Tuesday, August 22, 2017

Parchment, maybe?


This was a multi-year project, and ongoing as the one hide has yielded quite a few scrolls so far.  I may finish it off with the peerage scroll coming up.  I have had a great deal of help from other SCAdians across the country in parchment-making theory and techniques now, and hopefully after the next 2 major projects I will be making new, fresh parchment with new, fresh deer hides.  I'm determined that my ducks will be in a row for the next round, and it won't be such a comedy of errors. 
Original parchment maker or leatherworker scudding hides.

Yeah, that got left a bit too long... smells kinda bad... but it's fine!  It's fine.  This is fine... until it broke the poorly constructed frame and I gave up for a few years.
But needs must, and never fear dear reader, the deer did not die only to be consigned to the gut pile (poor sheep hide, RIP).

While mistakes were made, it is usable, and I've been delighted to use it.  You can read more about the misadventures of the 1st Not-quite-maybe Parchment here.  While we didn't manage the highest quality product, it is lovely and nicer to work on than perg or hot press in many ways. 

If you ever have the chance to work on parchment or vellum, I highly recommend trying it... making it is for the few, the brave, the ones who don't mind smelly dirty icky mucky hard work.  It is an animal product, so be conscious of your recipient's sensibilities, but for the historian who appreciates accuracy in materials, this is a good way to go; even if you just purchase a small amount to experiment with.  Try it with a feather quill, you won't regret it. 

I get the biggest kick out of the thorns in this hide.  Couldn't have been terribly comfortable for the deer, but the history geek in me is utterly delighted at the botanical, biological and artistic aspects, and how that information is still preserved in manuscripts of the past. Genetic tests have revealed calf, goat, sheep, several kinds of deer, and I'm dancing in impatience to know if the finer vellum was shaved down or if it was something like rabbit.  It appears, like today, nothing was wasted.

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