Thank You note

We did a demo at Deer Path Middle School last week Friday for their Cultural Days.  It was really a lot of fun and it's been a LONG time since I've talked myself hoarse.  There were a lot of questions at my C&I station.

I did a calligraphic demonstration (in the fanciest most decorative hand I could find in my Drogin book) for the kiddies and we presented it to the Principal as a thank you note when we were done with the day at a Seneschal's Court.

This was part of my DW 30 day challenge, and involved this Parisian manuscript piece that was dated to 1480.  The in progress pieces are below.

AoA

Whoo!  So one of my scrolls sitting in the " I've been Given but not Recieved"  folder has dissappeared.  I had info from several sources at Crown that she finally recieved it, and was stunned by it.  Yay awards.

Pretty straightforward copy for this one.  I actaully REALLY enjoyed this style.  I chose it on the motive of I have several of these that I could do for the 30 Day challenge and I haven't done this style before.  It's French, Parisian in fact and has been dated to 1480. I used brown drawing ink for the letters, to show the fading of the ink on the manuscript.

The text reads as follows: 

Hearken all unto the words and desires of the sovereign King of the Midrealm Dag and his Queen Anne Marie.  Long have we heard tale of the many good deeds that Ylva has rendered unto our Barony of Shattered Crystal.  In recognition of this service we are minded to grant upon her the right and privilege of arms.  She may choose and register with the College of Heralds those arms most personally appropriate and display them upon shield, pennon, tabard, and personal documents as she sees fit.  Written in the the record by the hands of our scribes upon this the thirteenth day of April in the year of our society fourty seven at this celebration of Carnival

More non-scrolly fun.

So, a bunch of my scrolls have been given but the recipients haven't been there.  So they can't be posted yet.

To keep people from getting bored I shall entertain you with things not scribally but still SCA related.

New Macclesfield Blanks

Yay!  Teenyblanks from the Macclesfield Alphabet book! I just wanted to do the smaller initials so I did them.  One G/O and another D/S. 

More blanks

So i finished up a new blank that I passed to Mistress Gwenhwyvar Nocturnal who will write upon it in teensy tiny letters for which she is so well known.  It was amazing to watch her write a pelican promissory right there across the table from me.

The blank is from Johannes Albinus, Excerpta ex Blondi decadibus Naples, 1494 which resides in
Munich, Bavarian State Library, Clm 11324.  It is rather striking. However the photo on my camera corrupted so you will have to make do with only the exemplar until a photo is passed on to me. 

Tja, I have another in this book on my table, so I can have a go at the hand.  It is not one that I am aquainted with.

Fun with Japanese Scrolls

This one has been sitting in my NOT YET GIVEN folder for a while now.  It is a Baronial Award for Ayreton called the Order of Ríáin Star.  

Inspired by a Japanese Kasuga Deer Mandala from the 15th century that I found in the Online gallery of the Art Institute in Chicago.  Their online gallery is quite extensive and I recommend a look if you've never gone through it.  It's worth it. The original is Ink on Silk and is just Exquisite.

Now, for this one I did translate each and every word in Google Translate from English to Japanese.  I know that the context and syntax will be wrong for some of the words, but as I do not speak or write Japanese with any fluency I thought I managed fairly well. I will find the English transcription here shortly.

 With and without the Seal of Ayreton.  I sealed it myself, so there was no confusion about where it was supposed to be.  I wanted it there.  :D


TRANSLATION: Unto all to whom these words come know that we Henry, Imperial Baron of Ayreton, and Nadezda, Imperial Baroness of Ayreton, are mindful of the time, labor and love that Kinji has most freely given unto the Barony and its cantons. These who best serve the Barony make the very stars weep to see them, and so in responce to his honor upon the fencing field and the graciousness he displays to all, we are minded to make him a Companion of the Order of Riain’s Star. Done by our hands by the gods direction this 12th day of January , in the year 47 of the society.

Now this has aged, but I don't think I matched the colors as precisely as I could have.  Perhaps next time I'll try painting with watered down ink and see how that works, since that is what they would have done.  /shrug

Indian Blanks

Saraswati gets to go home a bit for this next blank.  I love the Mughal style of art (probably a reason why I have an Indian persona), and their elaborate flowers and animals.
It came from the Diwan of Hafiz 1586.  It is housed in the Museum of Islamic Art, Doha, MS. 63.