Speaking of loose ends, I forgot something: the vélocipède aka the laufmaschine aka the draisine aka the dandy horse. I’ve wanted one for years. Originally planned for careening downhill at Genesee Country Village, it never made it there. Baltimore piano maker James Stewart advertised his “TRACENA” (a mix of German and French phonetics) in February of […]
Read more "Inanimate Animals"These are trying times. The Deckard coat collar is too small and needs to come off. The prosthetic side burns failed miserably. There are two weeks left to finish some 1830’s trousers. Solution: road trip. Kitty and his Drunkenness spent the weekend in Richmond, with Saturday devoted to the fabulous exhibit at the VMFA. I can’t say enough […]
Read more "Napoleon: Power and Splendor"A quick Preenacting update. Detective Deckard’s coat is a strange one. Aside from the color choice, external pockets and cuffs, the outer sleeve is actually part of the back shoulder yoke. The shoulder pads improve the shape, but there is no seam there. The yoke is also padded, and there is only one button. The […]
Read more "Interlinked"Well that didn’t go well. Making two coats at once was a huge mistake. Too many distractions. The regimental coat looks good, but doesn’t fit worth a damn. Snug WITH constraint. Perhaps Kitty can make it into a riding habit. The lesson here is patterns need to be revisited and fitting patterns made for everything. Don’t rush. […]
Read more "Boots and Bearskins"Well, it’s comfortable. Genesee Country Village’s early 19th century weekend made an excellent place to test the Summer tail coat. None of the interior seams are finished, the sleeves are not lined and the cuffs just tacked on. It was way too hot to button anything. After some initial confusion, our group of seven and a half […]
Read more "GCM After Action Report"William Sidney Mount created this fantastic Rustic Dance After a Sleigh Ride. It’s a chance to study everyday life in New York around 1830. Just look at it. So much going on here. Let’s just focus on men’s neckware for now. Dancing machine, in his yellow waistcoat, opted for droopy comfort: unbuttoning his shirt collar […]
Read more "Buckram"Happy New Year! The holiday was merry and Federal swag-filled, while construction of the Velocipede proceeds apace. Brother Joseph pointed out something excellent on eBay: These chaps are Italian, of indeterminate age, but could pass for 18th century. Plus they are sharp has hell. All of eight bucks, SCORE! They needed a polish and some […]
Read more "Another Year"Happy Holidays! So much work to do. ANOTHER IMAX film opportunity next week. I love emails out of the blue. Where to start… How about at the end? Remember this thing? It’s the early 19th-century equivalent of a clip-on tie. I added a strap and stock buckle from my collection, and two folded strips sewn […]
Read more "Odds and Ends"I received an offer I could not refuse. These crack shots are the Oxford Light Infantry. They can be seen at Old Sturbridge Village, and represent all that is sexy and good in New England militia from the first quarter of the 19th century. All their brass plates and buckles are silver plated. Their coats […]
Read more "Eagles!"