81A5749 finished at last

Those that have been reading since April will no doubt be pleased to hear that I finally finished the Mary Rose Costrel 81A5749, and that is has been safely given to it’s intended owner.

Front as defined in BTM, although I still secretly believe this to be the back.

Observant souls will also notice that since I now have a lathe, everything will now be turned whether it wants to be or not.

Back. See note for front. Also my first somewhat free-form* turned stopper.

While it’s a nice looking bottle and the new owner is very happy, I’m still disappointed with it. The problems with the pitch and having to change the colour spoiled this one for me.

*ie. Totally unprovenanced shape, the lathe was still doing most of the steering at this point. I just went along with it.

Early eighteenth century half-moon knife

If anyone’s looking for the correct shape of the half-moon leatherworker’s knife in the first half of the eighteenth century, there’s one example in plain view for all to see in Edinburgh.

Company of Cordwainers Arms, 195 and 197 Canongate, Shoemakers Land, Click through to embiggen.

The arms of the cordwainers (shoemakers) company, dated 1728 on their building in Canongate. The motto reads “Blessed is he that wisely does the poor man’s case consider”

www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/sc-28437-195-and-197-canongate-shoemakers-land-