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Magistra Cassandra's Laurel Scroll

This page chronicles the creation of a Laurel Scroll for the elevation of Bess' apprentice sister Cassandra Elenora di Milano to the Order of the Laurel.

 Inspiration Pieces

 

The seals that Conchobar makes should be similar to this Middle Kingdom Wax Seal.

Materials & Layout

  • 11"hx 14.5"w Goat skin parchment.  10/1/03 - The bottom of the parchment was cut on a freeform curve and a white space border was  marked out with a #4 pencil leaving a calligraphy and illumination workspace for the art measuring 7.5"h x 12.5"w.
Above you see a quick sketch of the concept for Cassy's Laurel Scroll combining elements of the inspiration pieces.

 

Text

 Whoo hoo!!!  10/10/03 and after 2 hours of layout and 4 hours I've finished the calligraphy!!

To all nobles and gentles these present letters reading, hearing or seeing Master Rory mac Feidhlimidh as Dragon Principal Herald and King of Armes of the Middle Kingdom sendith due and humble commendation and greeting.


Equity willeth and reason ordaneth that men virtuous and of noble courage be by their merits and good renown rewarded not alone by their deeds, but to be placed with honor with other renowed, accepted, and esteemed, taken by certain enseigns and demonstrations of honor and nobles that is to say peerage of the realm and blazon of armes by Letters Patent.


And forasmuch as Cassandra Elenora di Milano, gentlewoman, is recommended for her unstinting devotion to, and teaching of, the arts in the fields of calligraphy, illumination, and diverse book arts, and inasmuch as the said Lady has met with much acclaim from the fellows of our Order of the Laurel, have their most august majesties Alasdair and Guenievre desired me, the said Dragon, to ordain and certify her said arms to be borne henceforth by these letters Patent as is merited by her skilled works and demeanour and befitting to a Peer of the Society.


And therefore I am at their request and responsible by the authority and power annexed, attributed, given, and granted to me and to my office of Dragon Herald by express words under the great MidRealm seal have ratififed, confirmed and set forth for her the Armes in the manner as hereafter followeth, that is to say: Gules, a tree blasted and eradicated and on a chief, Or, three card piques sable, as more plainly appears depicted in this margin.


To have and to hold to the said Magistra Cassandra Elenora di Milano, she being at this present time recognized in her due station as a peer of our realm and worthy Companion of our Order of the Laurel and Arms by these Letters and assigns given to bear forevermore.


In witness whereof I the said Dragon have signed these presents with my hand and set thereunto the seal of the MidRealm Armes. Given and granted at Middle Kingdom Fall Heraldic and Scribal Symposium in Cuil Choluim on the eighth day of November in year thirty-eight of the Society by soverign Alasdair by the right of arms King of the Middle and his fair Queen Guenievre.
 

Illumination

10/14/03 3 more hours down!!  The beginning of the illumination is shown in the picture above.   To the left of the "T" is a square with a large "laurel wreath" circle in which rests an escutcheon with Cassandra's heraldic arms emblazoned.  All the vine work has been drawn in with gall ink and the acanthus ends on the vines are penciled.  My next step will be to lay the gesso for the gilding.

10/15/03 - Liquitex Gesso was laid. 1 hour.

10/16/03 - Gilding began with 23k Austrian gold leaf. Though the application of the gold went smoothly, I struggled to keep the mirror shine. Perhaps a function of the gesso being old? Layers of gold on the Heraldry and Initial total upwards of 4. 3 hours.

10/18/03 - Began painting with Windsor and Newton Gouache. 2 hours.

10/20/03 - Whoo hoo!! Another 3 hours down and I'm done with my part of the illumination. Tomorrow Morning it's off in the Mail to Meisteirn for all the highlighting and white work.

 

 Detail of the heraldic art when it left me.

 

  • Total time invested to this point 18 hours.
  • Material cost to this point approximately $125.

This scroll is off in the mail to the next scribe who will be working on it.  After she adds the highlights and white work the seals will be attached. 

I think that it's turning out pretty swank, what about you?

 

 

 

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