Vendel madness! -- myArmoury.com

Viktor Abrahamson · Posted: Thu 19 May, 2011 5:24 am Post subject:

Very good looking kits.
Who made all the lovely shieldbosses (2:nd picture)?
It´s nice to see some variation to the usual ones.

/Viktor

Paul Hansen · Posted: Thu 19 May, 2011 11:14 am Post subject:

Some really good looking stuff there!

Bruce Tordoff · Industry Professional

@Viktor, in the pic you referred to, the shield bosses (from left to right), 1st, 5th, 8th and 10th were made by
http://www.rudis-kuenstlerwerkstatt.de/gallerie-helm-engl.htm who in my opinion is 'da man!' when it comes to period shield bosses, also, bosses come with custom made hand forged rivets of your choice. They are well made, quite thick and beautifully finished. Not sure sure about the others in the pic. Except the one in the hands of the guy wearing the Valsgarde 7 Helm, With the red shield, is a boss that I made myself, ( 1st attempt, I might add, so its a bit naff.) The button at the centre of the boss is the locking collet from an angle grinder! Welded on to the boss.
As one of the folk in the pics, thanks to all of you for your kind comments, I also might add, don't you think that the horse makes Paul M looks slimmer? Sorry Paul Laughing Out Loud

Paul Mortimer · Posted: Tue 24 May, 2011 2:10 pm Post subject:

It's me special diet, Bruce! Works wonders -- let me know if you want to lose soem and I'll give you the details.

Some of us did some work yesterday, for Tamworth Council -- one of the towns that have a claim on the Staffordshire Hoard, which was found in 2009. They have put a video on YouTube - so for your amusement here is a link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHd5w8fp15A

Paul

David Clark · Posted: Tue 24 May, 2011 5:18 pm Post subject:

Jeremy V. Krause · Posted: Tue 24 May, 2011 5:31 pm Post subject:

Hi Paul,

Where do you get those furs from?

I think I saw you on a discovery show about a migration period hoard found in the UK. Was that you?

Peter Cowan · Posted: Wed 25 May, 2011 12:46 am Post subject:

Paul & Bruce,
Both your pictures and the youtube bit were great to see. Your lot are a real inspiration to those of us who have just started this hobby and I hope to return the favour in the future. Please keep the pics coming.

Paul Mortimer · Posted: Thu 26 May, 2011 7:29 am Post subject:

Hi David,
we tend to make our own clothing or at least, it is often made by others within the group. I made my decorated coat - the tablet weave was made by a very good friend of ours.

Jeremy,
The skins came from Canada. It was me in the Saxon Gold programme.

Very much looking forward to seeing your own projects, Peter.

Thanks to everyone for your encouragement and positive comments, it is all very much appreciated.

Paul

Paul Mortimer · Posted: Mon 27 Jun, 2011 9:29 am Post subject:

Dave Roper has just started his new Facebook page -- it gives a good idea of the sort of range that he can make -- not just Vendel period stuff.

You can find it here:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ganderwick-Crea...3819290228

He can be contacted through that link, too.

Cheers,

Paul

Paul Mortimer · Posted: Tue 12 Jul, 2011 1:40 pm Post subject:

We will be at Sutton Hoo on the 23rd and 24th July - if anyone is around and in England during that time - we will be pleased to see you.

Cheers,

Paul

William P · Posted: Fri 15 Jul, 2011 8:22 am Post subject:

WOW. y my reckoning even one of those helms would have cost as much as my whole kit put together.
or most of my kit. snce (sword $175 helm 200 shield ~100 in materials, gambeson 140, vambrace, $5 for the metal splints. )

Vinícius Arruda · Posted: Fri 15 Jul, 2011 4:44 pm Post subject:

Really amazing, guys!
When I look to such a well equiped group I think to myself "That's why I love this 'sword & shield' things!" =)

Paul Mortimer · Posted: Fri 29 Jul, 2011 3:14 am Post subject:

Just a few more pictures taken last weekend by our group member, James Wilson, at Sutton Hoo. Dave Huggin's new shield, made by Thorkil, had its first outing. We were honored with the presence of three friends from the Spanish group, Clan del Cuevo, 3rd picture.

The last is a picture of Brussi!

Paul

Peter Cowan · Posted: Fri 29 Jul, 2011 6:15 pm Post subject: vendel madness

Thanks for the new pictures, Paul. Spectacular as usual. You really set the bar high.
I hadn't seen your whetstone before. Beautiful. Was that made by Dave Roper?
I am still waiting for my pieces to come, although by October I should be able to send some pics.
Please keep sending your pictures and tell Bruce he looks very satisfied about something.

Paul Mortimer · Posted: Sat 30 Jul, 2011 4:11 am Post subject:

Thanks Peter. The metalwork on the whetstone was made by Dave but the stone was carved by master mason, Brian Ansell. We used the same type of stone as the original, which is harder than iron, yet he could only use iron chisels --apparently it is all in the technique. We found out a great deal about the original by doing this, for instance the curves along the bar have a radius of 16 feet 4 inches!

I have included some more pictures - the whetstone, Brussi and Mark Routledge taking a slave!, Dave Huggins in Thorkil's Vendel XIV and some of our ladies.

Paul

E. Storesund · Posted: Sat 30 Jul, 2011 5:27 am Post subject:

Wow, the sceptre! Paul; do you have any plans in the future to do an interpretation of the lyre as well?

Bruce Tordoff · Industry Professional

Thanks guys for all the great comments,
Peter, I can't think what I was looking satisfied about either, it must have been the residual effect of the copious amounts of alcohol the previous evening!
RE; the pic of Dave Huggins wearing the Thorkil V14, it's not the helm that's not on straight, it's his head! Lol!
Twas a fantastic weekend, some of our group laid on special drama and excitement.
later,

Bruce,
and PS, Paul, can you send out a memo please, no one in our group is to photograph me whilst sat down, it makes me look fat. (Er, fatter!)

Paul Mortimer · Posted: Mon 01 Aug, 2011 8:39 am Post subject:

I do have the lyre -- here is a picture of it -- the woodwork has been darkened deliberately to better show the fittings.

I have taken the opportunity to add an additional picture or two. One is of Matt Bunker -- a doughty warrior if ever there was one!
Another shows Steve Pollington and Dave Roper of Ganderwick Creations. And the last, 'The Little Prince'!

Paul

E. Storesund · Posted: Mon 01 Aug, 2011 1:00 pm Post subject:

It looks like the work of Michael J. King, am I correct?
I have a similar one myself, but not with the same fittings and with a natural finish.
I was going to suggest - in case you didn't have one - that a painted lyre would be fitting for your outfit. Surely it shouldn't be hard to imagine that the original would have been dyed with some sort of pigment as have been found in other instances. Apart from it just being reasonable, has there ever been an analysis done that suggests the original had some sort of colouring?

Paul Mortimer · Posted: Mon 01 Aug, 2011 2:10 pm Post subject:

It is a Michael J King, with fittings by Mr Roper. He coloured it. I am having a little more work done to it. Following discoveries like the Trossingen lyre, it seems that lyres may have been routinely decorated. Vert little wood remains of the Sutton Hoo and no decoration has been detected, but I think that the metal fittings may give a clue as to what may have been on the lyre. When the new work has been completed I will post a picture.

Do you play your lyre?

Paul