another, I was just asking the question with that link for clarification, as an illustration of the closest thing I could think of to it in appearance. I couldn't think of anyone making sand cast tin repro items that I'd ever run across, but that doesn't mean they don't exist.

But thank you for the information. Mr.Goebel is a treasure and I purchase items from him when I can (I miss his regular appearances in April at Ft. Frederick). Tin is something I rarely buy these days, mostly because the quality has become rather poor. I am well equipped with copper, pottery, glass, and other forms of period appropriate eating and cooking equipment. The only down side to packing the ceramics is their weight. Where are the servants when you need them? Ah, well, it keeps me from packing a tavern's worth of stuff

Ms Dobyns – As the good Captain Sterling mentioned earlier in this thread you might take a look at Goose Bay Workshops, LLC. Peter Goebel, propertier, makes a nice repro copper mug based on an original from c1645 dug in tidewater Virginia. I have one and am quite pleased with it. There are a number of other goods he offers that might interest you as well.

http://www.goosebay-...m/CUPS-CANTEENS

For what it's worth, to get a general timeline on English 'tin' items chronology if you're not keen on copper, here is an overview from the Worshipful Company of Tin Plate Workers that might be helpful:

History of Tinsmithing: Overview by the Worshipful Company of Tin Plate Workers

The craft of the tin plate worker is an ancient one and there are well documented accounts of tinned copper and bronze articles dating from pre-Roman times. Tinned iron sheets, the earliest tinplates, were produced in Bavaria in the fourteenth century and imported into England from at least 1483 for use in domestic articles. There was limited production in Britain from about 1670, but the industry did not become established until around 1730.

The early tinplate was used for drinking vessels and for numerous household articles such as plates, bowls and lanterns. In the mid-seventeenth century, the trade of tinplate working flourished in London, in the vicinity of London Bridge, with the craftsmen belonging to various metal working guilds, principally the Ironmongers' Company which was founded in 1463.

Wireworking as a craft was in existence in the reign of Henry VI, when the craftsmen in London were members of the Girdlers Company. Early wire objects in general use would have included needles, fish hooks, cages, chains and traps.

The two groups of craftsmen decided to amalgamate together to form a trade guild for the management and regulation of their trades, and in due time the company was granted a Royal Charter on 29th December 1670 in the reign of Charles II under the title of: "The Trade Arte and Mistery of Tynne Plate Workers also Wyer Workers of the City of London"

Our first Master, was Thomas Aris (or Ayres), who was also Master of the Ironmongers' Company in 1680 and a Tin Plate Worker by trade. The By-laws were approved by the courts of the Chancery and King's Bench in 1678 and the Company received its Livery in 1766.