Crown Pics!
And here are some pictures of the Russian-Inspired Baronial Coronets, aka the crowns. (SCA folks call them coronets, most other folks just call them crowns)
Both are acid-etched brass in a pattern taken from a Russian crown from the 13th Century (I think). The original was gold with fused wirework, a technique not possible with brass. The stones on Hers are Mother of Pearl, Onyx, & Red Tiger Eye & the stones on His are Mother of Pearl, Onyx, & Lapis. The Pearls are part of "Baronial" standards, the other stones were chosen to match the colors in the recipient's personal arms (both of which happened to include white).
These were really quite the learning experience, even aside from the harsh lesson of getting head measurements *before* making the crowns. (The SCA likes to make such things a surprise, which is a nice sentiment but causes some problems in practical application). I learned that the bubble etcher can poke holes through the metal, that if it takes 6 hours to get a nice deep etch in brass that means the Ferric Chloride is waaaaaay too old & weak. I learned that I really ought to have riveted the panels together instead of soldering them all. I learned that bezel cups are a truly wonderful thing. I learned that sometimes, you really need a big raising stake, no matter how small the rivets are.
But damn, they look pretty. :-D
Both are acid-etched brass in a pattern taken from a Russian crown from the 13th Century (I think). The original was gold with fused wirework, a technique not possible with brass. The stones on Hers are Mother of Pearl, Onyx, & Red Tiger Eye & the stones on His are Mother of Pearl, Onyx, & Lapis. The Pearls are part of "Baronial" standards, the other stones were chosen to match the colors in the recipient's personal arms (both of which happened to include white).
These were really quite the learning experience, even aside from the harsh lesson of getting head measurements *before* making the crowns. (The SCA likes to make such things a surprise, which is a nice sentiment but causes some problems in practical application). I learned that the bubble etcher can poke holes through the metal, that if it takes 6 hours to get a nice deep etch in brass that means the Ferric Chloride is waaaaaay too old & weak. I learned that I really ought to have riveted the panels together instead of soldering them all. I learned that bezel cups are a truly wonderful thing. I learned that sometimes, you really need a big raising stake, no matter how small the rivets are.
But damn, they look pretty. :-D