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jewlry-storag-msg — 6/19/05

Jewelry storage in period and the SCA.

NOTE: See also the files: jewelry-msg, ear-rings-msg, finger-rings-msg, finger-rings-lnks, pearls-msg, brooches-lnks, coronets-msg, caskets-boxes-bib, caskets-boxes-msg, chests-msg.

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This file is a collection of various messages having a common theme that I have collected from my reading of the various computer networks. Some messages date back to 1989, some may be as recent as yesterday.

This file is part of a collection of files called Stefan's Florilegium. These files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org

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Thank you,
    Mark S. Harris                  AKA:  THLord Stefan li Rous
                                          Stefan at florilegium.org
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Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
From: djheydt at kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt)
Subject: Re: jewelry storage question
Organization: Kithrup Enterprises, Ltd.
Date: Tue, 24 May 2005 22:59:15 GMT

cat_herder <cat_herder at comcast.net> wrote:
>I don't generally wear a lot of jewelry to events. But I've just made 2
>new pieces of garb complete with period-ish jewelry: Viking and Roman.
>I also want something small to keep my awards token in, that I can keep
>in my basket (otherwise I will probably forget to wear it.)
>
>Are there any suggestions for storing the jewelry for travel and for
>home so that it will stay in good shape for many years?

Well, the period thing is a little box.  What it'll be made of
will depend on your persona's time and place, as well as what's
available to you where you are and how much money you care to
spend.  A wooden box with some kind of metal clasp; a wooden box
with a metal clasp and/or lock and metal reinforcements on the
corners; a ditto with leather covering the wood; a little chest
of iron or brass or even precious metals or imitations thereof--you
get to do some research on what was available to you in your
period and locality and decide accordingly.

>The reason I ask is that a couple of years ago I bought a mundane
>travel jewelry case lining with black fabric. I left a costume jewelry
>ring in it for several months and when I opened it to repack it for
>another trip the fabric in the box had eaten the finish off the ring.

Good heavens.  I wonder what on earth can have been in that
fabric?  (Some noxious petrochemical?)  In any case, when you get
your box, line it with silk or linen--you could put a layer of
wool between the box and the lining, by way of padding.

Dorothea of Caer-Myrddin                         Dorothy J. Heydt
Mists/Mists/West                               Albany, California
PRO DEO ET REGE                               djheydt at kithrup.com

 
From: Andy Dingley <dingbat at codesmiths.com>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: jewelry storage question
Date: Wed, 25 May 2005 11:45:55 +0100
Organization: Codesmiths, UK

On Tue, 24 May 2005 22:59:15 GMT, djheydt at kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt)
wrote:
>Good heavens.  I wonder what on earth can have been in that
>fabric?  (Some noxious petrochemical?)

The worst material (esp. in an SCA context) is likely to be wool felt.
This releases sulphur, which is a problem for any silver.

As a travel box, I would suggest a two-part hinged case, opening like a
book, with linings inside both panels. You can make this as something
small for personal use, or as something larger for a trader. Both will
help to avoid tangled chains etc.

If you do go for a simple chest (a reliquary is nice), then I'd pin most
of the items to a large cloth (loose-weave linen or cotton), then roll
it up.

As a general guide to storing precious items without damage, there's a
useful museum site out there that's well worth a read.
http://amol.org.au/recollections/

 
Date: Tue, 24 May 2005 20:58:19 -0400
From: Cynthia Virtue <cvirtue at thibault.org>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: jewelry storage question

Dorothy J Heydt wrote:
>>I left a costume jewelry
>>ring in it for several months and when I opened it to repack it for
>>another trip the fabric in the box had eaten the finish off the ring.
>
> Good heavens.  I wonder what on earth can have been in that
> fabric?  (Some noxious petrochemical?)

Sulfur or salt could have harmed some types of metal (notably silver.)
Or maybe the costume item was just mis-constructed and would have lost
its finish anyway.
--
Cynthia Virtue and/or Cynthia du Pre Argent

"Want to see my Brass Rubbings?"
     "Mediaevalist on Board" license plate frames
           at http://www.cafepress.com/virtueventures

 
From: Barbara Bailey <rabrabbjb at yahoo.com>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: jewelry storage question
Date: Thu, 26 May 2005 15:08:05 -0500

On Tue, 24 May 2005 20:58:19 -0400, Cynthia Virtue <cvirtue at thibault.org> wrote:
>Dorothy J Heydt wrote:
>>>I left a costume jewelry
>>>ring in it for several months and when I opened it to repack it for
>>>another trip the fabric in the box had eaten the finish off the ring.
>>
>> Good heavens.  I wonder what on earth can have been in that
>> fabric?  (Some noxious petrochemical?)
>
>Sulfur or salt could have harmed some types of metal (notably silver.)
>Or maybe the costume item was just mis-constructed and would have lost
>its finish anyway.

It could also have been a reaction to any adhesive used to hold the
fabric to the padding or box, rather than to the fabric itself.

There are a whole raft of possibilities.

<the end>



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