For the Love of History

Historic Costume Recreations Revisited or A Suspended Project Revived

2012-02-26T09:34:00.001-08:00

I think it's safe to say that people involved in historical crafts, normally have a backlog of projects. It's also a fact that once in awhile a "future" project slips through the cracks. That is exactly what happened to this undertaking, until recently rediscovered.

The original pattern from
Godey's Lady's Magazine, April 1864
Photos Lindy Miller 2012

Many years ago, someone gave me a pattern for men's crocheted suspenders from the April 1864 issue of Godey's Lady's Magazine. At one point, I made the effort to chase down silk yarn (Empire Silk, Karabella Yarns) and even dyed white yarn to create the "maize" color required. My wife is a great knitter, but since she doesn't crochet, I had to find someone to take this on. Apparently, I wasn't very successful, as the yarn and pattern ended up in a bag, buried and forgotten for almost a decade. Now rediscovered, the project finally got rolling again thanks to the unknown talent of my wife's friend Connie. I knew Connie was a stellar seamstress but I didn't know she crocheted. Yeah !!

Crocheted Strips Completed
Calf and Kid Ends with Holes Punched
Ready for Stiching

Once the crocheted strips were completed, I dampened and blocked them to shrink their width slightly. One of the great things about this pattern was the illustration that accompanied it. I've been collecting and studying 19th Century suspenders for years and felt confident to interpret what original examples might have looked like. There certainly is some latitude here, as this pattern was intended for home use. For the leather fittings, I chose a light weight, vegetable tanned calf for the top, and white kid for the underside.

Ends Showing Linen Canvas Extension
and Kid Backside

When you study the illustration, it appears that the buttonholes were bound. From what I've found, bound button holes seem to appear on nicer versions of suspenders. Since the instructions suggest, " .....a little elasticity is desirable." in the crochet work, I feel that the extender section on the back, must have been a simple section of canvas, rather than an elastic tape. When you look at it, there appears to be a seam in the middle.

Nelson Goodyear's Patented 1849
Elastic Cord Suspender Ends
Note the Bound Buttonholes

A "little elasticity" is a good thing in suspenders, so I thought I would augment the crochet with a little elastic cord on the front attachment, courtesy of Nelson Goodyear's patent of 1849. For the buckle I chose the ubiquitous Hartshorn style, patented in 1855. All of the leather was saddle-stitched with a waxed linen thread and I decided to go ahead and bind the buttonholes with kid, which gave them a nice finished look.

One Side Completed and One
On the Way

I think they turned out swell, with more than a little help from our friend. Thanks Connie !! You made it happen. Now I have to keep my eye's peeled for more "buried" projects.

Eureka Moments Revisited Part 3, A Divine Project or "The Lord's Cradle"

2012-02-05T16:38:00.000-08:00

Not that Lord !, I'm talking about Israel Shipman Pelton Lord. Way back in 1999, I purchased a copy of the book, "At the Extremity of Civilizaton", An Illinois Physician's Journey to California in 1849, from the author Necia Dixon Liles. Necia promised a good read and I was not dissapointed. The book is described as a "Meticulously Descriptive Diary of an Illinois Physician's Journey in 1849 Along the Oregon Trail to the Goldmines and Cholera of California, Thence in Two Years to Return by Boat Via Panama by Israel Shipman Pelton Lord."

Descriptive far beyond the usual journal, Lord's account holds details about his experiences that minutia junkies like myself feast on. One of the many delights in this book was Lord's description of a typical Cradle or Rocker, as used in the Gold Rush. In an earlier post, I had mentioned that I used this description to create authentic replica cradles for years, when I had an interpretive carpenter's shop in Columbia State Historic Park. All of the examples I once crafted are long gone but just recently, some pending projects had steered me towards creating one more. I thought it would be fun to share this classic cradle with the reader.

Detail From an Original Gold Rush Daguerreotype
Showing a Carpenter's Shop in Jacksonville
Image Source Online Auction

Let's start with Lord's description, from page 221, dated Thursday, March 14, 1850. " Many attempts have been made to improve upon the common rocker, or cradle, for separating the gold from the earth; and in my opinion all have most signally failed. The form is very similar to that of the article of the same name, used to rock children in, and here occasionally put to that use. Think of a cradle worth $55. The common size is four feet long, from sixteen to twenty inches wide on the top, and from six to eight inches deep. The bottom is laid down - from nine to twelve inches broad; next a piece five or six inches wide stands off on each side at an angle of 45 degrees; and then two pieces of like width perpendicular above them, forming a trough with five unequal sides. These top pieces, at a point about two-fifths from one end, are slanted off, at about the same angle, towards each end; thus making the longest end, or foot of the cradle, the shallowest.

My Version of Lord's Cradle
Note the removeable handle
and reenforced corners, both period details
Photos Lindy Miller 2012

But this figure is only to lessen the weight, and make it a little more ship-shape. The short end, or head, slopes, perhaps, an inch and a half, and the long one, or foot, over two inches. A piece is next nailed across each end to close it up, the foot having an opening one and a half inches above the bottom, and two inches or less wide, extending to within an inch and a half of the sides of the cradle. A cleat an inch and a half wide is nailed across the bottom at the junction of the two sections and the cradle, and another, midway between that and the foot. In each side (inside) of the head section, is nailed a thin strip of wood, slanting from near the top downwards towards the head, to within two or three inches of the bottom. On this is placed a thin frame, like the screens in a fanning mill, with a piece across the middle, on which is stretched a piece of strong cotton or linen cloth. This reaches to within two or three inches of the head.

Riddle Box lifted to reveal Apron ("cloth plane")

A box five or six inches deep, and tapering toward the head to four, covering the whole upper section, with the bottom of sheet iron or zinc, punched with holes about two inches apart, and from one half to three-fourths of an inch in diameter, is hung to the head of the cradle by a couple of common three-inch butts. A handle is screwed to the side, and a couple of short rockers, with a short iron pin in the middle of the bottom of each, and the animal is ready to go. It is placed by the water, on a slight frame of two side pieces and two end ones,in the middle of each of which is a hole for the pin in the rocker to play in. These keep the cradle in its place.

Apron removed to show "thin strips of wood"
for support

Two lazy men sometimes work it, but usually one man is sufficient. He stands or sits with the left hand on the handle, which stands out more or less from the cradle, and in his right which is toward the head, a tin dipper holding two or three quarts. About a pail full of earth is thrown into the box, and the cradler begins to rock backwards and forward, constantly throwing on water, until all is washed that will go through the holes in the metal bottom. The remainder is thrown out, by quickly raising the end of the box, and then the process is repeated.

Underside, showing "rockers", "iron pin(s)",
bedpiece ("slight frame") and plugs for the drain holes

     Whatever goes through the holes is washed down the inclined cloth-plane, which lies under-and drops into the bottom of the cradle at the very head. From this point it is washed, dashing from side to side, traversing the whole length of the cradle, the bottom of which inclines toward the foot about four and a half inches, tumbling and rolling and whriling over the cleats, and finally rushes out at the opening in the foot.

     Some of the gold usually stays on the cloth plane, unless it is very tensly stretched on the frame - most of the remainder is found in the upper section of the cradle, and some reaches the space between the first and second cleats - seldom lower. When the half day's or day's work is done the cloth is cleaned off into a pan, and the earth and gold in the upper section, and between the first and second cleats of the lower, are put back into the box and run through again. What remains in the same section is drawn off through holes in the bottom (which at other times are kept plugged) into the pan with what was taken from the cloth and "panned out", such is the term used."

      So, there you have it. During the period, cradles could be as different as the men who built them but they usually followed a similar pattern. I've always liked this particular cradle for many reasons, not the least being that it's extremely effective at processing material and it's just a great looking example, "ship-shape", as Lord put it. For those who are curious, I used full dimension, rough cut pine for most of the construction and cut-nails from Tremont Nail . All the steel is uplated and when I used screws, I removed their plating to keep it reasonably authentic. Rock on !!

Further Digging Into Our Colonial Past, Uncovers a Truly "American" Clay Pipe

2012-01-08T17:42:00.000-08:00

While I was researching 17th Century clay pipes for an earlier post, I came across a style of pipe that I had never seen before. It wasn't at all like the common Dutch or English, white (ball) clay variety, with their bulbous, tiny bowls. This completely different style of pipe is known to archaeologists as a Chesapeake or Colono Pipe. You will sometimes see them identified as Local Pipes, Terra-cotta Pipes, Virginia Pipes or even just Red or Brown Pipes. The evidence suggests that they were produced by local craftsman during most of the 17th Century but apparently fell out of favor by the 18th Century.

A Classic But Plain Chesapeake Pipe
from Emmanuel Drew, 1650-1669
Image Courtesy losttowns.com

For decades there's been an ongoing debate as to who actually produced these pipes. Strong cases have been made for a probable Native American origin. Other scholars contend that the West African style designs, found on some versions, point to enslaved or indentured African craftsman. This discussion took on a new dimension when it was discovered that an Englishman named Emmanuel Drue, was making his own version of Chesapeake pipes at Swan Cove Maryland. This discovery suggested the possibility that a variety of people were producing this style of pipe at the same time, for personal or local consumption. It now appears that there may have been some sort of "cultural fusion" going on in the early colonies, as these groups freely borrowed from each other in the expression of their craft.

Chesapeake Pipe Fragments Showing Typical Decorations
Image Source Unknown

What made these pipes interesting to me, is that with the "blending" of cultural influences, in their form and decorations, they became distinctively "American". I think that is worth celebrating, and for me, what better way than to create a replica. There was only one problem, I knew nothing about how to make a clay pipe. Now that this project is behind me and I know a little bit more, I would like to share what I learned with the reader. What the heck, you might want to try it yourself. I found it a very rewarding and successful project.

An Original Brass Pipe Mold
19th Century
Note the Bowl Shaper and Vent Wire
Image Courtesy pijpenkabinet

The first thing I decided, was that I wanted to press solid clay in a mold, rather than pour liquid clay slip into a mold. I felt that this would make a sturdier product and be closer to the way many originals were made. It appears that most original molds were made of cast metal although I did find some primitve wooden ones. I chose to make my mold out of plaster-of-paris, poured around a wooden model of the intended pipe. I also had to plan out how the bowl's interior would be shaped during the clay molding process and how the wire would be inserted for the vent hole. Many clues as to how this was accomplished came from watching a youtube of the last Dutch clay pipe maker at work. He made it look so easy but I knew better.

One of Drue's Pipes
Showing the Use of Rouletting
Wheel
Image Courtesy chipstone.org

I decided to use the pipes of Emmanuel Drue as my inspiration, mostly because of a fascinating article by Al Luckenbach about the discovery of Mr. Drue and the importance of his work ( Ceramics in America 2004, "The Swan Cove Kiln: Chesapeake Tobacco Pipe Production, Circa 1650-1669 "). Plus, I really loved the way he decorated his pipes using rouletting wheels and custom made stamps. I felt that with enough effort, I could replicate the look and feel of his pipes.

Another of Drue's Pipes
Showing His Custom Stamps
Image Courtesy chipstone.org

After crafting the wooden model for the pipe, I sealed it with beeswax, which hopefully would act as a mold release. When designing the two-part plaster mold, I took into account the usual indentations that key the two halves together. In addition, I thought it best to include two stable dowel slides to guide the halves during the pressing of the clay. Next, I shaped the bowl's interior forming tool of wood and sized it to allow for a fairly thin walled bowl. The depth of the tool was critical as it has to connect with the vent wire, when inserted in the clay. The vent wire had to be thought out as well, as the clay shrinks a little when drying and a little more during firing in the kiln. I used a 1/8" brass rod for the venting wire and gave it a stop collar to maintain its proper depth, when inserted.

My Pipe Factory
Showing from the bottom up,
Pipe Pattern, Paper Template, 2 Piece Mold,
Bowl Shaper, Vent Wire, Knife, Stamps and Rouletting Wheel
Photos Lindy Miller 2012

After the plaster mold dried for several days, I bravely began experimenting with the clay and immediately found that there is no substitute for time and patience. The clay I used was Rustone from Columbus Clay in Ohio. It has great modeling properties and fires to a nice terra-cotta color at cone 6. One of earliest challenges after hand rolling out the basic clay form, was carefully piercing the soft clay stem with the vent wire. You have to do it without poking it out the side. I kept thinking of the Dutch pipe maker when he was a beginner, not how skilled he was after thousands of pipes.

Step #1
Rolling Out the Clay
Note the Inserted Bowl Shaper

I found that by inserting the bowl tool first and then removing it, I could at least see the end of the wire poking into what would become the inside bottom of the finished bowl. All of this is before you go near the plaster mold. Once the vent wire was is in place and the bowl tool removed, I trimmed the clay to a proper length. Next came bending the soft clay into the proper angle and laying it all into one half of the plaster mold.

Step #2
Inserting the Vent Wire

Once that was accomplished, I lined up the other half of the plaster mold on the wooden dowels and pressed the two halves together. You have to press pretty hard but also keep in mind that the mold is only fragile plaster. In the original process, with metal molds, they used a leverage press or a vise. Once the mold was closed as far as possible, I inserted the bowl tool once more but only to the allowable depth. A few turns of the tool and it was removed.

Step #3
Clay Form is Layed in Mold Half

Next came checking the vent wire, to see if it was visible at the bottom of the bowl. If all was well, I gently pulled the mold halves apart and released the pipe from one half of the mold. After trimming off the flashing around the pipe outline, I gently lifted it out of the mold, using a finger in the bowl and the end of the vent wire for support. What comes next is more than a little tricky. You have to pull out the vent wire from the soft clay without making a mess of the whole thing. This took practice and produced a number of failed attempts but hey.....that's half the fun. It's only clay you know. You roll it up and try again.

Step #4
After the Pressing
Ready for Trimming and Removal

After the blank clay pipes were air dried for a couple of hours, I carefully picked them up and began the decorating process. Yeah !! Now we're into the fun stuff, right ? Maybe. This was also the best time to clean-up any left over flashing and check for cosmetic problems. To recreate something approximating the original rouletting tools, I used old clock gears that I was lucky to have. After stacking three gears together, I soldered them into a single tool. For the stamps, I carved the ends of dowels to match a negative of the original designs. By experimenting with their impression, I finally came up with something close to Drue's originals. I found out that it took a direct and slightly firm hand to stamp and roll out the designs in the soft clay. By inserting the bowl tool back into the pipe for support, I could decorate the outside of the bowl without collapsing it. I learned all of this the hard way.

The Fruit of My Labor
Note the Stamped Designs

Once all the finished pipes were dry enough, they were fired in our kiln to turn into what I think are reasonable replicas of an obscure but important piece of Americana. A little bit of recreated history from the forgotten century of our great nation's past.

Lots of Fruit !!

A Simple Request Leads to a "Smart" Candle Snuffer

2011-12-26T16:42:00.000-08:00

Okay, this story is a little different but still very much in keeping with my interest in the history of our sensible ancestors. My wife routinely makes beeswax candles, using a period style tin mold. For her, it's more about dealing with our predictable power-outages, rather than some kind of living history. She recently asked if I would make her a couple of candle snuffers, along the lines of the one we purchased years ago, at Sturbridge Village.

My Copies of 19th Century Tin Snuffers
Image Lindy Miller 2011

Not the biggest of challenges but to keep it fun, I started with an image search on Google. I was looking for any original 19th century snuffers to use as models. I was successful in my initial search, finding a couple of suitable examples but then, one really cool version jumped right off the page. It suddenly reminded me of a "mechanical" snuffer I found on an online auction, years ago. Luckily, I had saved a picture of the "patented" automatic snuffer, in a file.

Patented Automatic Snuffer
from an Online Auction

What I liked most about the Google image snuffer, was its simplicity and easily understood mechanics. I thought to myself, I can make the simple tin "Witch's Hat" versions to fill the need but a replica of the mechanical marvel would rate as a Christmas gift, for sure.

From "The End of Energy Obesity"
by Peter Tartzakian
Image Courtesy Google

Continuing my research for examples of the automatic variety, I discovered a drawing from the 1860's of yet another version. The first Google image was identified in a book as 18th century and I seem to remember that the Patented example was from the 1880's ( I haven't found the exact record yet ). Either way, these little devices apparently saw service over time, or were just a recuring novelty.

The Reverend Thomas Butler's Version
Circa 1860's
Image Courtesy dorsetforyou.com

My Replica on the Job

For the replica, I chose brass as I had some flat stock in various thicknesses. I used a springy brass for the clamp and a heavier gauge for the arms and snuffer. The best part is that the dang thing works. It works great. Such a simple idea but considering what candles cost our ancestors in time, it's no wonder they thought of a way to manage their consumption.

For the curious, the way it works is, you clamp the mechanism on the candle below where you want it to burn to and then stab the arm into the candle's middle. The trick is to make sure the stabbing arm goes deep enough to allow the dropping arm (snuffer) to lean past straight-up, a little towards the candle. What happens is that when the candle burns down far enough, it releases the stabber and down comes the snuffer. It's actually fun to watch, but that's just me. My wife loved the gift and now has snuffers with options. As the saying goes, "waste not, want not".

"Good Night !"

Eureka Moments Revisited, Part 2, Exploring the Mysterious Origins of the Gold Rush Rocker / Cradle

2011-11-20T20:43:00.000-08:00

The intention of this post is to peel away some of the layers of speculation and hopefully shed a little light on the possible origins of the Gold Rush mining machine known in California as the Rocker or Cradle. When I had my carpenter's shop in Columbia State Historic Park (1998-2008), it was my "stock in trade" to build and sell authentic replica Cradles. Over the years I sold hundreds of copies of a plan I developed to build a smaller version, based on the original measured drawing by Joseph G. Bruff ( "Gold Rush", Vol. 1, pg 424). One of my favorite patterns of a period Cradle, was the one described by Israel Pelton Lord in his Gold Rush journal ( "At the Extremity of Civilization", pg. 221). It had all the attributes of a classic "coffin bottomed" Cradle and was small enough to be portable. I used a replica of Lord's Cradle for many years to teach mining history to 4th Graders by giving demonstrations in front of my shop, complete with dirt, water and of course....gold!.

Hands-on California History Lesson
Yours Truly and Eager 4th Graders

What is a Cradle or Rocker ?

For those that don't know, here is one description of a Cradle from 1861, my additions to the description are in italics, ( "Mining in the Pacific States of North America", John S. Hittell, pg. 129) "It resembles, in size and shape, a child's cradle, has similar rockers, and is rocked in a similar manner; whence the name. The cradle box is a wooden trough, about twenty inches wide and forty long, with sides four inches high. The lower end is left open ( the cradle is placed on a slope with the open end being lower). On the upper end sits a hopper or riddle, which is a box twenty inches square, with sides four inches high, and a bottom of sheet iron or zinc, pierced with numerous holes, half an inch in diameter ( the hopper is where you put the dirt and by pouring water on it and rocking the machine, begin the process of separating the gold from the surrounding earth). Under the hopper is an apron of wood or cloth, which slopes down from the lower end of the hopper to the upper end of the cradle box ( the apron deflects the dirt that washed through the hopper, forcing it to the back of the machine). A strip of wood an inch square, called a riffle bar, is nailed across the bottom of the cradle box, about its middle, and another at its lower end ( the riffle bars are like little dams to trap the heavier gold as it is released from the surrounding earth on its way to the open end). Under the bottom of the cradle box are nailed two rockers, so that a rocking motion may be given to the machine." One thing worth noting here is the size of the machine, rather small and very portable but that might not be the way they started out. Read on !

Basic Tools of the Gold Rush Miner
Note the Cradle at the Bottom
Drawing by Fritz Wikersheim, Circa 1850
Image Courtesy Bancroft Library

     It's generally agreed upon by historians, that the Cradle was introduced to California by the Georgia miner Issac Humphrey, who built the first one sometime around March 9th, 1848, on the American River( Bancroft, "History of California" Vol. VI 1848-1859, Chapter V, pg. 67). It was recently brought to my attention by my friend Nelson Snook, that there is a noteworthy challenge to this supposed fact, that deserves attention. What I'm interested in exploring besides who gets the credit, is the origin of the machine itself. Granted, it saw service in the Georgia Gold Rush of 1829 but it wasn't invented there and certainly not by Humphrey, as some have claimed. I feel that the European miners who participated in the Georgia Gold Rush would certainly have used the technology they brought with them, but how did it all come together in California?

                           The Challenge to Humphrey

      The challenge to Issac Humphrey's title as the "first" to employ a cradle in California, comes from one of the Mormon laborers working on Sutter's mill. James Stephens Brown was an eyewitness to the beginnings of the Gold Rush and he wrote in his reminiscence, ( "California Gold", pg 14) published in 1894, " Alexander Stephens dug out a trough, leaving the bottom round like a log.........he commenced to rock the trough, which led to the idea of a rocker.......The rocker above mentioned led to the renowned gold rocker; I am under the impression that Stephens did make the first rocker ever used in California." Brown doesn't actually say when this happened and is only under the impression that this was the first rocker.

     Henry William Bigler ( another eyewitness) noted in his diary ( "Bigler's Chronicle of the West", Erwin G. Gudde, pg. 109) that "Elie (Alexander) Stephens dug out a wooden dish that he used to wash in..." This recounting of the mill workers using whatever was available for mining tools, is dated April 13, 1848, more than a month after Humphrey was cradling on the American River. Kenneth Owens in "Gold Rush Saints" (pg. 128) speculates "...Alexander Stephens, who had perhaps spent time in western Georgia's placer mining districts..." could quite possibly have built the first cradle, as Brown claimed. Stephens was actually from North Carolina and it's possible he might have participated in the region's gold rush. We may never know for sure who deserves the full credit for the first cradle, as there may have been several "firsts" as the mining region expanded beyond the American River.

     So, what exactly did a North Carolina / Georgia cradle look like? The best account I have found to date comes from the "American Journal of Science and Arts", 1st series XIII, 1828 ("Remarks on the Gold Mines of North Carolina", Charles E.Roth, pg 208-209) " A rocker is a simple machine, made of inch,or three quarter inch plank, in the shape of a cylinder equally divided lengthwise. A common barrel thus bisected would, in form, make two of these rockers, though they would be rather smaller than is common. The rocker is placed on two poles, laid on the ground parallel with each other, and crosswise to the rocker, one near each end, so as to make it rock easily and regularly." The text goes on to describe the use of a dipper for adding water and a common hoe to stir the saturated earth as it moves along the incline. There is no mention of a sieve and / or riffles to catch the gold. It states that the fine gold was picked out with the point of a knife! What is fascinating to me is the primitive simplicity of this rocking trough even though more advanced machines existed before and during this time. Read on for more !

                                  The Earliest Origins of the Cradle

16th Century Gold Mining
Book VIII, Page 326
De Re Metallica

The most compelling evidence I've uncovered for the origin of the cradle, comes from the first mining technology handbook, printed in 1556. Georgius Agricola published "De Re Metallica as a "Biographical Introduction, Annotations and Appendices upon the Development of Mining Methods, Metallurgucal Processes, Geology, Mineralogy & Mining Law from the earliest times to the 16th Century." It would have been too easy to open the book and find my proto-Cradle, but what I did discover instead was that the European Renaissance miner, used machines that would have been recognizable to any 49er. Most appear to be simple sluices with staged riffles and some have attached riddle boxes or sieves at the upper end. I feel these machines have an ancestoral connection to what would become the Cradle and even the Long Tom, but the Tom's history is another story.

17th Century Gold Mining
From "The Miner's Own Book"
Note the Rocking Riddle Box

Another enticing piece of the puzzle is in "The Miners' Own Book : California Mining ", published in 1858. On page 28 is an illustration of Placer Mining two hundred years ago. That would put it at 1658, a little later than De Re Metallica. It looks like the engraving might have been taken from an original illustration but no source is given. What makes this important is that the miners are rocking what appears to be the riddle box, suspended from chains. This addition of motion is a strong clue for the "rocking" aspect of our Cradle.

Oscar Willis' Ore Washer
Patented Sept. 5, 1832
Image Courtesy Google Patent Search

     Chris Worick of the Lumpkin County Georgia Historical Society suggested I look into early mining machine patents that pre-date the California Gold Rush. I discovered that several were the result of the Southern mining experience. Oscar Willis' "Ore Washer" patented Sept. 5, 1832 ( pat. 7222X) caught my eye, as it had many of the features of the 1658 apparatus and suggests that the earlier knowlege was available and understood.

      In the 1658 illustration's associated text, we have the perfect statement regarding the so called advancement of mining technology, ".....that most new discoveries are mere recoveries of things of value from the oblivion of past ages." So, in closing I would say that the Cradle's ancestry is very likely multi-cultural as it's clearly a child born of the world-wide pursuit of the "yellow stuff" but its actual origin might be lost in the murky shadows of the past. I'll just keep looking for clues.

                                      The First California Cradle

        So, what did that first Cradle built by Issac Humphrey or even Stephens really look like ? There is evidence that it may have been a little different than what we are used to seeing in later period images. Since no one was there with a camera or sketch pad when the Gold Rush was revolutionized with machinery, we must rely on someone's observations. My friend Derek Manov reminded me to dig into the highly detailed letters written by U.S.Consul to California, Thomas O. Larkin. ( "The Larkin Papers", Vol. VII, pg. 301-302) Larkin wrote in a letter to James Buchanan (Sect. of State), dated June 28th, 1848, " These men...had two machines, each made from one hundred feet of boards,......made similar to a child's cradle ten feet long without ends." Later in the same letter he says, " I at last purchased a log dug out, with a riddle and seive made of willow boughs on it..... . My Californian has told me since, that himself, partner and two Indians obtained with this canoe eight ounces ...."

     Another reliable witness to the earliest cradles, was Jacques Antoine Moerenhout. Monsieur Moerenhout was the French consul at Monterey and when he heard about the discovery of Gold on the American River, he booked it to the diggins' as soon as he could. His reports back to the French goverment are full of details about those amazing first months of the Gold Rush. Moerenhout's observations are a little later than Larkin's and it appears that he is seeing less rude machines with metal riddles instead of woven willows. He states,("The Inside Story of the Gold Rush", part 2, pg. 18) ".....these are wooden troughs or boxes that have exactly the form of a dugout canoe, but open at one end. This trough or dugout is 12 or 14 feet long and inside it pieces of wood or ribs are nailed or fastened, running across it at intervals of a foot or 15 inches, exactly like the ribs of a boat.......On top, at the front of the machine is affixed another box which is about two feet long of the same width as the machine and fits on it. At the bottom of this box is an iron grate or simply a sheet of copper, tinplate or iron (perforated) with holes from half to three-quarters of an inch in diameter." What got me excited about these descriptions were the references to"dugout canoes" when describing the Cradle's forms and their enormous lengths.

A Miner With His Very Primitve Cradle
That Appears to Be a Dugout Log
Drawn By John Woodhouse Audubon in 1850

In another account, Henry Vizetelly ( "Four Months Among the Gold-Finders, Being the Diary of an Expedition from San Francisco to the Gold District", Chapter X) wrote in his diary, ".... building our cradles, or "gold canoes," as the Indians called them.....". Once again, Vizetelly's words support the idea that the "canoe" reference was understood. What I'm getting from this, is that these earliest Cradles ( and possibly later ones) were apparently crafted from hollowed-out logs ( like a dugout). Also, because of the natural roundness of the log, they could be rocked easily (no need for added rockers). They were apparently larger and more primitive than the later, more portable and carefully constructed versions, yet more sophisticated (with riddles and riffles) than the 1828 North Carolina versions. The rapid evolution of this machine in the California gold fields, was likely due to the increasing availability of sawn lumber, the restless prospector's need for mobility and his determination to improve on past technology.

By late 1849-50, the Cradle's status as the primary mining tool of choice in California was soon diminished by more efficient devices like the Long Tom , but it continued to be used in small scale mining operations for many years to come by Chinese miners and others. The cradle, with its highly recognizable form, continues to this day to evoke the very spirit of a Gold Rush and as those 4th Graders always tell me, it's just "way cool" fun to work one.

The Chinese in California
Were Known to Favor Cradling
Which They Excelled At

Another Chapter in Early Pipe Lore, Or How They Kept Their Clays Safe

2011-10-27T05:13:00.000-07:00

While investigating the early history of pipe smoking, I frequently found speculation on the supposed disposability of clay pipes. One writer even claimed that a smoker would break several a day and never worry about it because they were so throw-away cheap. Clumsy brute ! In my humble opinion, the enormous number of broken pipes found by archaeologists, is just a testament to their inherently fragile nature and a reminder of the once widespread popularity of smoking in general.

"The Card Players"
by Josse van Craesbeek 1645
Note the Pipe in the Hat
Image Courtesy of the Getty Museum

So how exactly did the early smoker keep his or her clay pipe safe ? There is no doubt, as evidence suggests, that some folks just tucked their pipes into their hat bands, keeping them out of harms way until needed. Period imagery supports the idea that in the early 19th Century, some Native Americans wore their clay pipes attached to a small tobacco pouch suspended from their necks. Contemporarily, fur trappers did the same with their Gage d'Amour pouches, supposedly crafted by their native brides.

A Fur Trapper Painted by Alfred Jacob Miller in 1837
Note His Heart-Shaped Gage d'Amour
Pouch and Clay Pipe

Delaware Chief Tish - Co - Han
By McKenny Hall
Image Courtesy Philadelphia Print Shop

My interest peaked when I discovered that begining in the 17th Century and far into the 19th, many smokers used specifically designed and carefully crafted wooden ( and occasionally metal ) cases to protect their pipes. This notion of a specially designed case challenges the disposability theory and instead, celebrates the sensibility of our ancestors, a notion I always appreciate. I felt a project coming but first I would need a great pipe to build a case around.

A few years back, I learned about Heather Coleman and her clay pipes. Heather lives in the UK and has a studio called Dawnmist. One of her many talents is to craft historic clay pipes that I believe are some of the most authentic out there. Many of today's replica clays are made of clay slip, poured in a mold, unlike the originals that were formed by pressing solid clay in a mold. The difference is obvious when you compare the two. Heather makes hers in the traditional manner, so I went ahead and ordered her classic 17th Century example, copied from 1630-1670 originals.

Heather Coleman's 1630-1670 Clay Pipes
One of those is mine !

While researching the surviving examples of wooden cases, it became apparent that there were two basic versions defined by how they functioned. You either had a case with a sliding lid, that allowed for the pipe's removal from the top or you had a hinged cover variety, with its swinging opening at the bowl end of the pipe case, which allowed for removal out the end. In a museum newsletter on one of my favorite sites, the Dutch Pijpen Kabinet, there was a discussion of a recently aquired pipe case having the "earlier" style sliding lid. I also found several sliding lid examples from a Christies Auction, identified as 18th Century. Some of these were carved to resemble pistols. Way cool ! Many cases appear to be professionally carved and were most likley products of specialized shops.

Three Examples of the "Sliding Lid" Variety
Image Coutesy Christies

A Classic Example of the "Hinged End" Variety
Image Courtesy Christies

I did discover a more homey "whittled" version of the sliding top, pistol form case, on a fantastic French Archaeology site called La Natiere. This little treasure was recovered from the wreck of the frigate La Dauphine, which was lost in 1704. As a bonus, the case still held its clay pipe. Isn't that amazing ! I'm sure the sailor who made it was quite proud of his work. It also proves that some cases were home-made.

Top View of Sailor's Pipe Case from the Wreck of La Dauphine 1704
Image Courtesy of La Natiere

Bottom View
Image Courtesy La Natiere

At this point in the process, I decided to make my version of a pipe case as a sliding lid variety. I chose a piece of easy-to-carve cedar for my first attempt, even though most of the originals seem to be boxwood or fruitwood. Before my pipe arrived, I scaled a paper template from Heather's photo of it and crafted the main two parts of the case. The hardest part was getting the tapered channels to fit properly in order for the sliding lid to function.

First Stage of the Case Replica
Roughly Profiled and Lid Fitted
Photos Lindy Miller 2011

It didn't go unoticed that the sailor's version had an ingenious swinging slide design that kept the lid attached. I decided to make my lid removable as was suggested by other examples. This is all guesswork, you know, as I rarely get to study original examples in person.

Pipe Arrives !! Now the Interior is Hollowed Out
and the Form is More Rounded

This is one of those projects that needs to evolve to some unknown point. I'm not sure if I should do some decorative chip carving on this one, or make another case from hardwood. Okay.....let's finish this one with some beginner chip carving and worry about a "better" case later.

Ta - Da, It's Done and Not Too Bad
But I Love the Pipe !

My Journey to Recreate a 17th Century Pipe Tong or Smoker's Companion

2011-10-04T20:41:00.000-07:00

When I was researching the material for my 17th century conviviality post, I came across a curious object associated with pipe smoking in the period. I'm familiar with the notion of lighting a pipe with an ember and surviving examples of rather large,18th century pipe / ember tongs are well known but it appears that a smaller, pocket-size version may have come first. These smaller tongs are absent from the Dutch still life paintings I studied but I felt it was worth investigating their part in early smoking culture. One thing that got me interested, was the overwhelming evidence for their use in early colonial America. It's very likely that many were created by colonial craftsmen.

Painting of a German Smoker
Using (large) Tongs to Light His (large) Pipe
Image Courtesy of pijpenkabinet

After surveying many examples recovered by archaeologists, I began to wonder if any completely intact versions had survived "above ground". Archaelogists call these little tools Smoker's Companions as they were apparently designed for multiple functions. I discovered that the Jefferson Patterson Park site has an archaeology section with a "Diagnostic Artifacts in Maryland" chapter devoted to helping identify Smoker's Companions. Even though many of the featured examples are degraded relics, it's interesting to see the variety of interpretations of this object. A classic version of the tool was found at Jamestown and is posted on their Preservation Virginia site. The fact is, these small, iron objects seem to turn up in 17th century sites all over the east.

Smoker's Companion, Before and After Lab Treatmennt
Image Courtesy of Crista Alejandre's
flickr Photostream

A Smoker's Companion Found at Jamestown
Image Courtesy preservationvirginia.org

A Nice Example From a Maryland Site
Image Courtesy jefpat.org

The hunt was on, as I needed to find a more complete example if I was going to make an accurate reproduction. I love the internet when it works and this is a perfect case of why it's worth digging. The example I dreamed of turned up on a relic hunter's forum called treasurenet and lucky for me the owner had posted multiple views of his find. It was truly a wonder to see a nearly 400 year old iron object so perfectly preserved, even though it had come out of the ground.

As mentioned earlier, historians have speculated that this tool had multiple functions, not the least of which was its use as a flint striker to spark that neccessary ember. The larger mass of the lower part of most examples does suggests a striker. It's easy to understand the tong function and the turned up and rounded end of the upper handle definitely looks like it could be used as a tamper. Every pipe smoker knows, you need a tamper (or as they called them in the 1600's, stoppers). Lastly, the larger, rounded paddle end of the lower handle has lead to speculation that it functioned as a reamer to clean the clay pipe bowl. Sounds reasonable, don't you think, except when you consider how tiny some of the early pipe bowls were.

The Holy Grail, Lucky Me
Lucky Bob !
Image Courtesy of Bob and treasurenet.com

So, armed with some idea of size, form and function, it was time to make my own version of this fascinating object. Let me start by saying that I am no blacksmith but I know enough to begin with a sample of high-carbon, hardend steel for the lower, "striker" part of the tool. This came in the form of a 1/4 inch thick leaf spring scrap I scored from work. With an abrasive blade on my saw, I cut out a roughly shaped piece to start . With the help of an acetylene torch, the piece was twisted on one end to roughly define the reamer. By heating the piece, I also removed some of the temper. This really helped, as I was looking at a lot of grinding and filing to bring out the final shape. The upper part of the tool was challenging for different reasons, with its sculptural form and decorative elements. For this I used a piece of 1/4 mild steel stock, which was a lot easier to work with than that old leaf spring.

The Main Two Parts of My Replica, Near Finished,
With Templates and Remaining Scrap
Photo Courtesy Lindy Miller 2011

After the rough shaping and some tweeks (with the aid of a torch) I filed the two pieces to their final shape and sanded their surface to a near polish. The next step was to heat the lower part to the critical temp and quench in oil. My research pointed to quenching the striker area first and then later lowering the remaining part into the oil. This would hopefully harden the working part (striking surface) more and leave a little temper in the rest. Following this came the final polish of all parts with varying grits of abrasive paper. After riveting the spring in place, the main parts were joined by peening over the pivot pin.

My Replica Version of a Smoker's Companion
Photo Lindy Miller 2011

Now that was a fun project but with all the filing and shaping, it's no wonder these tiny tongs aren't all over the place as reproductions. Now....where's my pipe, I want to try this thingy out !

Try it out I did, and here's what I learned about a possible way they lit their pipes when a ready source of fire was absent. There is a specific technique that works well when trying to ignite Amadou or Tinder Fungus with flint and steel. Once you've figured it out, it's amazingly simple. I had previously purchased some pieces of this earliest, natural tinder material from Jas. Townsend, so I was ready for the experiment. In one hand I held a nice, sharp shard of flint with a piece of Amadou (about the size of a fingernail ) on top, just back from the edge of the flint. With the pipe tongs in the other hand and the striker surface held out, I struck down on the flint, with the steel. In this manner, you can easily catch a hot spark on the Amadou (it caught on the second try !). With the pincher end of the tongs, I picked off the glowing part of the Amadou (after some gently blowing) and layed it in my clay pipe full of tobacco. WIth a few draws on the pipe, I was puffing away in no time. It might work equally well by just holding on to the ember with the tongs turned sideways and maintain contact with the tobacco until ignition. The Amadou has a pleasant smell when it's burning and didn't conflict with the tobacco's taste at all. Now that was fun and a great lesson about our amazing ancestors.

My "Flags of California History Project" Revisited or Everybody Loves a Parade

2011-09-16T07:13:00.000-07:00

This last weekend, September 10, 2011, the Native Sons of the Golden West sponsored their annual Admission Day Parade in Columbia State Historic Park. The parade commemorates California's Admission to the Union on Sept. 9, 1850. Previous to this year's event, I had been approached by my friend Danette Oydegaard with an idea for a parade entry.

Danette is the founder and director of the Columbia Girl's Academy and the Columbia Boy's Academy. Through historical studies and living history interpretation, the Academys promote character building, good citizenship, manners and all sorts of positive stuff for youth. Danette's idea for the parade was to have her students carry my replica historic flags. Her husband Floyd would write a narration to explain the various flags and their importance to our State's history. This would be read to the crowd as the flags passed by in chronological order. The whole thing was a great success and I thought the viewer would enjoy the chance to see the flags in their best context carried by Danette's costumed students.

The Red Star of the Republic Flag
from the Rebellion of 1836
Photos Courtesy Danette Oydegaard

California has always been a rebellious place and so we start with the 1836 lone red star of the republic flag, commonly refered to as the Juan Alvarado / Issac Graham flag. In 1836 Juan Alvarado, Monterey's customs inspector, overthrows governor Guterrez with the help of American and English firepower under the leadership of Issac Graham. This appearance of a red star of the republic is apparently unique to California. The original flag still exists and is in the collections at the Autry. My replica is about 1/2 scale.

John C. Fremont's American Flag
1842 - 1846

Next in order is the personal flag of John C.Fremont, "The Great Pathfinder". This flag, which was designed and probably made by John's wife Jessie, was carried on his many expeditions in the west during the 1840's. Family history records that Fremont had it and flew it in California in 1846 in defiance of Mexican authority during the standoff between Fremont's topographical expeditionary force and General Jose Castro's soldiers. The original flag survives and is in the collections at the Autry. My replica is full size.

Peter Storm / Nancy Kelsey Bear Flag
1846

Now comes a very obscure flag that deserves some attention. This is possibly the first flag created during the stirrings of the Bear Flag revolt. The story goes that Peter Storm and Nancy Kelsey stayed back at Bale Mill and crafted this flag as the rest of the party of Americans marched on Sonoma. After the capture of Sonoma on June 14, 1846, Storm and Kelsey arrived with the flag but it was cooly received. It may or may not have flown on the pole in the plaza until replaced by the Todd flag. There is no conclusive evidence that any of this is true but you can certainly see how it might have influenced the final Bear Flag or been influenced by it. My replica is based on the photo of Peter Storm and his flag, taken late in his life. The student carrying the sign somehow got out of order on this one.

William L. Todd Bear Flag of the California Republic
1846

Next is everybody's favorite, the William Levi Todd Bear Flag. It was crafted sometime on or around June 14, 1846 as a statement of rebellion against Mexican authority in California. As the symbol of the Bear Flag Revolt and the banner of the California Republic, it flew on the pole in the Sonoma Plaza until replaced by the Stars and Stripes on July 9, 1846. This flag has a long and curious history ( which you can read in an earlier post) and is the ancestor of our contemporary State flag with its updates and improvements. One interesting thing was the use of the red star for the republic. Did the Bear flaggers remember the Alvarado incident, or was the star inspired by the Republic of Texas ?

31 Star National Flag
1850 (officially recognized July 4, 1851)

And last but never least is the 31 star flag of The United States of America. I like to call it my 62 star flag as I appliqued the stars on both sides of the canton. California is the 31st State and was admitted into the Union of States on September 9, 1850. If you want to read about my replica, you should go to my first post on this blog. Note the liberty cap on the top of the pole courtesy of Danette Oydegaard. A nice 19th century touch. Good Show boys and girls of the Academys !! Thank You Mrs. Oydegaard !!

My Take on Ancestor Worship and Celebrating 17th Century Conviviality

2011-09-11T17:26:00.000-07:00

This particular post explores a recent interest of mine to learn a little more about the lives of my colonial ancestors. It also combines my curiosity about tobacco history, early American material culture and even Dutch "still life" paintings of the 17th century. Which by the way, are incredible documents of past life.

My earliest American ancestor was Robert Ellyson ( my 10th great grandfather). Sometimes listed as Dr. or Capt. Ellyson. He was a Scot who came to the Colonies in 1643 and did quite well for himself. It's recorded that he was a barber / surgeon, militia captain, high-sheriff of James City County and later a Burgess through the 1650's. I have no doubt he was a Virginia Tidewater planter too, as history records that he paid his debts in tobacco. I began to wonder what it would have been like to sit at a table with my predecessor and discuss colonial politics over a glass of German wine and a pipe of fine Virginia tabac? Hmmmm.

A Classic Toebackje Painting by Pieter Claesz circa 1636
Many of the Objects Depicted are Discussed Below

I thought it would be challenging to create a three-dimensional version of a Dutch golden age vanitas style painting as an exploration of 17th century material culture. With the focus of my creation being "conviviality", the type of painting know as Toebackje was a perfect choice. Generally, Toebackje paintings depict contemporary smoking and drinking related objects. They were very popular in their time and I think some of the best were painted by Pieter Claesz ( 1597-1660).

Another Claesz Masterpiece
Showing Brazier, Fidibus, Tobacco Box,
Berkemeyer Style Glass and of Course, Clay Pipes

The first order of business was to identify the objects in the paintings and decide whether I should attempt to replicate them or find authentic reproductions that already exist. Mid-to-late 17th century style clay pipes are readily available today as reproductions, so I purchased one from Columbia Booksellers and Stationers.

During this time period, there were many styles of clay vessels used to ship and serve liquid refreshment. Since I wasn't trying to copy any one painting exactly but still wanted to make good choices, I began to research some of my possible options. With the Dutch paintings as a basis for my selections, I learned about the world wide trade in this type of stoneware and discovered it was produced in different regions of Europe. One of the styles that caught my eye, were the Bartmann jugs from the Rhineland. Many of these 17the century stoneware jugs have been found by archaelogists in early American colonial settlement sites so they seemed like a good choice for my project.

Bartmann Jug from Jamestown Virginia
image courtesy historicjamestowne.org

Lucky for me, Bartmann Jugs have been reproduced by several people for a number of years. I discovered a modern potter named J.Henderson Artifacts who replicates many early period styles. My timing was perfect as he had a fine, salt glazed example of the classic jug, bearded man and all, in stock. It turned out to be a very nice replica indeed and at a good price.

My Replica Bartmann Jug from J. Henderson
Photo Lindy Miller 2011

Next in line was an appropriate piece of glassware to hold that spirit. As I surveyed a number of paintings, it seemed a toss-up between the Berkemeyer Style with its flared form and spikey prunts or the more rounded Roemer Style. These are being reproduced today but aren't easily found. Lady luck smiled on me again when I visited Goose Bay Workshops and found a beautiful Roemer style glass ( maker unknown) in their "sale" section.

My Roemer Replica
Courtesy of Goose Bay Workshops

One of the objects in these paintings that was unfamiliar to me, were the small, unglazed and footed bowls that appear to be holding coals or embers. It turned out that these "Braziers" were the source of fire to light your pipe and were in common use by smokers. Remember, matches are 170 years in the future, so one way to transfer the fire to the pipe was by igniting a tightly rolled piece of paper known as a Fidibus. Another choice was to use a Spall, which was a sulphur tipped splint. Both are seen in bundles in many of the paintings. As this great drawing by Adriaen van Ostade shows, sometimes smokers just tipped their pipes into the braziers to catch the fire.

image courtesy wikimedia

I decided that the brazier was something I could reproduce although I have never thrown a pot in my life. Truth is, no one is currently reproducing period stoneware braziers, so I really had no choice.

Original 17th Century Stoneware Brazier
Collection of the National Pipe Museum
in the Netherlands

Don Duco, curator of the National Pipe Museum, in the Netherlands, was very helpful to send me the dimensions of an original 17th century brazier in their collection. After the purchase of some clay and with access to a borrowed potter's wheel, I bravely jumped into a new craft. Their is no substitute for patience or experience and my first attempts at this little crude bowl were horrible. After struggling along for a couple of hours at the wheel, (centering the clay is the hardest) I finally threw four passable examples. After air curing for 2 weeks, I fired the best two in my wife's kiln. To my great surprise, I was rewarded for my efforts with two fairly decent braziers. What Luck !

My Replica 17th Century Braziers
I liked the one on the left best
Photo Lindy Miller 2011

Moving right along the list of neccessities for this project, I started looking into tobacco boxes. My research discovered that in general, most were small ( 3"-4") during this time period. Historians feel this was likely due to the cost of tobacco in the 1600's. It makes sense when you consider that the contemporary pipe bowls were equally tiny. A popular shape for the boxes was oval but I also discovered octagon forms and no doubt there were others. Materials for these boxes could be metals like silver, brass, copper, pewter or even lead. Wooden varieties are rarer but it's most likely due to their frailty that few survived to the present. I'm sure that there were horn and even papier mache versions but I didn't find any that were dated to my period.

Original Brass Tobacco Box with Engraved Sentiment from 1672
Image Courtesy independent.co.uk

Late 17th Century Tobacco Box and Pipes
Image Courtesy history.org

At first I thought I might luck-out and turn up a good replica box but I couldn't find exactly what I wanted. I decided to go ahead and create my own interpretation in brass. Using the information I collected from existing boxes, I chose my pattern and made a cardstock mock-up. Once I was satisfied with the shape, I transfered the pattern to the sheet brass and cut out the parts. I free-formed the domed shape of the top and bottom first and then rolled their edges down to form a lip. By first annealing (heating and quenching) the cut-out pieces to a workable state, it's easy to hammer-raise the domed shape. I use a rawhide mallet and a solid, rounded form for a backing. After the form work was completed, I hard-soldered the joints that would be stressed (hinge parts and band joint) and soft-soldered the rest (top and bottom). I think it turned out pretty sweet. I just wish I knew how to engrave, as many of the originals are embellished with sayings, scenes etc.

My Interpretation of a Tobacco Box
Rear View
Photos Lindy Miller 2011

Front View

So when all was said and done, I assembled my version of a classic 17th century scene that hopefully reflects the same "frozen in time" feeling of those incredible Dutch masterpieces. I think my Virginia ancestor would find it quite familiar, maybe even inviting. What do you think?

A Great Button Story and a Shirt Tale Too

2011-08-14T10:46:00.000-07:00

When one considers the vast world of antique buttons, even with the myriad of styles, forms, materials and eras to choose from, it's still hard to resist the charm of the humble, unassuming "china calico". These endearing and colorfully decorated china buttons were manufactured from the 1840's to the early 1900's, in hundreds of patterns ( 326 according to The National Button Society) and a multitude of colors and sizes. In their day, they were known as fancy agate buttons but their resemblance to the patterns of calico fabric eventually led to their current title.

China Calico Buttons
Image Courtesy National Button Society

The briefest history of calicos I can assemble is that these buttons were first produced in England by Minton and Prosser, followed by a short-lived American version, courtesy of Charles Cartlidge & Co. But by far, the largest and most successful producer was Jean-Felix Bapterosse of Briare, France. At its peak, his factory was producing almost a million china buttons a day! Today's button scholars agree that the 10,000 calico buttons salvaged from the 1856 wreck of the Steamboat Arabia, were most likley made by Bapterosse. That large a number of calico buttons, on a steamboat heading to the American frontier, is an undeniable testament to their popularity and common use. The late period china calicos were produced in Bavaria by Gehr. Redlhammer and others, in limited colors and patterns but still resembled the earlier examples.

A Sample of the Thousands of Calico Buttons From
The Steamboat Arabia Museum in Kansas City.

So, there's your calico button history lesson but what does this have to do with the theme of my blog, you ask ? What follows is one of the best success stories of reproducing an historical object that I'm aware of. This success was achieved by one of the most dedicated and driven people I know, my wife Lindy and can now be told, after the fact, with her approval. I was very fortunate to help in this project but the credit goes to Lindy Miller as the first person to successfully replicate and market new china calico buttons in a hundred years.

Since the early 1980's, I had occasionally purchased original calico buttons when I found them at swap meets or antique shops. It wasn't a large collection but more like a nice sampling. After I became a docent at Columbia State Historic Park in 1991, my interest in period dress lead to my eventual co-chairmanship of the costume committee. My female counterpart was Lindy Dubner, who had a long history of interest in 19th century clothing. Lindy's first encounter with calico buttons came when I showed her an original mid-19th century woman's dress that I owned. The dress was made from a rather plain, brown cotton calico but it has all of its original green calico buttons. In addition to the dress, I also brought along my sample collection of loose buttons. It's fair to say she was forever smitten by those tiny charmers and the stage was set for what was to follow.

Our Original Chile-n-Cracker's Logo

In 1997, Lindy and I became romantically involved and decided to redirect our destinys based on mutual love and respect for each other and history. Part of that new life was to move to Nevada and pool our creative ideas and talents, forming a history driven team. We founded Chile-n-Cracker's Reproductions as a new source for accurate replica goods for use in Living History. As you might have guessed, one of our first projects was to figure out how to reproduce calico buttons. Research had provided the information on how the "original" buttons were produced but we needed to find a way to create the same product with more available technology. Everyone we talked to in the ceramics hobby encouraged experimentation as the best way to develop a technique and formula for creating buttons in quantity.

In the 19th Century, the buttons were formed by pressing powdered clay into metal molds under tremendous pressure, following Richard Prosser's 1840 Patented process. Lindy finally decided to make her version using clay slip that she could pour into a gang mold. Each of her button blanks were stamped or impressed on the back with the letter "L" to distinguish them from originals. The next step was the removal of the casting sprues and then they were set aside to air dry. After they were bone dry, each was hand drilled with four holes and checked for shape. Next came a clear glaze and then their first firing in the kiln.

One of the Sample Books of Lindy's Buttons
The Chile-n-Cracker's Buttons Catalog Sheet ( Printed by Will Dunniway)
and a Sample Card of Buttons
Photo Lindy Miller 2011

In the original buttons' production process, colored patterns were applied using the transfer method that employed tissue paper, printed with the desired design. The tissue was dampened and patted down on the buttons before they were fired in the kiln. Lindy chose modern, water-transfered ceramic decals, created from her artwork. These tiny decals were applied to the button blanks before the final firing fixed the design. This careful and tedious 9 step procedure was repeated over and over and over for each button, regardless of their size.

A Close-up of the Sample Card
Photo Lindy Miller 2011

After some nice publicity in Victoria and Threads magazines, the orders started to roll in. We ran several ads in reenactor mags but the response from the living history community was surprisingly cool. Most of the early orders were for modern use on contemporary garments and jewelry. It was a little discouraging that reenactors were slow to see their value but we knew our research was solid. In fact, this is where the shirt tale begins ( remember this post's title ?) as it is a very important part of the story.

Original Calico Shirt with Calico Buttons
Formerly in the Collection of Bill Brown III
Photos Courtesy of Whitaker Auctions

Saundra Altman of Past Patterns was a champion of Lindy's repro calico buttons from the very start. She saw the value in their use as a wonderful period choice for garments made from her accurate patterns. Sometime before Lindy and I went back east in 1999, Saundra suggested that we contact the late Bill Brown at the National Parks Center in Harpers Ferry Virginia. Mr. Brown owned an original mid-19th century man's printed calico cotton shirt with its original calico buttons. This was a great opportunity to study the use of the buttons on men's clothing. When we got to Virginia, it was worth a shot to try and see this rare bird and after only a phone call introduction, Mr. Brown was kind enough to bring the shirt to the Center for us to view the following day. It was an amazing chance to study a rare survivor and even though we weren't allowed to photograph the shirt ( Bill Brown's book, "Thoughts on Men's Shirts in America, 1750-1900" hadn't been released yet), the owner kindly provided a picture for us to have. When Mr. Brown's book was released, not only was the shirt featured but he provided measurements as well.

Close-up of Original Shirt's Cuff
Showing the Calico Button

Years later I decided that it would be fun to make a close-copy of this shirt if I could find a cotton print that was similar enough. I had already tucked away a set of Lindy's buttons and when I finally found some repro shirting that was at least in the same family of prints, I finally made my copy. The original shirt is completely hand sewn and rather casually constructed. The pleats in the bosom vary in width enough to be almost random. Thanks to Mr. Brown's attention to details and the accuracy of the drawings in his book, I was able to pull off a pretty sweet shirt. Having a "great" set of buttons didn't hurt.

My Version of the Shirt With Matching Replica Buttons

Close-up of My Shirt's Cuff Showing Lindy's Button

Bill Brown's Book on Men's Shirts
Photo Courtesy Amazon

This is not where the "shirt tale" ends though, a few years ago, Mr. Brown's historic clothing collection was auctioned off and we were the lucky bidders on the man's calico shirt. It is an incredible piece of history and will be studied by us for many years to come. We continue to collect original 19th Century garments with calico buttons, even though they are few and far between. The common, everyday garments of the past are rarely found today.

As far as the final chapter on Lindy's replica calicos, after 5 years of production and thousands of buttons made one at a time, by hand, she no longer produces them. One of her favorite customers was the gift shop at the Steamboat Arabia Museum and one of her best customers was Grandmother's Buttons, a jewelry business in Louisiana. She even made a pilgrimage to Briare France to visit the Bapterosse factory, still going strong but now making tiles. I told you she was dedicated ! For those that enjoyed Lindy's efforts and are lucky enough to have some of her buttons, we thank you for your support and appreciation.

The Devoted Dabbler Dusts Off His Artist's Hat for the County Fair

2011-07-16T20:13:00.000-07:00

Even though I was trained as an illustrator back in the 70's, I try not to take myself "too" seriously as an artist. That background has helped me in many creative endeavors but I never really pursued a career in art. Once in awhile though, it's fun to throw my work out there and see if it gets a response.

Me and My Work at the 2008 Columbia Art Show
Photo Courtesy Kim Kyhl

Back in 2008, I decided to take a chance with something I'd never done and signed up to show some of my drawings at the Columbia Fine Arts Show. It's an annual event held every September on the streets of Columbia State Historic Park. One of my favorite mediums is pencil on paper and for the show I produced a number of sketches with Gold Rush themes. Go figure! For a novel approach to display, I pretended to be an itinerant artist of the period (there were many) and pinned my unframed sketches to the side of my historic wedge tent. It sort of worked, as long as the wind didn't blow. I sold some drawings to friends, met some interesting people and all in all had a good time.

My Sketch of a Nisenan Man
From a 6th Plate Daguerreotype
in the Collection of the Southwest Museum
Photos by Lindy Miller 2011

Recently, I thought it might be fun to enter some of my work in the Tuolumne County Fair. My friends Floyd and Danette Oydegaard were kind enough to let me borrow two drawings, one of which they had purchased from me back in '08. I still had a portrait of a Chilean sailor I had done for the Columbia Show and decided to enter the three drawings in the Fair's Fine Arts category. I was pleasantly surprised to win 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in my Division and Best in the Division with my portrait of a Native Californian. I've promised that I won't let any of this "Big Fish in a Little Pond" stuff go to my head but it's fun when people like what you've created and I hope that includes the readers of my blog.

On the Left is My Portrait of Josephine Spier, Columbia Pioneer
From a Carte de Visite in the Collection of
Columbia State Historic Park

Lastly is My Sketch of a Chilean Sailor
From a 9th Plate Daguerreotype
in the Collection of Stanley B. Burns, M.D.

Eureka Moments Revisited Part 1, a Peek Inside a Gold Miner's Cabin Starts a Quest

2011-06-26T19:37:00.000-07:00

Nice Digs, But What's Inside ?
Image Courtesy The Daguerreian Society
From the Collection of Matthew R. Isenburg

While researching the lives of Gold Rush miners, I routinely find contemporary descriptions of what they needed to sustain life. Many journal keepers were constantly complaining about the inflated prices paid for basic necessities like food, clothing and mining tools. While I have a working knowledge of mid-19th century American / California material culture and might even conjure up a mental image of what they were writing about, in many cases, I'm just guessing. What I really want is a "visual" primary resource to help me understand and guide my choices for recreating their world. This post is about one of the better resources I've found.

William D. Peck in His Cabin
A Material Culture Gold Mine
Image Courtesy The Oakland Museum
Oakland California

Period photographs are amazing documents but among surviving Gold Rush images, the relative absence of interior views leaves a gap in the record. Luckily, an upstate New York folk artist and lithographer by the name of Henry Walton, helped close that gap a little. Henry came to California, swept up in the "Rush" but still found time to ply his trade as an artist.

His 1853 painting and subsequent lithograph of William D. Peck in his miner's cabin in Rough & Ready, California, is an amazing document of those elusive details and "stuff " of daily life. I have been studying this painting for years since I first saw it in Time /Life's The Old West series edition of "The Forty-Niners". I've seen the original print on display at the Oakland Museum but it's rather small and when I saw it last, hard to view. Lucky for me, thanks to the generosity of my friend Dwain Baughman, I have a very nice reprint of my own.

Close-up View #1

Top Shelf, Left to Right - Rolling Pin /?/ Tin Grater / Retort.

Second Shelf Down - Wood & Tin Grater (?) /?/ /Spice Box /
Champagne Bottle /?/ Small Tin Cannister / Large Tin
Cannister /?/ Ginger Jar (?)

Third Shelf Down - Flour or Pepper Box / Wooden Pantry
Box / Sugar or Flour Box / Small Tin Kettle / Wine Bottle /
Adam's Grinder / Stoneware Crock (?) / Crock With Loop
Handle and Knobbed Lid (?) / ? on Top of Crock

Close-up View #2

On the Floor, Clockwise From the Top of the Picture

Cast Iron Teakettle / Large Tin Kettle / Cast Iron Dutch
Oven / Sheet Iron Frying Pan /?/ Wash Bowl ( Gold Pan)

Here are a few pieces I've found so far.

My Top Shelf, View #1

Original Retort for Processing
Gold Amalgam

My Third Shelf, View #1

Left to Right, Reproduction Pantry Box, Flour Box and
Tin Kettle. Original Bordeaux Bottle and
Adams Patented Grinder

It's easy to be engrossed by the picture, as all the things that surround Mr. Peck are carefully rendered and as important to the portrait as the man himself. The array of objects bear witness to the simple miner's life, covering cooking needs, storage, bedding and mining. Mr. Walton's detailed study has challenged me to identify every element in the picture to the best of my ability, not just for the knowledge but for the purpose of replication or the purchase of similar examples ( what a surprise !). My goal is to display a recreation of the cabin's interior some day, somewhere. In the mean time, I'm just glad to be adding to the collection of objects towards that dream.

My View #2

Reproduction Tin Kettle, Original Dutch Oven,
Original Skillet, Reproduction Gold Pan

It would be great if readers of this post would comment on what they think the various elements in the painting are. Some of them are pretty straight-forward and some not so. Feel free to voice an opinion or correct my assumptions, as any help would be greatly appreciated. Just remember that the date is 1853 and give it your best shot.

Tea Kettle From the Steamboat Arabia Collection

A Match to the Kettle in the Painting and On My
Wish List

19th-Century Ginger Jar
courtesy ehow images

Another One On My List

I've included some late research on two objects in the picture. One is the Cast Iron Tea Kettle and the other is an Antique Ginger Jar that resembles the object at the far right of the Second Shelf. On with the quest !

Yeah !!! I just won this cast iron kettle in an online auction.
It's a nice early one and very close to the one in the image.
One more for the collection !

My Replica of Patty Reed's Doll Celebrates the Courage of a Pioneer Girl

2011-06-18T14:58:00.000-07:00

Patty Reed
A Few Years After the Tragedy
Image Courtesy donnerpartydiary.com

Most people with an interest in Western American History, have heard about the Donner Party tragedy of 1846. Through a series of mishaps, wrong choices and pure bad luck, a Wagon Train of emmigrants, running late after taking Hasting's Cutoff to the California Trail, found themselves stranded in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. They were halted in their tracks by the onslaught of one of the worst winters on record. Earlier, as they approached the base of the mountains and knowing well what might lay ahead, it was agreed that everything deemed unecessary should be tossed to lighten the load on the wagons. Even the children were told to leave their toys and that's where this story begins. Nine year old Martha (Patty) Reed could not bear to throw away her little doll she called "Dolly" and secretly tucked it in her dress.

The Original "Dolly"
Photo Courtesy Sutter's Fort SHP
What a Sweetheart !

An Original Mid 19th-Century Peg Doll
Similar to "Dolly", Note the Details
Image From Online Auction

After the entrapment was certain, the pioneers needed every ounce of courage and determination to face their pending fate. During the worst of what would follow, Patty Reed's love for her little "Dolly" helped her through the months of near starvation and kept her from despair. In the end, 41 people died and 46 were rescued.

Patty was one of the lucky ones and ended up living a full life in California to the ripe old age of 85. During her entire life, she never parted with her little "Dolly" and in the end, generously willed it to the State of California. It's been one of the most visited relics at Sutter's Fort State Historic Park in Sacramento since the 1940's. It left the State briefly in 1996 to be featured as part of the Smithsonian's "1846 Portrait of the Nation" exhibit. That's how important this tiny doll is. California 4th graders who read Rachel Kelley's "Patty Reed's Doll, The Story of the Donner Party" and are lucky enough to visit the Fort, consider seeing the tiny plaything as the high-point of their trip.

My Replica "Dolly"
Photo Lindy Miller 2011

Another View, Note the Hair
Photo Lindy Miller 2011

My wife has always been fond of Patty's little peg-doll "Dolly" and her history, which is all the motivation I needed to surprise her with a replica. A peg-wooden or peg doll is a category of historic dolls based on a construction detail that involves tiny wooden pegs to hold the joints of arms and legs. In the past I had made a couple of similar dolls but I wanted this replica to be as faithful to the original as I could make it. After a visit to the Fort, I learned a little more about the doll's details, having a chance to see her from the side. I'm still unsure if her head is Papier Mache and molded or just carved wood with a coat of Gesso. I decided to go with the gesso, as the doll's clothing hides the evidence of a shoulder plate ala a molded head. The only other info I had is that she is 3 1/2" to 3 3/4" long depending on who you believe. She is a funny little thing with her ungraceful clubby arms and her simple garments but her appeal is undeniable and her importance to our history unquestionable. I hope the viewer enjoys the way my replica turned out. My wife certainly does.

Two Essentials in the Quest for Fire and a Matchsafe with a Twist

2011-06-09T06:22:00.000-07:00

The Original "Kindle"
Image Courtesy Camp Augusta

Ever since I was a kid, I've been fascinated with the ancient practice of creating fire from a spark. I can still remember as a boy scout, watching my Dad start a fire from a piece of flint and a file. He would make charcloth from cotton flannel by igniting a scrap and then smothering it in a shoe polish tin. After showering it with sparks, the now smoldering scrap would be surrounded with fine shavings and gently blown into a flame. Dear old Dad had nothing against matches but he had every intention of infecting me with the "wonder" of primitive firemaking.

Even as late as the mid-19th century, when matches were commonly available, people still relied on flint and steel as a fire source. It just makes sense when you consider a little dampness can render matches useless. When I'm at a Gold Rush living history event, I always have a proper flint and steel kit in my belongings and since I'm an early riser at sleep-over events, that morning fire is my baby. For me it's just fun once in awhile to start a fire in a way that takes me back to my childhood but also reminds me of our self-reliant ancestoral past.

Original Flint Striker
Image Source Online Auction

My Replica Flint Striker

Several years ago, I stumbled on an interesting 19th-century variation of a flint-striker that I felt would be fun to reproduce. The steel is suspended on a rod from the bottom of a gusseted, leather pouch. The pouch was no doubt intended to hold the flint. The original example had needlework panels on both sides, which certainly elevated it beyond the ordinary. For my replica, I chose a plainer path but kept it faithful to the original form, including the cord loop closure and early waistcoat brass button. For the steel, I ground and polished a scrap of an old file. For the steel's suspension loops, I shaped a tab at each end and then after the tabs were annealed, they were bent into loops. I think it turned our nicely and it's a pleasure to use, as the pouch gives you something to grip while you strike the steel with the flint.

Original Tinder Horn
Image Courtesy the Penlee House

My Replica Tinder Horn
With Tinder Fungus and Brimstone Matches

There's an ongoing discussion these days as to which tinder is period appropriate. Charcloth is out and organic plant matter is in. Lately I've been experimenting with some tinder fungus I purchased from Jas. Townsend & Son. but I'm also interested in ways to store and keep that tinder dry. I'm sure any period style, moisture resistant box with a tight lid would suffice but I was intrigued by what is called a "tinder horn". Just like it sounds, it's basically a section of cowhorn with a plug at one end and a large cork at the other. How simple is that ? Luckily I found a photo of an original on line and similar containers are illustrated in Neumann and Kravic's "Collector's Illustrated Encyclopedia of the American Revolution".

Original Matchsafe on the Left
My Replica on the Right

Last in this post is my matchsafe with a twist. Mid 19th-century tin matchsafes are pretty common as many have survived but this particular version has an extra feature. I've always wanted one of these since I saw the first one in "Antique Tin & Tole Ware" by Mary Earle Gould. It's a matchsafe with a fold-out candleholder. Pretty darn sweet. A couple of years ago I was lucky enough to purchase an original from an online auction. This opportunity gave me the chance to make a careful replica. With such a small candle, it must have been intended as an emergency light, maybe to help you find your way to the privy or something like that. Either way it was a fun and challenging little piece of tin work with three hinges and lots of tiny bends. It really comes in handy when I'm crawling into my tent in the dark mumbling let there be "period correct" light !!

How Not to Build Your First Flintlock Rifle or a Lesson Learned My Way

2011-05-30T10:19:00.000-07:00

" Creek warriors, hear me "
Classic Fun

Image Courtesy of Walt Disney Productions

Growing up in 1950's and early 60's, I was your typical all-American kid with heroes like Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone. They were larger than life characters to me and through the magic of TV, their adventures were my adventures. Even though history was only the theme in those early shows and many times it was filtered or even sacrificed for the "story", I still to this day, love it all, corny or not. That "coon-skin" capped kid also noticed that Davy and Daniel were never very far from their flintlock rifles. I can remember thinking , "wouldn't it be bitchin' to have one of those some day."

A few decades later, I thought I would start to put that dream to work. One style of longrifle that had always appealed to me was the unadorned and iron-mounted Southern Mountain Rifle. Maybe it was my family's Southern roots or the fact that mountain folks were some of the last to give up their flintlocks. What ever it was, I was determined to build a Southern inspired gun. I had no idea what I was getting into but that never mattered to me. I knew I didn't want a kit gun and decided to research the available options for building a more custom rifle.

Research and Inspiration and a Very Young
Hershel House
Photos Lindy Miller 2011

Years before, I had discovered a basic rifle building tutorial in Foxfire #5, one of the series of books by Eliot Wigginton and his students, published in the 1970's. This particular volume has tons of information on gunmaking with an emphasis on flintlocks but what I had feasted on was the step-by-step instructional by Hershel House. The Foxfire crew had stayed with Hershel for a week, while he built a rifle from scratch. Lots of drawings and close-up photos helped melt away the many mysterys of early rifle building. Thanks to that tutorial, I understood "cast-off", "drop" and "pull" and could even see myself inletting a lock with candle soot. Heck, I even felt I could make my own hardware some day. Continuing on this road, I discovered "Guns and Gunmaking Tools of Southern Appalachia" by John Rice Irwin, 1983. John's book is full of photos of early rifles in the Museum of Appalachia's collection. I only wished the book had close-ups but it was helpful as I continued to study this regional style.

An Original Rifle WIth Classic Southern Mountain Lines
Image Courtesy
North Carolina Museum of History

When I purchased a set of full-size drawings of Southern Rifles from Dixie Gun Works, it was suddenly within reach to understand and transfer the scale and lines of an original rifle to my planned replica. I fell in love with the rifle by William McBee because it was just one great looking gun. I especially admired the "deep" crescent buttplate and the graceful lines but I had unknowingly set myself up for the next wave of challenges.

My Replica Southern Mountain Rifle

Even though some Southern style hardware was available from muzzleloader suppliers in the late 1980's and early 1990's, I couldn't find everthing I wanted, so I ended up purchasing only the major components. From Golden Age Arms (no longer in business) I bought a W.L.Cochran Lock Kit in flint (no longer available) and from Dixie came a 42" Green Mountain barrel in .45. Also from Dixie I bought a roughly profiled and semi-shaped walnut stock with a partial inletted barrel channel and a breechplug with an extra long tang that I could reshape. The last thing from Dixie was a double-set trigger with a low profile. I was determined to build everything else. What was I thinking?

Back-side View

I knew I couldn't cold-bend steel to any desired degree so I had to improvise some kind of forge. It now strikes me as hilarious when I think back, but it actually did work. I used a Japanese Hibachi to hold my charcoal briquettes ( yes...charcoal briquettes) while a hair dryer with an aluminum foil extension, acted as my blower. It ate-up the charcoal pretty fast but allowed me to heat the steel to a plastic state. I scratch-built the barrel lugs, sights, ramrod tubes, toeplate, buttplate, patchbox and triggerguard, pounding them out over a piece of railroad rail I used for an anvil. I'd never heard the old saying that "time well spent at the forge saves time at the vise and file". I spent a "lot" of time at the vise and file.

Top View Showing Lollipop Tang

Underside View Showing the Triggerguard

The stock work ended up being a chore as I was never 100% pleased with the existing profile. There was little I could do to change it and finally ended up adding a small piece of walnut to extend the comb. The lesson here was, on any future rifle, I would want more control on the shape I started with.

All in all, I think the rifle turned out okay, considering it was my first attempt. Luckily, it ended up being a pretty good shooter too, thanks to that Green Mountain barrel. My only advice to any beginners contemplating doing this, is to build your expertise through pre-planned projects like the many fine kits available today. You will enjoy it more and probably get a better product. One thing I know for sure, it's a lot easier today with DVDs teaching you how to build and plenty of support on websites like American Longrifles or the Contemporary Longrifle Association.

From the Age of Letters, My Recreated Traveling Porte Folio and Penner

2011-05-22T14:32:00.000-07:00

Crowds Line-up During the Gold Rush, Eager for Their Mail
Image Courtesty The Museum of San Francisco

In this day and age of emails and texting, it's hard to imagine a time when all letters were hand written with a pen and ink. During the19th-century, people loved to write letters. In California, in 1849, 18,000 to 45,000 letters arrived by steamer to San Francisco every month, not to mention the thousands that were sent back home. Today I feel like a dinosaur, since I can still remember composing letters in grade school in long-hand with a fountain pen ! Wow, was it really that long ago?

Miners "Feasting" on a Letter From Home
Image Courtesty The Oakland Museum

The following projects involve recreating two mid 19th-century portable writing tools that were considered useful for keeping up your correspondence.

Traveling Porte Folio Illustration From "The Workwoman's Guide"

My Replica Porte Folio in Closed Postion
Photos Lindy Miller 2011

In an earlier post, I had mentioned "The Workwoman's Guide" as an incredible resource for recreating early 19th-century material culture. On page 208, Plate 24, there is an illustration (Fig 41) for a "Travelling Porte Folio". The accompaning text on pg. 215 states, "This is convenient for traveling, when there is not sufficient room for a desk; it is made of card or book board, and covered with black silk or paper. Under the part marked A, is a porte folio for paper, the two parts being connected together by means of a wide ribbon all around. The four flaps lay over and tie across with ribbon. On the part A. are places for sealing wax, pencil, pens, knife and paper knife, all in one, and at the corner a piece of ribbon sewed on in a circle, and made to draw up like a bag, to contain wafers."

My Replica in the Open Postion
Showing Tools, Wafers etc.

I felt this was going to be a worthwhile project as long as I paid attention to the details of construction and used appropriate materials. Over the years I have observed many mid-century artifacts that used various printed or marbelized papers in their construction. For my porte folio, I opted for a nice period style overall geometric patterned paper for the outside covering. From the sample I had, my local print shop was kind enough to make up several sheets in red ink on yellow paper. I thought the inside should be less busy so I used my favorite unprinted robin's egg blue paper. For the cloth hinges connecting the cardboard panels, I chose a small check cotton. I think it gave the piece a nice honest home-made look. In order to secure the writting tools, I used a strip of cotton elastic, stitched to the board in loops.

Finding all the right tools took some time. The hardest was the antique paper knife, which is intended to scape away mistakes written in ink. My only deviation from the original description was to add a small piece of gum-rubber eraser, tied to a length of cotton tape. I felt it was a nice compliment to the pencil that was mentioned in the original description. The goose quill pens, stripped of most of their feathering, were easy to acquire as was the plain cedar pencil. Figuring out what 'wafers' meant led to some interesting research. In the period I am working in, wafers were small, gummed discs of paper that were sometimes embossed with various designs. Basically, they served as an alternative to sealing wax. A man named Edward Law has done extensive study on what he calls "Adhesive Wafer Seals."and his research is available on the web. I found some embossed paper that I painted red on top and then gum coated the underside. A good gumming medium is liquid hide glue, available at most hardware stores. After it dries, it is easily moistened back to a sticky state. With a 5/8" round punch centered on the embossed design, I cut out a disc and voila, out popped my version of a wafer.

My Replica Penner in Opened Postion
and Some Mail I Created for Past Living History Events

The next project was to recreate a portable inkwell. There were many styles during the timeperiod but I finally settled on what is commonly called a penner. The original version that I selected to copy is basically a protective slip-case for a small, corked, glass ink bottle. The ink bottle is usually accompanied by a small dip-pen. Many wonderful original examples from the collection of John C. Loring are available online for viewing. Just look for the category of "19th Century & Earlier Western Writing Instruments". For my re-creation, I used thin cardstock, layered and glued for the body. The ink bottle (a small vial), sits in a protective wood base with only the bottle's neck showing. The shoulder of the bottle helps keep it in place in the hollowed out wooden form. For the outside covering I used some " faux red morrocan" cloth that I had a large scrap of.

I would recommend both of these fun projects to anybody who is interested as neither requires highly specialized skills and materials similar to what I used are readily available. After that, you might just have to write a letter or two. As my grade school teacher would say, keep practicing your penmanship !

An Evolutionary Tale of Two Knives, One I Liked and One I Love.

2011-05-06T20:50:00.000-07:00

In a previous posting on period labels I put forth my idea of Living History as an evolutionary pursuit. In light of that, I must confess that there was a time when my creative juices were stirred by the desire for artistic license. I had an epiphany when I first felt the need to replicate accurately just for the sake and challenge of it. Historically reminiscent or historically based fantasy objects should always have their place but I think they need to be identified as such. There's enough confusion out there already. Please don't get me wrong, fantasy is fun and that's where this story begins.

Back around 1995, I began to research Bowie knives and their place in the Gold Rush. What I really wanted was something cool to hang on my belt besides a butcher knife (which by the way, would have been a good choice). There were some replica bowies available but nothing grabbed me. I eventually decided to create my own "historically based" bowie with a coffin-shaped handle. I purchased a large bowie blade blank from Dixie Gun Works and discovered it was tempered and profiled but had no taper to the blade. The 1/4" slab needed to be flat-ground to a finished form. Yikes!! Grinding that hardened blank on a wheel turned out to be a chore as untempering and retempering the steel was out of the question.

My Fantasy Knife Circa 1995
Photo by Floyd Oydegaard

I wanted the handle to make a statement and decided to design and carve an American Eagle motif for the pommel. I sent off the carved pattern to a brass foundry and had them sand cast two for me. I had previously decided to make all the fittings in brass but found out later that nickel would have been more common. What did I know? Before I assembled the brass cross-guard, walnut scales and eagle pommel, I etched the blade with muriatic acid after painting a period appropriate motto of my own design on it. I discovered that enamel paint made a good resist to the acid. The motto read "Gold Seeker's Protector". Pretty cool eh?

Carved Pommel Pattern
Photos by Lindy Miller 2011

After the knife was completed, I fashioned an appropriate sheath with brass fittings. The knife saw some service but was eventually sold to a friend. This entire project would only be a memory if not for the picture that Floyd Oydegaard took of it before it went away. Thanks Floyd ! Surprisingly, I still have the eagle pommel pattern which is shown here.

So, that's the tale of the knife I liked, now on to the story of the knife I love. A long-time client from my antique restoration days, had the habit of dropping in on me for visits when I had the Carpenter's Shop in Columbia. His specialty is buying, selling and collecting original Gold Rush material. During one of those visits in 2001 he showed me an antique, guardless bowie knife that he had just purchased. What struck me about this rare bowie was its simplicity, balance and pure, no-nonsense look, but what really got me going was its history. The knife was the product of Joseph Bache and was marked with his cartouche, "J. Bache, Sonora". Bache was a French blacksmith who was active in Sonora in the 1850's. So far, a hammer and rifle have been discovered, marked with his name in the same manner as the knife. The man was obviously multi-talented and he had lived just down the road. This knife was screaming at me to be replicated and the owner was willing to let me document it. Woo hoo !!

My Replica of the Joseph Bache Bowie
with Collected Data and Probable Sheath

I don't own a forge and even though the original knife was likely the product of one, I decided to use the reduction method for my close-copy. I purchased a length of 1/4" X 2" 01 Toolsteel from Texas Knifemaker's Supply in Houston. The original knife is a hefty 15" long with a full thickness tang for balance. The untempered tool steel proved to be a delight to work with compared to my previous experience. This time I tapered the blade on a belt sander and found it much easier. I decided to copy the wear pattern of the orginal blade to give my replica a feeling of having been used. When the blade was finished, I sent it back to Texas to be heat treated. The simple "dog-bone shaped" oak scales replicate the original as do the custom steel rivets. The finished knife holds an edge beautifully and is a pleasure to use in the kitchen when it's not doing history work. I really do "love" this knife and what it represents to my personal journey as a historian / craftsman.

A Cap by Any Other Name, is Still a Cap, or Further Adventures in Historic Headgear

2011-04-25T07:47:00.000-07:00

Two Gents in Their Caps
Image Source Unknown

In the living history field these days, there seem to be a lot of discussion as to the appropriate terminology for some objects. Since there is no agreed apon, central data-base for all of us to dip into, the choice of terms is left to the more or less discriminating among us. As an example, let's take men's mid-19th Century caps. For years the living history community has called them Wheel Caps or Mechanic's Caps and for better or for worse, both names have become firmly fixed into the common language of the hobby.

In my research, I've seen Gold Rush California newspaper ads for "Fremont Caps" and two reprinted 1850's Rubber Goods Catalogs list "Kit Carson Caps". As a westerner I would love to start using those iconic names to describe a cap but it would probably lead to more confusion. For the sake of simplicity I just like to call them "Caps".

From Plate #19, "Workwoman's Guide"
Fig. 53 shows finished cap,
Fig. 54 shows pieces you will need for the body outside
and a brim

A Gentleman in His Cap With Its Glazed Cover
Image Source Unknown

What I like about men's caps is that they are relatively easy and fun to recreate. As long as you follow the historic model, you can make a fairly authentic version. There appears to be a lack of surviving examples from this period except for a handful of rare military versions, so what we are left with is the photographic record and a period pattern.

A Great Example of a Cloth Covered Brim
Image Source Unknown

The original pattern I've included here is the one found in "The Workwoman's Guide" of 1838. This book is available in reprint and is an incredible resource that I highly recommend. The description of the cap is on page 156 and reads, "This is a remarkably neat cap, and may be worn by either a boy or a man; it is generally made of cloth." The description continues with instructions on how to make the cap. All of the measurements in this guide are in "nails" which is 2 1/4" and it's best if you make up a ruler in those increments if you are going to follow this historic pattern.

My Cap With its Glazed Cover
Photos Lindy Miller 2011

Same Cap Without its Cover

Cap Showing Lining and Sweatband
Glazed Cover to the Left

     From my experience, it's best to make up a sample in a lesser fabric, to test the pattern. You will need a round piece for the top and four curved pieces which join together at the ends, for the underside. Eventually the top and underside are sewn together with a welted seam. I like to start with the band piece. The band piece is sized to fit your head, allowing for seam allowances, buckram band stiffner, hat lining and sweatband. The shorter (curved side) of each of the 4 underpieces should be approximately 1/4 the length of the band piece plus seam allowances. Are you with me so far? The longer (curved) side of each of the 4 underpieces will be 1/4 of the circumference of the circle. There's some wiggle room here as the curved underpieces will have a little bias. Sew the joined band piece to the assembled top and you have the basic hat. Next comes the brim and a nice touch here is to sew it to the inside of the band piece with a welted seam (see the photo). I usually use leather for the brim but many caps appear to have cloth covered ones that match the body. At this point you could install the buckram stiffner to the inside of the band piece. Next, create a lining, using the same pattern as the body but smaller and attach it to the inside. Last would be the chin strap and sweatband.

          It is not my intention for this post to be a working pattern for a cap but rather a set of suggestions based on caps that I have made. This can be a simple or complicated project and I hope I haven't contributed to the latter. If you wish to make a glazed cover for your cap, a slight enlargement of the pattern, in a nice heavy muslin will work. You can then paint it black with an oil-based enamel. I found that stuffing the cover with rags before you paint it (several coats) will help keep its shape as it dries. Good Luck and keep reminding yourself that this is a fun one. You will look right smart in your new cap.....Really !!

        As a post script, I've added some pictures that were recently sent to me by my old friend Will Dunniway. These are of one of my first caps, made about 15 years ago and traded to Will for some collodion work. The cap's wear celebrates its many years of service and has given it a comfortable look you can't fake. I like the nifty label too.

Photos Courtesy of Will Dunniway

Men's Mid-19th Century Hat Boxes, A Quick Study of Two Distinct Versions

2011-04-22T22:32:00.000-07:00

Mid-19th Century Men in Their Silk Top Hats
Daguerreotype Source Unknown
Are those great hats or what?

After all my years in the Living History business, there are a few truisms I believe in and one is that your hat can make or break your impression. It's my feeling that when it comes to recreating historic dress, hats are serious fun and deserve special attention. In this post, I'm not going to talk that much about hats but rather my replication of two completely different hat boxes.These boxes are of the type that were intended to protect and store top hats, those ubiquitous tiles of civilization, and as such are an important part of hat lore.

My interest in hat boxes started when I purchased a fur-felt top hat from Tim Bender of T.P.&H. Trading Co. Tim had worked with me to create a custom version based on measurements of a friend's original mid-19th Century fur-felt top hat. I had Tim leave off the edge binding and ribbon trim, so I could use some original French silk grosgrain ribbon that I had stashed away years before. I was really excited when the hat arrived but never expected the rush I experienced when the hat came out of the box. Tim really nailed it. It looks, feels and wears like an original felt top hat. I really loved being able to add my finishing touches but what it really deserved was a cool box to live in.

Original Mid-19th Century Silk Top Hat
and Its Wallpaper Covered Box
Photo Courtesy of Time Traveler's Antiques

My First Replica Hat Box
Photo Lindy Miller 2011

After considerable research I discovered that several different styles of hat boxes co-existed in the mid-19th Century. One type was shaped like the hat it protected and another was a large band box, sized big enough to fit the hat. I decided to recreate my version of the shaped variety as it seemed to suit my new Bender hat. My approach was to make a hat-shaped form of thin cardboard, that would be approximately 1/4" to 1/2" larger overall than the hat itself. Sounds easy enough, right? It turned out that the biggest challenge was the shaping of the box's edges along the brim line to accomodate the hat and allow for a fitted lid. I solved the shaping problem by trial and error. I taped together long pieces of cardboard and wrapped them around the outside of the hat's brim. This way I could trace the curve of the brim onto the cardboard and create a pattern . The box brim assembly needed to be parallel to the main body sides or the eventual lid would bind and not lift off easily.

When you make a period style cardboard box, the seams need to be strong. Some seams can be lapped and glued but some will butt together. After years of making various boxes, I've learned to take narrow strips of muslin and glue them over the butt joints as a re-enforcement. Some original boxes I've studied, have their seams sewn with a wide overcast stitch. The final steps on the box involved covering the outside in a sweet robin's egg blue paper and lining the inside of the box with reprinted period newspaper. I then added some narrow twill tape ties to secure the fitted lid. In my research I discovered that many original boxes were covered in amazing contemporary wallpaper, as you can see in the image. With all the period papers being reproduced today (Historic Wallpaper Resources), it's another option to consider. In the end, I was rewarded with a fitting home for a very special hat.

Original Mid-19th Century "Bandbox Style" Hat Box
Photo Courtesy Antique Associates

Replica Hat Box #2
Photo Lindy Miller 2011

Now, on to box #2. Years ago, while visiting Sturbridge Village with my wife, I fell in love with a straw top hat in their gift shop. It didn't help a bit that several of their costumed interpreters were wearing theirs that day. As you might have guessed, it came home with me but sat boxless for years. Well, if one top hat deserves a box, why not the other ? For this one, I chose the large bandbox style but it still had to be special and not just a big oval box. I decided to copy the wonderful hat image graphics that decorate the sides of many surviving boxes. The inspiration for this box came from several I had seen and the one original example that we own. When they are covered with wallpaper, the hat graphics appear to be overprinted with a woodblock and not part of the wallpaper's original design. After my box was completed and covered in appropriate reproduction wallpaper, I painted the hat graphic on both sides, in the style of a woodblock print. Note also that my box's lid is covered in a different print wallpaper, something you see quite often on originals.

One little hint that I would like to share is that cardboard typically has a grain. If you take a piece and bend it from opposite directions, you will notice the difference immediately. This doesn't really matter with thinner cardboard but can mean the difference between a smooth bend and not-so-smooth with some thicker varietys. These were both fun projects and I would encourage others to craft their own versions. Period style cardboard boxes are wonderful objects and usually missing in recreated historical scenes. There's no reason for it as they are easier to make than you might think. Craft on !

Playing With Matches and the Evil Weed or My Adventures with Historical Bad Habits

2011-04-10T17:27:00.000-07:00

19th-Century Men and Their Pipes
Image Courtesy of
The Pipe Cabinet

I must confess, at one time I had a strong affection for smoking cigs but gave up the nasty things over 30 years ago. I never really lost my attraction, I just didn't like the idea of a smoking habit that was too easy and convenient. In my early Living History days I would "occasionally" enjoy a guilt-free clay pipe but it was still rarely. When I got to a certain age and with the support of my loving wife, I began to explore the idea of becoming a casual pipe smoker. Pipe smoking is a great hobby as it offers the curious dabbler limitless possibilities of pipe styles and tobacco blends. For me personally, the attraction of the historical varietys became the ultimate seduction and worthy of exploration. This post is about a couple of related topics that I hope the reader will find interesting.

The Remnants of My Tobacconist's Shop
Replicas of Cigar Boxes from the Steamboat Arabia
a Bottle of Snuff
and My Replica Matches
Photo Lindy Miller 2011

In 2009, for Columbia State Historic Park's annual living history event, I decided to portray a Tobacconist. In 1852 there were 3 in the original town and up until the '09 event, no attempt had been made by the State Park or any volunteer to even suggest they existed. What a shame and what an opportunity to interpret the past ! In my little corner display ( I rented the space from the proprietors of the Coffee Saloon) I had quite an array of offerings from snuff to cigars and from whole leaf to plugs of chew. All for interpretation mind you and not for public consumption. Along with the tobacco, a variety of clay pipes rounded out the display and I even had replica period matches, which brings me to the first project in this post.

Many years ago I thought it would be really cool to replicate actual period matches but the more I researched the more unlikely it became. The tragic history of early matches with their white phosphorus was terrifying enough to temper my interest with caution. With a little more research I discovered that a primitive version of the white phosphorus-free "safety" match (invented in 1844) might be a prime candidate for ressurection.

The course was set for a successful replication when I discovered an original mid-19th century matchbox and contents, labeled "P. Cowee's Super Chlorate Matches or Lucifers", in the collection at Sturbridge Village. Since the label mentions using the enclosed sandpaper to ignite the match it was very likely an early safety match. The history of the match is readily available online and Wikipedia is a good place to start. I dug around and found several original formulas for matches and finally settled on one that seemed within reach. I needed Potassium Chlorate (5 parts) as an oxidizing agent, Antimony Trisulfide (5parts) would be the ignition promoter, Gum Arabic (3 parts) would act as a binder and lastly, I would add a little lamp black (1 part) for color. I was very lucky to have a good friend chase down the chemicals for me, which really helped. I then made up a load of proper shaped wood splints and pre-dipped their tips in melted sulphur. I roped my friend Nick Kane into helping create the matches as he had a respirator ( Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that the chemicals were still quite toxic). When the project was completed, I made up a few boxes for myself and the friends who had helped. You are probably wondering if they actually worked and I can assure you that when drawn across the treated sandpaper (Red Phosphorus and an abrasive) they sputter and explode into flame just like those legendary originals and man do they stink !

Standing in My Tobacco Patch
About 3/4 Grown
Photo Lindy Miller 2010

A Carrot of Tobacco
Image Courtesy of
The Museum of the Fur Trade

My Restored Meerschaum,
Kid Lined Silk Tobacco Pouch and
Bone Lady-Leg Tamper
My Favorite Kit

Now, shall we explore my adventures in growing historic tobacco? To start off, I thought I would try some easy-to-grow variety that had a tie to history. I settled on a strain called Virginia Gold as the seeds were readily available on line and most information suggested it was a good choice for beginners. Mr. know-it-all fell on his face the first year as not a single seed germinated. Dang! Not one to give up so easily, I studied a little more and after improving my starting trays, was rewarded the next year with a million little seedlings. At this point I had to decide how many plants I could realistically grow. We have the poorest soil and too many deer waiting in the bushes for something new to munch. I built a deer-proof compound and transplanted the seedlings to pots. It takes months to grow tobacco to maturity but once it gets going it shoots up like nothing else. After the leaves began to turn yellow, I started to harvest them and bundle them in hands of two or three. Next came hanging them in my ventilated tin shed to color cure to a nice tobacco brown. When everything was right and they were in "case" (moist enough to handle without crumbling but still dry), I began to gather them to be bundled for the next step.

On a piece of canvas, about 18" square, I laid the leaves out after stripping away the stems. Just for fun, I spritzed the leaves with brandy as they piled on. This part is a little hard to explain but you have to compress the leaves (about 50-60) into a roll and then tightly pull the canvas over that roll. The final step it to bind the roll tight with twine, until it resembles a sort of double-tapered bundle. Historically these were called carrots and apparently some sailors called them periques (there's even a Youtube, "How to make a perique" ) but I was intrigued by the notion of a slow and simple historic way to age tobacco. Most homegrowers today use kilns to speed the process. The old way I chose will take many months to age the baccy into something smokeable but at least it will be chemical free. Believe me I know it will take time as the samples so far have been just a "little" harsh. But hey, what do I know as I usually smoke a nice mild black cavendish blend ( "Yosemite" from the Briar Patch) which the pipe snobs tell me is for beginners. On that note, while I'm waiting for my homegrown to mellow, I'll go enjoy some of that wonderful "beginner's" blend right now in my favorite "historic" pipe.

A Recounting of My Adventures to Recreate Period Packaging and Labels

2011-04-03T16:57:00.000-07:00

The author evolving with fellow historians.
Note the labeled goods.
Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park
Photo Ed Sims

During the earliest days of my volunteering as a docent, I began to question the credibility of any attempts to recreate the past. Seriously ! To me it was overwhelming to imagine what has been lost to the passage of time. Yet in my yearning to gain insight into the past I began to see the nobility in some kind of effort to keep it alive. I think Living History comes with an enormous responsibility to be honest about past people and past things but I have to admit, in the beginning I was as pitiful as the next guy in my poor efforts. This hobby is as much about evolution as anything else. Evolve or Die, that's my mantra, and I try to live by it. This post is about my work recreating labels for goods from the mid-19 century and a few tricks I learned along that path.

From the begining I wanted to contribute something postive towards the improvement of our Living History program at Columbia State Historic Park. I found an allly in fellow docent David Peebles, as we both saw the need for more credibility in how we represented Gold Rush merchants and their goods. David and I made that noble effort to break free of the silly romantic hooey that fueled the previous attempts by introducing the O. P. Davis Store at Columbia's Tent Town event in June of 1994. Our resources were scant and our knowledge was minimal but we had labeled goods and stenciled crates that at least evoked some "feeling" from the past. Granted, we were a little more creative in our re-creations than we should have been but everyone has to start somewhere, right?

A few of my labels over the years
some better than others
Photo Lindy Miller 2005

From that point forward, I've tried to focus on the most authentic packaging and label representations within my capabilities and needs. Trained as a professional illustrator, I'm lucky to have the advantage of an artist's eye. This came in handy when studying period graghics as many surviving original paper labels are fragmented and need careful reconstruction before replication is possible. In this post, I'm not going to explain the history or dating of labels but rather show a process of replication that works for me and talk about a few resources that I've found helpful.

Original bottles with contents
note the foil labels
Courtesy Steamboat Arabia Museum

Period appropriate labels can be found in books and some of my favorites are "Package & Print" by Alec Davis, 1967, "Ketchup, Pickles, Sauces, 19th Century Food in Glass" by Betty Zumwalt, 1980 and "The Art of the Label" by Robert Opie, 1987. The Steamboat Arabia museum in Kansas City, Missouri is a mecca for historians for it's collections of preserved cargo from an 1856 wreck. The only labels that survived on the Arabia were the foil ones on some bottled goods but they also have many preserved crates on display for study. Another notable resource is the museum of the Steamboat Bertrand, an 1865 wreck, that is located in the DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge in Iowa. Surprisingly, many of the paper labeled goods survived intact from the Bertrand and numerous examples are in their collection and some are featured in " The Bertrand Bottles" by Ronald R. Switzer, 1974.

This post is about creating facsimile labels, so I'm not going to discuss period printing or what is the "correct" paper. I'll leave that to people that want to take this to the next level. So how exactly do I recreate the look of a period label ? First, it starts with what you are working from. If the label is intact and flat, a simple photocopy might suffice but if you have to recreate what's missing, I've found it's best to start with an enlarged version that you can scale down later. I find that cut-and-paste works for me, but Photoshop is probably a better choice for the computer-savvy. On occasion, I hit-up people like my friends Derek or Floyd to clean-up a graphic or rearrange some lettering for me. For artwork, I use Micron pens from Pigma for detail work and Prismacolor pencils when color is needed. Sometimes a plain ole Sharpie is just the ticket. A word of advice is to keep your creativity in check when restoring a label. Try to be faithful to the original design as much as possible while working to restore what's missing. Sometimes merely flipping the remaining design can do the trick or you might refer to other labels to guide your choices.

Labels and their artwork reading clockwise
Yeast Powder from the Bertrand
Pepper Sauce from author's collection
Byass Porter from online auction
Photos Lindy Miller 2011

Wells, Miller and Provost Label embossing steps
left to right
final embossing plates, rubber stamps, latex mould

My replica foil labels
Pickles and Brandied Peaches Yum!
Bottles by Dog River Glassworks

Some of the most challenging labels to recreate are those of embossed metal foil, usually lead or brass. Many examples have been excavated in Gold Rush sites, so this type was particularly interesting to me. I realized that I needed some kind of embossing plate that would leave its impression on soft metal foil. I started with a black and white graphic of the design, drawn to scale. I copied that onto a transparency to produce a reverse version. I then had my local print shop make a rubber stamp of the reverse image so that the rubber stamp was a positive rather than a normal stamp negative. Are you with me so far? From that rubber stamp, I made a latex mold. From that mold, I cast a hard resin version of the rubber stamp. So what I ended up with was a hard rubbing plate with a positive design. Whew !! Dental tin foil from Pearson Lab Supply is a good substitute for the lead foil that was originally used for some of these labels. The process starts by placing a piece of foil over the plate and then using an art gum eraser, I gently press down until the design appears on the foil. To flatten the background and enhance the design, I found that gently pressing the embossed label over a piece of plate glass, with my fingertips, worked great. The label is then trimmed and glued on the appropriate bottle.

For those that are curious, I no longer sell my labels but rather encourage others to make their own. In that regard, I hope this post has been at least a little helpful and maybe even evolutionary.

A Lesson Learned or How An Old Trunk Helped Me Mark My Progress

2011-03-25T18:20:00.000-07:00

The Original Inspiration
Photos Lindy Miller 2011

For those that read my blog, you might have noticed that I've learned a lesson or two on my journeys to replicate past objects. The most valuable lesson I've discovered is the importance of finding the "patience" to fully enjoy this hobby. My desire to recreate something might be immediate but the time spent towards a successful project, can be longer than anticipated. I've found that I need to embrace the whole creative process. It's not only about the research or hunting down those obsolete materials but it's about developing my technical skills as a craftsman as well.

Front View

Inside View of Original Trunk
Note the Door in the Lid

In the back of my mind there is a list of things I would like to make. Some I'll probably never get around to but so far I've whittled the list down pretty good. When I get to the point of starting a project, everything necessary has finally come together either by plan or by chance or both. This post has a little of both. Around 30 years ago, I purchased a fragile relic of a trunk at an antique mall in Southern California. My initial emotion was to save the poor thing and what-the-heck, it was cheap. At the time there was a craze for "fixing up" old trunks and turning them into decor but that's not what I intended. I saw this little wreck of a thing as a prime candidate for replicating someday. There was a lot that crumbling trunk could teach me but for the time being, it was wrapped up and put away. It was probably best, as I wasn't quite ready yet to tackle such a project.

In 2004, during a shopping trip to Nevada, my wife and I were visiting one of our favorite fabric stores, Mill End Fabrics of Reno, when I noticed that they had a bin of large leather pieces. The prices were fair and I found myself wondering what I could make from such an opportunity. Like a light bulb going on in my head I suddenly thought of that nearly forgotten trunk. I ended up purchasing half a cowhide of upolstery leather because the weight, feel and finish seemed like it might be a match to the covering of that relic trunk. The anticipation of a new project was pretty exciting. Yeah man !

My Replica Trunk
Note the Sewn Leather Handle

When I dug out the original trunk, I was happy to see the new leather would work but I immediately realized that if I wanted to make a viable replica, I was facing a very involved project. The important thing was, I felt I was ready to tackle it.

Straight on Front View
Note the Straps and Lock Flap

This style of travel-trunk is pretty interesting in that it has a soft-top design that acts as an additional compartment to store clothing or linens. As you can see in the pictures, there's a trap door on the inside of the lid for access. The core body of the original trunk is made of a soft wood, probably poplar or pine. I already had custom wide pine boards of the right dimension at my workplace in Columbia along with plenty of cut nails from Tremont Nail Co. so that part was covered.

The hunt for hardware was next and I really lucked out when I discovered an amazing resource online called The Trunk Shoppe in Harrisville, West Virginia. These good people have created a unique offering of early trunk hardware that's unparalleled. Their trunk locks are exact copies of early to mid-19th century originals, so I needed to grab one of those. They even have the original style cast brass domed tacks with a square shank but the cost would have killed me.The original trunk has a zillion tacks. I opted for high dome brass tacks from Crazy Crow Trading Post of Pottsboro Texas. Many of these early trunks have tinned or sheet iron corner protectors and in my case, they were tinned and japanned with asphaltum varnish. When the time came, I used ProCraft Asphaltum Varnish, thinned with Lacquer Thinner( a good drying agent) to a brushable state. Over the bright tin, the varnish's golden brown color is a classic period look that can't be imitated.

Inside View of My Replica

Close-up of Replica's Lid
Showing Facsimile of Original Label

The project began by building the wooden box / body and the inner panel for the lid. I then created and installed a pair of sheet iron hinges to match the originals. The next step was to glue and tack the leather panels to the outside of the box. The hand sewn leather handles of the original trunk had to be carefully duplicated and installed with clinch-nails through the box sides. After morticing a pocket on the inside front of the box, I mounted that beautiful replica lock with clinch-nails as was the original. Next came making and glueing in the paper lining. Even though the orignal paper was printed, I think that my stencilled version matches pretty close. Assembling the leather top was a challenge as I first had to line all the pieces with a nice cotton tick before I hand sewed the end's welted seams. Once the major parts were assembled, I carefully mounted those zillions of tacks and the tin panelled corners. Lots of other details were added to the inside lid including a facsimile of the original label. It was really starting to look like something now but I had to take it a step further.

Some of the elements that are usually missing from many original and most replica trunks, are the buckled straps that secured a trunk's lid and the leather flap to protect the lock. I wanted my replica to have all of the flaps, straps and buckles of a new original. I found that by studying mid-19th century trade cuts like those reproduced in Clarence P. Hornung's "Handbook of Early Advertising Art",1956, I could find clues as to how period trunks looked when new. The majority of these trunks were intended to be used as luggage and more often than not ended up on top of a coach, exposed to the weather. From those originals that I studied, it appears that style and function went hand in hand and I think my replica celebrates that notion. It was a great project and worth the "patience" it took to get to the point to make it happen and now I have somewhere cool to stash my stuff !

How I Finally Got Around to a Childhood Dream or Some Things Are Worth the Wait

2011-03-20T13:16:00.000-07:00

The Seed

I'm running the risk of giving away my age with this post but what the heck. Back in 1963 I saw the cover of the February issue of the American Rifleman Magazine and I was smitten. The cover's picture was of a brace of pistols. Not just any old pistols but a matched pair of R. Johnson U.S. 1836 Flintlock Pistols. The last flintlocks issued to U.S. troops and still in service during the Mexican-American War. Around the same time, I discovered Dixie Gun Works of Union City, Tenn. DGW offered parts for restoring and building just about any kind of blackpowder gun you could imagine. Back then, there weren't many people offering anything even close to Dixie. Among their offerings was a smattering of parts for the 1836 Waters and Johnson pistols (Waters was the other contractor making the original pistols). Trying my best to make a long story short, I purchased some parts for the lock plus a barrel blank and started dreaming of my replica pistol. Being that I was just a kid with no gunsmithing skills, I started to lobby my dad, who among other things was a machinist. Even though the project never really got past a couple of starts and the semi-finished parts landed in a box somewhere, the initial desire for a replica never went away.

My Long Awaited Replica Pistol
Photos Lindy Miller 2011

Another View

From the Top

Last One

Fast forward to about 7 or 8 years ago and that old desire returned when I found out about The Rifle Shoppe of Jones Oklahoma. They've been in business for over 25 years making high quality investment castings of antique gun parts for restorers and builders. Their parts can be pricey but I think that they are worth the outlay if you want the quality. No one else offers the variety of parts that they do. You've probably figured out already that they had everything for me to build my replica flint pistol. When I finally purchased all the castings, machined parts and screws, the project suddenly became very intimidating. I really needed to put aside the time and find the confidence to do this. Even though the parts constitute a kit, you are on your own to build it. This is no place for beginners. I had already built a couple of guns, but neither were replicas of specific firearms. All the Rifle Shoppe castings come "in the rough", with some flashing and sprues to be removed. You must drill and tap all the holes and carefully polish and in some cases harden the parts. The Rifle Shoppe's semi-inletted stock helped but some of the hardest detail work still had to be done to bring it together.

Over a period of several months, I spent many evenings and weekends feeling my way through the project, broken taps and all. I relied heavily on research and a little bit of instinct to get through the many choices. The internet provided me with plenty of pictures of original pistols as they are not that uncommon. Many surviving pistols show hard use and in many cases, over-restoration. I tried very hard to make mine as authentic as I could, as if it was just issued by the armory. I think it turned out pretty sweet and I think even my Dad would have agreed. As I said in the beginning, some things are worth the wait.

Eureka Moments #4, With a Vested Interest or How They Hid Their Wealth.

2011-03-17T20:46:00.000-07:00

Original Gold Pokes
Image Source Unknown

History records that in the very beginning of the rush for riches, the abundance of gold and the initial ease of mining, helped contribute to an atmosphere of honesty and civility among those earliest argonauts. As more and more gold seekers arrived in California, that initial atmosphere soon evaporated as did those finer qualitys of humanity. If you were successful and found yourself handling and transporting large amounts of gold, it was in your best interest to use some method to hide and secure the gold on your person. This need for security explains the popularity of money belts and vests, called Gold Porters during the period.

Original Elongated Poke
With Belt Attachment
Image Source Unknown

Raw gold dust was typically kept in a tied leather bag called a poke and elongated versions were sometimes attached to a belt that helped secure them under your clothing. It was quite common for miners to convert their raw gold into gold coins as soon as they became available. Before the U.S. mint was established in San Francisco in 1854 and even a little after, many small, privately owned mints sprung up creating their own gold coins in common denominations. These coins and larger nuggets could be secretly secured in a money belt or Gold Porter, worn under your clothing.

Money Belt Used By John Watkins
Image Source Unknown

For some reason (who needs a reason ?) I was fascinated by the idea of these hidden accessories, with their specific purpose. I though it might be fun to make a replica of an original Gold Porter in order to show how gold was secured at the time. As I studied several original examples, it became apparent that there was a sameness to many of them. They almost always seem to have white china buttons on the pocket flaps and more often than not, have these little diamond shaped, red moroccan leather covered button holes. They also usually have several support straps, as you can imagine the weight of a fully loaded vest.

Robert W. Pitkins' Gold Porter
Courtesy of Columbia State Historic Park

I was very lucky to have the opportunity to study an original Gold Porter in the collection at Columbia State Historic Park. Curator Thonni Morikawa kindly allowed me to photograph, measure and draw the classic example they have. This Gold Porter was owned by Robert W. Pitkins and according to the record, was possibly in use from 1850-'64. I decided that this was the one I wished to replicate.The next step was to start rounding up the materials necessary for the project.

Detail of Pitkins' Porter

I purchased several tanned buckskins on Ebay that were all a natural yellowish-grey color. Luckily, I bought enough of them to match several for the project. The original Porters I studied, usually had their raw edges bound with some kind of narrow cloth tape or ribbon. I found a nice linen tape from Wooded Hamlet Designs that I could dye to match the original. The original tape on Pitkins' Porter was woven in a two color stripe but I could only dye mine to match the side that showed on top. The closest I could come on the support straps was a natural cotton twill tape that I amended with a blue line of stitching, close to the edge. The two pieces of belting that connect the two halves of the original porter, were going to be the hardest to match. I found some cotton belting with a similar weave but had to shrink it to the right width. After it was dyed indigo blue, I had to pick out some of the woven threads and replace them with a contrasting white thread. This simulated the woven stripes of the original. Now that was a pain in the rear! I traded with my friend Nick Kane for some red moroccan leather and the final hurdle was to craft the pronged steel buckles (3), as nothing even similar is available.

To assemble the leather parts, my ever patient wife Lindy agreed to sew the pocket panels with her machine. Yes, many of the originals are machine sewn. My wife is a precision sewer and she did her magic as she always does. I hand sewed the tape binding as was the original and finished the details to complete the project. All in all a pretty darn good replica and yes Thonni, I did write my name and the date of creation, under a pocket flap. I never want to get on the bad side of a curator.

My Replica Gold Porter
With a Copy of an 1850's Advertisement
for
"The Miner's Heavy Buck Indispensible Gold Porters"

Eureka Moments #3, Recreating a Miner Piece of Pistol Packin' History

2011-03-13T19:51:00.000-07:00

"Packing Iron" by
Richard C. Rattenbury
pg. 65

This post should be of interest to the viewer for several reasons. First, it's about an amazing piece of Gold Rush history and second, I finally get to "show" the process of how to recreate something. In the past I never really paid much attention to visually documenting how I make anything but now with my blog, it's worthwhile to do it on current and future projects. This story starts with the book "Packing Iron, Gunleather of the Frontier West", by Richard C. Rattenbury, 1993. It's an incredible achievement that charts the development and history of how the guns that "won the west" were carried. On page 65, there is a holster that immediately caught my eye. In the book, it is described as, "Civilian Flap Holster for Colt Model 1851 Revolver". and the text continues "....clearly was intended for the California Gold Rush market." Oh yes, I was in l-o-v-e !

As the picture clearly shows, the holster is almost completely covered with embossed designs. On the flap, you'll find most of the elements of the newly designed California State Seal and on the body there is the depiction of a Woodland Indian, stepping out from behind a tree and drawing his bow. Is that amazing or what? It makes you wonder if it's a social comment on the pride the Argonauts felt about their new State or is it just pure decorative fun? Whatever it is, I needed to figure out how to make a decent reproducion of this rare and special piece of Californiana.

Gold Rush Daguerreotype Showing the
California Holster in Use
Image Courtesy
Heritage Auction Gallery

Close Up of the Flap
Photo Courtesy
The Witte Museum, San Antonio

The book states that the pistol was from the Donald Yena collection so that seemed like a good place to start. I discovered that Donald Yena is a well known western artist who resides in Texas. I wrote to Mr. Yena, inquiring about the holster and my desire to make a replica. I asked if there was a chance for more photos. He kindly responded with a hand written letter informing me that he had sold it to the Witte Museum of San Antonio, Texas. When I contacted them, it was encouraging to learn that their curator, Bruce M. Shakelford remembered a holster similar to my description, in their collection. After considerable time passed, I was delighted to receive an email with attatched photos of the rare holster.Thank You Witte Museum ! A few close-ups of the designs and a nice back view gave me the courage to start the project. Before I wrote to Mr. Yena, I stumbled on a daguerreotype of a miner wearing the same holster so I've including it here for those skeptics that might feel that such fancy holsters were probably never used by rough-n-tumble 49ers.

Clay Positves Being Set-up For Casting
the Plaster Negatives
Photo Lindy Miller 2011

Main Leather Parts with the Plaster
Embossing Dies and Bone Folder
Photo Lindy Miller 2011

Luck would have it, I already own a Colt Second Generation '51 Navy, so it was easy to mock-up a full size pattern of the holster's molded body. The embossed designs, on the other hand, were going to be a challenge. It's obvious that this was not a "one-off " creation by some leather artist but rather, a mass produced article, with die stamped ornamentation. I started with a scaled drawing of the design elements and then using modeling clay, sculpted them in relief, on a board. Over the clay positive, I cast a plaster negative, that would act as my embossing die. I talked my friend Derek Manov into joining me on this project. If he threw in the leather, I would share my dies, so he could create his own version of the original holster. As you can see in the pictures, the moistened (about 5 ounce) oak tanned leather, took the designs quite nicely, after I pressed it into the dies. I then used the bone folder's rounded point to chase around the designs and enhance the details before the leather dried. I colored the leather using Fiebing's light brown dye, which ended up a little darker than I wanted, but still okay. The brass closure button was turned from a scrap of brass rod and riveted onto the body. With waxed linen thread and a saddle stitch, I sewed the belt loop on the back first, then attached the flap and finally stitched up the side seam. For the brass end-cap, I silver- soldered the cylinder shape out of thin, brass flat stock and then slid it onto a wooden support. This way I could scribe the decorative lines while turning it on my wood lathe. Since the indented lines grabbed the wooden support, I had to char it with a torch for it to release the brass. After the end-cap was polished and riveted to the leather, I lightly waxed the holster and called it done. When I tried out the Colt, it fit it like a glove.

My Replica Holster
Photo Lindy Miller 2011

As with all my attempts at replicating the past, I'm always my own worst critic. My best work has always been when I had the original in front of me but when this is not the case, I am quite comfortable with the honest effort of a respectable, close copy. This holster is an example of a close but not a perfect copy. In the world of reproductions, it's almost impossible to achieve perfection and that's not a bad thing. Past people and past things should remain special and undiminished by our vain attempts at bringing them back.

Due to the interest this post has generated, I've included all of the pictures of the original holster that the Witte so kindly sent me.

Back View of Original Holster
Images Courtesty of
The Witte Museum of San Antonio

Close Up of Design on Original Holster

Full Front View of Original Holster

Full Flap View of Original Holster

Eureka Moments # 2, I Was There, I Bought the Shirt to Prove It.

2011-03-08T19:52:00.000-08:00

This post is pretty straight forward so I can spare the reader from a long winded build-up. Okay.....maybe just a little explanation might help set the stage, so here goes. It's such an everday thing, to see T shirts or any other apparel, emblazoned with some design, logo or event commemoration, that it's easy to asssume it's a modern or at least, recent concept. I mean, if you go to the concert, you just have to buy a T, right ? Could such a notion have existed in the California Gold Rush ? Really ?? Well, let's check it out. Read on.

Catalog of the Exhibit at the
Oakland Museum 1998
A Bible for Historians

This tale goes back to around 1996 when a friend of mine, John McWilliams, met with me in Columbia. John is a well respected Daguerreotype collector and a Western Americana expert. He had brought a binder of pictures to show me. I was excited to discover the binder was full of amazing early Gold Rush images, copies of original Daguerreotypes that John and friends owned. John told me that some were to be featured in a future exhibit at the Oakland Museum. The museum would be commemorating the sesquicentennial of the discovery of gold and the exhibit, entitled Silver & Gold, would showcase some of the rarest cased images of the Gold Rush ever assembled. There was also to be a published catalog of the exhibit under the same name. As I flipped through John's binder one of the pictures just blew me away. It was a portrait of a miner wearing a classic miner's overshirt with a twist. This shirt was covered with the repeat printed design of a Pick and Shovel motif and a Miner standing with a shovel. I couldn't believe my eyes. This image was so compelling that I talked John into giving me a copy if I promised not to show it around until after the exhibit opened.

One of the Shirted Miners
Collection of Matthew R. Isenburg
Image Courtesty of The Daguerreian Society

Close-up of Same Image
Courtesy of
Matthew R. Isenburg

Granted, it took me a few years to get around to it but as you might expect by now, I eventually had to make a copy of this amazing shirt. More evidence has come to light since '96 and I believe at this time, 5 different pictures have surfaced of miners wearing the same print, but not the same shirt. I have seen 3 versions myself. Some skeptics might think it was a mere photographer's prop, but it wasn't, they are different shirts. I'm no fabric historian but the photographic evidence suggests the shirt's designs might have been resist printed because they are so bold. The fabric itself was most likely wool but that's only an assumption, as no original shirts have surfaced for study and none are likely to. I'm still hopeful that a tiny scrap of the fabric may have landed in a quilt somewhere for me to study. So far no luck.

My Version
Note the Print Direction

Rear View

The best I could hope for was to create an "impression" of the original . Maybe someday I will reach the level of sophistication to attempt a resist printed version, or more information will be discovered as to how they were actually done. To jumpstart the project, my wife provided me with a nice piece of red wool flannel. After I scaled out the designs and their repeat pattern, I used a small, hand-held silk screen to print the motifs in a white fabric ink. Quirky as it seems, whomever made the original shirts sometimes chose to run the print upside-down on the front, when they assembled the sections of the garment. During this time period, some shirts were made with a single piece of fabric running from the back, over the shoulder, to the front. This is what I interpreted in my recreation. In the original version I copied, the plastron front piece contrasts by having the print right side-up, thereby reading correctly to the viewer. I love stuff like this, it's not what you would expect at all. Apparently it just didn't matter. All in all, I think the shirt turned out well and captures the fun and spirit of the original. So, now I have the shirt but I was only "there" in my imagination.

How I Dug a Little Deeper Into California Gold Rush History and Recreated a Few "Eureka" Moments of My Own

2011-03-08T19:51:00.000-08:00

Contemporary Comment on the Gold Rush Adventure
A Topical Mid-19th Century Textile
Image Source Unknown

I'm the first to admit that I am in love with my State's history. I mean come on already, there is no place like this place. It's no surprise that California was gutsy enough to declare itself a State before Congress had even voted on it. Fueled by the instant wealth of the Gold Rush, cities were created, literally overnight, that rivaled the established trading centers of the east that had taken 100 years to build. California has an almost mythical history that transports the curious reader to an unbelievable time of wonder. What saddens me is that in the minds of so many people our Gold Rush history has been reduced to a few time-worn cliches. Even worse, it's been dismissed by some modern apologist / historians as a greedy slug-fest of drunken, racist and murderous Anglo Americans. Don't get me wrong, mid-19th century California could be brutal and no place for the timid or the weak. A lot of what went on is hard for us to swallow, let alone understand with our modern sensitivity and high moral ideals of fairness but just for the moment let's think of the Gold Rush as one of the greatest adventures in human history. Why not, a lot of the participants did and freeley expressed their experiences in hundreds of accounts of which dozens have been published. It was one of the few times, if any, in history when common people from around the world had the chance to aquire real wealth through their toil. The same toil that earned them a $1 or less a day back home. Who can deny that a long time ago, in a far off place called California, the bottom fell out of the everyday world and the world has never been the same since.

Hispanic Miners Panning With a Batea
and Digging With a Bar
Image Courtesy Library of Congress

Over many years, my wife and I have accumulated a sizeable library of Gold Rush titles. Reading the accounts sets my imagination to wonder about the lives of these gold seekers. Being the material culture junkie that I am, I'm naturally fascinated with objects that breathe life into my understanding of the Gold Rush experience. In the next four or so posts, I'm going to explore several of these objects that spoke to me of the uniqueness of the events and the people who helped develop one of the richest and most interesting places on earth.

My first Gold Rush post will explore the tools of the common Hispanic miner. For some unknown reason, this little tidbit of history has been ignored and neglected so I think it deserves a closer look. Some of the earliest miners to arrive in California after the discovery of gold on January 24, 1848, were Spanish speaking. Many of them were professional miners from regions like Sonora, Mexico. These Gambusinos knew their trade well and applied their skills using proven tools, some as ancient as Native America itself. There weren't all that many knowledgeable miners in the very begining of the Rush and many greenhorns learned the trade from watching these experts and even using their tools. According to John S. Hittell's "Mining in the Pacific States of North America" published in 1861, "They (Hispanics) seldom use any other tools except the small crow-bar, which is pointed at both ends, the batea and the horn spoon, with which they scrape and rake the soil, after first loosening it with the bar."

Original Batea
(note the tin patch over a crack)
Image Courtesy of the Oakland Museum
of California

The first of these tools we will explore is the wooden Batea (bah-tay-yuh) or gold bowl. This style gold pan is pure native technology, found in South America and parts of Asia, (where it is called a Dulang). Bateas are large and can be used as winnowing trays for dry mining, wherein the miner tosses the rich, dry earth into the air or carefully shakes it over the edge of the bowl and lets the wind separate the waste dirt from the heavy gold. Jacques Antoine Moerenhout noticed Mexican miners dry washing the gulches above the American River and wrote about them in his letters to the French Authorities. His observations took place only a few months after the January discovery. Morenhout was the French consul in California and his detailed reports are an amazing account of the immediate riches that were harvested very early in the Gold Rush. He also gives an accounting of his personal attempt at using a Batea to pan for gold. Bateas are excellent for wet washing the dirt as well, as I can speak from personal experience although I'm still trying to master the dang thing.

"Mexican Bowl" Illustration
Hutchings' California Magazine
September 1860

Modern Ecuadoran Indian With His Batea
an Ancient Tradition Continues
Image Source Unknown

In order to create my own Batea, I began to gather information and immediately discovered that there was considerable latitude in their design. This came as no surprise as they are handmade objects following a basic traditional form. Almost every local museum, up and down the Mother Lode, has at least one original Batea in their collections. From "Basic Placer Mining", Special Publication 41, California Division of Mines & Geology, I learned that Bateas ranged from 15 to 24 inches in diameter and had an inside angle of from 150 to 155 degrees. What makes them work as a gold pan is that they are generally cone or bowl shaped, with a low center, serving as a trap for the gold. For my Batea, I settled on 18 inches and 150 degrees. From an associate, I scored a block of seasoned pine that was 20 inches square and 4 inches thick. To rough out the back side, I used a hatchet and hollowed out the inside with a wide gouge and inshave. To reduce the weight and follow the original examples I had surveyed, I tried to keep the finished thickness to about 1 inch in the center, tapering to 3/4 - 5/8 inch at the edge. I did not over-finish the surface as the tool marks are part of its creation and authenticity.

Next thing I needed to add to my Hispanic miner's tool kit, was their short, iron digging bar. According to Hittell, it was a light, small crow bar, pointed at each end. This tool basically took the place of a pick. Luck would have it, my friend and fellow historian Nick Kane owns an original Mexican digging bar and was gracious enough to let me copy it. George Cantrell, my blacksmith / friend, did his usual awesome job on my replica. The round bar is 24 inches long and 1 inch in diameter. One end is tapered to a chisel wedge and the other end is shaped to a point with 4 tapered sides. This copied the original design to a T and you can see how it relates to a period pick in the way it's shaped.

Horn Spoon Described as a "Scoop" in
Hutchings' September 1860

Last but not least in the kit was the horn spoon. A simple miner's tool that has taken on epic status due to Sid Fleischman's book, "By the Great Horn Spoon". This book tops the reading list of almost every 4th grader in the State of California and for better or for worse is a fun and rousing tale of a young boy, Jack, in the Gold Rush. Once Jack found out what the spoons were for, he was determined to get one and thus the title ( In truth, the title is an ancient Scottish oath by which one swears on the Big Dipper constellation). The ever helpful Hittell describes this classic tool as half a bullock horn, from 6 to 8 inches long and up to 3 inches wide. Because of the natural curve of the horn, there is a low center and many times the spoons were used to wash a little rich earth to see if it was a good prospect. For my replica, a nice thick cow horn produced a decent copy example, comparing well to surviving originals I have seen.

Now for one final note, my three replica tools can rightly claim the status of "Movie Stars" as they were featured in the 2006 American Experience film "The Gold Rush". I was a paid consultant on the film and lucky for me the director, Randall MacLowry of Yellow Jersey Films, was a stickler for authenticity. All three tools were used in the scene recreating the begining moments of Antonio Franco Coronel's staggering harvest of 134 ounces of gold in three days ! Can you even imagine that ? It's one of my favorite scenes in the film, you should check it out. Look for the solid "brass" nuggets. A little movie magic courtesy of George Cantrell.

My Replica Batea, Digging Bar and Horn Spoon
Muy oro aqui amigo?

How I Learned All About the Earliest Patented Ice Cream Makers On a Dare

2011-02-26T19:13:00.000-08:00

Close, But No Cigar

Okay, so it really wasn't a dare, it was more like a challenge. It all started with a request from my friend Susie Webb. Susie is a dedicated historian and fellow volunteer at Columbia State Historic Park. During our annual Living History event known as Columbia Diggins' 1852, Susie portrays the proprietress of the American Hotel. The Hotel is known for its excellent cuisine as well as a place of lodging for weary miners. Several years ago, she asked me what an ice cream freezer would have looked like in 1852. At the time of the Gold Rush, there was a demand for just about everything in California. It's known that ice was brought down from the Sierra Nevada mountains early on and marketed as a product. Since ice is one of the key ingredients necessary to make ice cream in a freezer, it's logical to think that the treat was available in some of the multitude of restaurants that sprang up. It's well documented that emmigrants crossing the plains made ice cream and even commented on it being available in Salt Lake City in 1854. Susie not only wanted to offer ice cream to her clientele but she also wanted to interpret the making of ice cream, if it could be produced in a period correct Ice Cream Freezer. My challenge was to research and recreate that historic freezer.

The First Patented Ice Cream Freezer
Only the Paddles Moved On This Version
of 1843

It's easy to assume that the old fashioned "crank variety" freezer that we all know and love, would be appropriate but that would have been too easy. That familiar stlye is actually a later development. As usual, you must peel back the layers of history, through research, until you hopefully find the answer to your quest. What I discovered was that the earliest mechanical ice cream freezer was patented on Sept. 9, 1843 by Nancy M. Johnson. Nancy's device employed several of the features you would expect. An inner vessel held the ingredients, stirred by a set of paddles, connected to a small handle. The inner vessel would be surrounded by ice and salt that filled the second or outside, larger container. Only the paddles moved on her model. From what I can gather, this earliest freezer had some success, as it is mentioned in another patent as, " The best now in use...." but it was this other "improved" freezer patent that got my attention.

Young's Improved Freezer
Two Parts in Motion On This Model
of 1848

William G.Young patented his "Improvement in Ice-Cream Freezers" on May 30, 1848. What Mr. Young came up with was a way to stir the ingredients of the inner vessel through the action of an up-and-down perforated plunger, while spinning that vessel as it sat inside of the ice and salt filled outer container. The "improvement" was this spinning action facilitated by a weighted handle on the outside top. The rationale was that it would increase the effect of the cold on the cream and accelerate the process of freezing. This sent me wondering how successful Young's Freezer was as a commercial product. It all came together when I remembered seeing a familiar illustration in our copy of The American Home Cook Book of 1854. There it was, on page 9, a nice little woodcut of Young's machine, described as "Patent Ice Cream Freezer". That was all the corroborating evidence I needed to make my choice of what to reproduce.

Cookbook Illustration and Caption of Young's
Freezer in Common Use by 1854

The cookbook illustration showed me what an actual 1850's freezer probably looked like, at least to the artist who made the woodcut. The patent drawings, as you can see, focused more on the mechanics of the device. After considerable time searching for an actual surviving example of an original Young's Freezer, I finally gave up. Most collections of antique freezers seem to only go back as far as the late 1800's. It does make sense though, when you think how popular ice cream is, that the early ones are probably used up. With only the drawings to go on, I had my work cut-out for me. I already had a nicely coopered bucket that was a fair match to the cookbook picture. I managed to score a vintage inner container from an older White Mountain Freezer that fit nicely into my bucket. I redesigned the lid of the cannister to lock into place. As far as replicating the mechanics I relied on my blacksmith friend George Cantrell to turn up a nicely weighted handle from a large clamp and some other misc. iron that he combined to produce the large spanner on top of the lid. I fabricated what remained including the bucket lid, handle and plunger. Through trial and error, it was discovered that the bucket's lid needed to be locked down in some fashion in order for the freezer to function as originally designed. Even though my version of this freezer is not a replica of an actual original freezer, I did try to limit the conjectural elements in order to honestly represent the original device.

My Recreation of Young's Freezer
Photos Lindy Miller 2011

Exploded View, Showing Inner Container
and Plunger

After 5 years of service at Living History events, my recreated historic freezer is still going strong and successfully creating delicious ice cream or so I've been told since I'm usually too late for the samples. The lesson for interpreters here is that through the use of carefully researched recreations, the curious visitor may be drawn in by something familiar (ice cream) and end up gaining insight into history through a rare and unique experience. Was that fun or what?

Susie Webb and a Young Helper
Columbia Diggins' 1852
Photo Courtesy CA State Parks

Historic Costume Recreations Part 3, My Mid-19th Century Frock Coat and the Protracted Process to Create It.

2011-02-20T11:10:00.000-08:00

Mid 19th Century Image of Average Men
Un-named Source

This post will focus on my journey to eventually recreate an accurate copy of a typical Frock Coat. These once commonplace, universal garments, were worn by farmers and statesmen alike but are virtually unobtainable to today's historian / reenactor with the exception of the few that are being made by competent tailors. Just to be clear on what I'm talking about, it's not the ill-fitting, shapeless impostor that we see so often today, but the carefully constructed and often fitted Frock Coat of the Mid-19th Century. The key to understanding what a Frock Coat is all about can only come from studying original examples. I know this places limitations on the curious student but many institutions have original Frock's in their collections and the extra effort to track one down is well worth it.

Let me start this with what it took for me to gain the confidence to pull off a fairly decent coat. Right off the bat, I knew I needed an authentic pattern and I immediately discovered that none had been developed. There is a very good reason why no one has marketed a successful pattern for a Frock Coat yet, it's just too darn hard. Besides being nearly impossible to size it to all the different shaped men out there, it would have to come with a book on period tailoring techniques, written by someone who had the patience to teach us amateurs.

19th-Century Men
or Modern Impersonators ?

It all started for me around 1991-'92 when I heard from Saundra Altman, of Past Pattens, that a lady named Nancy Torgerson, had successfully drafted a pattern from a documented 1852 Frock Coat and made a replica example as well. Nancy was a tailor from Illinois with some renown in the history world, so I thought it was worth a shot. After considerable correspondence and a chunk of change, she parted with a copy of the pattern. The only unfortunate thing was that she hadn't drafted the pattern in the original size but instead had enlarged it for her client. A little problem but not insurmountable. At least I had something genuine to start with and with the purchase of some wool, I forged ahead. With a crash course on tailoring from a dated Simplicity sewing book I jumped ahead and created my first coat. It was mostly machine sewn and lined with polished cotton in a lovely shade of dark blue to match the blue wool. Okay, so it wasn't a winning replica of the original and it didn't fit all that well but it was a starting point and I learned a lot. Mostly what I learned was that I had a long way to go.

Gathered data and samples

The next step along the way was the opportunity to study an original late 1850's Frock in the California State collections in Sacramento. I had recently become a volunteer at Columbia SHP and my membership allowed me access. Man did I learn from that coat. I sketched and photographed every detail. One thing that stood out was the fineness of the wool broadcloth and the amazing details in every part of the coat's construction. Was I in for it, the work would be consuming but my confidence was building. I started to formulate a philosophy about all of this "drive for authenticity"and promised myself that I would not cut corners but take the time to gather info, experience and the proper materials before my next attempt.

What followed over the next few years was a succession of events and serendipitous opportunities that would eventually lead to a successful coat. First, I found some wonderful black wool broadcloth from the Pendleton Mills in Oregon. It had the finish, hand and density that came very close to the original. It didn't unravel when cut and that was a big plus. Next came Saundra Altman's workshops at Columbia in 1994 and later. One of my projects at the workshops was making a winter paletot under the watchful eye of Roxy Barber. Roxy had come to the classes as a guest of Saundra because she was a professional tailor. From Roxy, I learned about how garments were built from the inside out. She was a great teacher of pad stitching and the use of Interfacing, Underlining and Interlining to gain the correct form in the finished garment.

Muslin fitting from 1849 Tailor's Sheet

Next in this process of gathering, was the unexpected gift of an original pattern draft of a Frock Coat from a rare 1849 tailor's sheet. The best part was that the muslin tester I made from that draft actually fit me. If that wasn't enough luck, some time after, I had the opportunity to trade for an original mid-century Frock Coat and a little later purchased another similar example at an antique shop in Amador City. One of the coats qualified as a study piece with opened seams and several large moth holes that I saw as "windows of opportunity". So now I had an authentic pattern, a nice piece of wool broadcloth and original coats to study. Continuing my quest for proper materials, I found a nice wool / cotton jean for the Underlining, from Family Heirloom Weavers and dyed it madder red, as the originals. The proper weight of tow from the same source made for a nice Interfacing and a high quality wool batting from Hobb's Heirloom would serve as my Interlining. The batting was nice and thin so I could layer it for shaping where needed. Even though most coats of the era were lined in mixed-weave fabrics that would show their silk facings, I opted for black silk taffeta from Thai Silks. Brown polished cotton from County Cloth worked out perfect for pocket linings. From Mill End Fabrics in Reno Nevada, I scored a beautiful cotton sateen for sleeve lining.

One of our original 1850's Frock Coats

     I hope that those that read my posts will refrain from judging me as some kind of elitist but part of my personal dabbling into the past is to enjoy it on my terms with no apologies. I choose to hand sew my garments because I enjoy it. It doesn't make them any better than the next guy's effort, just makes them more fun for me. With that said, I used Kinkame Silk #50 for construction and #30 for my buttonholes, from Britex in San Francisco. Linen thread worked best for the inner construction and sleeve linings. By now it's 2003 and I can finally start my coat project.

      Just a couple of little details need mentioning. With the quality of the wool that I was using, I had the opportunity to take advantage of some period details that I learned from studying the original coats. When it came to constructing the finished edges of Frocks, the tailors would turn under the seam allowances on the top only and cut the under piece to the edge. The raw edge of the under piece would be carefully edge stitched down. What you gained from this was only 3 layers of fabric instead of 4 and would give you a thinner edge, that was desirable. The other point I thought worth mentioning was that the hem on the skirt was left raw as well. To give the hem some body, they rolled up the lining to form a corded edge effect, on the inside of the skirt hem. All in all, I was very pleased how it turned out. I'm the last person to claim any expert status when it comes to recreating period dress but from my experience, here is my formula for success in trying to duplicate a Frock Coat. All I can say is Good Luck and keep trying , it's a tough nut to crack.

1. Find the best possible materials
2. Use an authentic pattern, drafted from an original source
3. Learn and practice basic tailoring techniques
4. Study original coats
5. Make a fitted muslin and correct to fit, this will be your final
   pattern

6. Make the commitment to not cut corners.

My Replica Frock Coat
Photos Lindy Miller 2011

Rear View

Front View Closed

Side View

For those that read to the bottom of my posts, the collodion image of the impersonators

is the work of my friend Will Dunniway

Favorite Historic Costume Recreations Part 2, How to Recreate a Mid-19th Century Marseilles Vest, Using a Portugese Shower Curtain

2011-02-13T13:35:00.000-08:00

Recreating Period Dress can be a challenge on many levels but one of the biggest obstacles to attaining historical accuracy is that many "period" styles of textiles no longer exist. Or do they ? Sometimes, if you apply a little creativity and are open to serendipity, you might just pull it off. This post is about that successful combination and I hope the viewer enjoys the tale.


Our original mid-century Marseilles vest with later alteration	to front

In the mid-19th century world of the fashionable man, a beautiful vest was an important part of being well dressed. Styles of vesting fabrics changed with the seasons and with the latest trends in fashion. One popular style of Summer vesting was a fabric known as Marseilles. Marseilles Vests were popular for decades and there's a good reason. They were beautiful. In "Scissors and Yardstick; or, All About Dry Goods", published in 1872, Marseilles is described as, "A firm heavy cotton fabric, woven with alternate raised and depressed figures. These figures are usually stripes, diamonds, etc., and are formed somewhat similarly to those of the Marseilles quilts. Marseilles is also printed in colored stripes and figures." I should add that "Figured Marseilles" ( those with a colored design on top of the woven pattern) were as varied as the imagination of the mills and the colored figures were often woven into the fabric to appear as embroidery. This was a big clue to me later when it came to trying to recreate something similar.

A few years back, I was chatting with my friend Ian McWherter, who is a fellow devotee of Historical Fashion and a fine period tailor. We were wondering about the possibility of a modern substitute for the original Marseilles. Ian went so far as to purchase samples of various cotton goods and sent them to me to aid in the discussion. I seem to remember that they were Dimity or Diaper or something similar but not quite a match for us picky types. One of my problems was that I actually own an original Marseilles Vest and have studied several others, so I was holding out for something closer. That serendipitous moment of discovery happened quite unexpectedly with the arrival of a modern home furnishings catalog, in the mail.

Restoration Hardware is a higher end home furnishing company that puts out a beautiful catalog full of cool stuff you wish you could afford. The last place you would ever expect to find historic fabric but there it was, just what I had been hoping for in the guise of a Matelasse 100% Cotton Shower Curtain from Portugal. It even came in colors but white is what I wanted and white they had. Matelasse is very similar to the old Marseilles in that it has the bold quilted effect in the way it is woven. This particular Matelasse was woven in a small simple diamond pattern and I was in love. After searching around for a source of the fabric itself, it became apparent that it was not available to the public.

My recreation with Mother of Pearl buttons

Not wanting to miss the opportunity, I decided to go ahead and buy the pricey shower curtain and start my plan to turn it into a figured fabric, replicating the original fancy Marseilles. A great source for mid-century designs is Clarence Hornung's "Handbook of Early Advertising Art". In the Pictorial Volume, on page 81, there was a sweet little design that could have been a symbol for "knowledge" or something like that. A scroll wrapped in roses could have meant anything but it spoke to me as the perfect choice to decorate my fabric "canvas" with figures. On my newly purchased Matelasse, shower curtain, I laid out the pattern for the vest using the mid-19th century, double-breasted vest pattern from Saundra Altman's 1990's workshop.Within the vest pattern pieces I marked out the individual positions of the future figures with a washout pen, keeping in mind the overall pattern as if they had been woven on the loom. The next step was the actual embroidery and luckily I found a local custom embroidery shop that would work with me. Stitches in Motion in Sonora, did an awesome job with a three color embroidery, perfectly placing each design where I had earlier marked. It really looks like the figures were woven in at the time the fabric was loomed.

Close up of my recreation, showing Matelasse weave and embroidery

When the embroidery was completed, I cut out the pattern pieces and sewed them together by hand, following all the details of an original vest, including neat top stitching where needed. In the time period of common use, these Summer vests would have been laundered and lightly starched before being worn so the buttons would have been removable as well as the chest padding. The buttons need a shank on the back and are held in place, on the inside of the vest, by a tiny brass ring. The chest padding would have given the wearer a more rounded form, that was so fashionable at the time. The padding slides between the lining and the fashion fabric on the frontpiece and neatly hangs on a button. All these historical nuances are detailed in Past Pattern's "Single-Breasted Shawl Collar Waistcoat" pattern 018, available to everyone. To me, when recreating historical dress, half the fun is working those details into the replica to celebrate the creativity and intent of the original garment. You really shouldn't skimp on the small stuff. Now, on to the next project!

A Few of My Favorite Historic Costume Recreations, Part 1, Over-the-Top Suspenders

2011-02-06T18:03:00.000-08:00

I've had a long running association with Historic Costume throughout the creative part of my life. Studying it, making it, wearing it, teaching about it and always loving it. Way back in the Dark Ages, I use to compete in the costume contests at the annual Great Western Gun Show in Southern California. If any of you readers out there aren't old enough to remember or never heard of it, let me tell you, it was the biggest show of its kind then and nothing like it has happened since. The contests were crazy fun and it was a great chance to strut your stuff in front of a judging panel. I even won a few trophys but the whole thing was mostly for entertainment and history was only the theme.


Saundra Altman Teaching a Workshop at Columbia 1994

Fast forward to the early 1990's and after living in Northern California for about 6 years I found myself volunteering at Columbia State Historic Park. When the Park staff found out I had some experience in men's costuming and could sew, I was drafted into the Costume Committee. With the Park being an actual Gold Rush site, the costume focus was primarily mid-19th Century California. That was fortunate, as it was already an interest of mine. I didn't really "need" an excuse to create more clothes but hey, now I had a good one. Over the years at Columbia, the committee sponsored many costume workshops to improve the quality and authenticity of the volunteer's costumes. Oh, did I mention, I met my wife Lindy on the costume committee ? It's important, as she is the better half of the "we". The most successful of the workshops were the ones with Saundra Altman of Past Patterns. Supported by our encouragement Saundra eventually introduced a line of Men's 19th-Century Patterns to the public. Many of them were tested by Columbia volunteers before they were released. In fact, I owe the successful creation of my Frock Coat to Ms.Altman's generosity but that will come out in a later post.

1853 Suspender Design for Ladies to Make
courtesy
Victoriana Magazine

Enough of this background stuff, on with the project. In this series of posts, I didn't want to go into "all " of the different costumes or costume elements I've created over the years but I thought it might be fun to tell the tale of 3 of my favorites. The first post (this one) is on a pair of Needlework Suspenders, followed by one on my Marseille Vest Project and the final installment will be the saga of the illusive Frock Coat. Mid 19th-Century needlework suspenders were most likely created by ladies for a loved one, as some evidence suggests. One pair I studied was even inscribed with an appropriate sentiment. Many fashion magazines of the time routinely carried patterns for embroidered suspenders like the ones pictured here.

I call my replica suspenders "Over the Top" because they turned into one heck of a project. The originals that they are based on were a lucky purchase we made in an antique shop in Petaluma. The moment I saw them I said to myself, "self, you need to copy these". What was I thinking? I'd never done needlework in my life. Not to fret, my soon to be wife Lindy, was an award winning cross-stitcher and a great and patient teacher.

My Replica on the Left Next to the Original Pair

First things first, I had to round up my materials based on the original suspenders. To copy the leather findings I needed some 4 oz. vegetable tanned cowhide and Tandy Leather came to the rescue. The white kid leather needed for the backing was a little bit of a challenge but a doll restoration supply company (no longer in business) had some and would sell smaller quantities. The edge treatment on the originals is a wool or mohair cord and Wooded Hamlet Designs had a perfect match except color. The needlework supplies came from JCA, Inc. of Townsend, MA.. The perfect choice for yarn was Paternayan Persian Wool as it matched the original in weight and came in a multitude of colors. There were some accent areas in the original design that were done in Silk Floss which I scored from my wife's old stash. Age had taken its toll on the original needlework as it was quite dark and soiled. I had to imagine what it might have looked like when it was bright and new before I ordered my colors. For the canvas, I lucked out in that a few moth holes in the original suspenders revealed what looked to me like Penelope Brown 11 / 22. It was obvious from the start that I would have to fabricate the buckles to match the originals as nothing like them was available.

My pattern graphs and card for the yarns

The first thing I did was grid out the beautiful floral pattern in color pencil, on graph paper, so I could understand the design. I had matched the original suspender's yarn colors to a Paternayan color chart and now identified each color's corresponding number on the side of my drawing. There were many subtly different reds and greens, so I needed to simplify the process of recognition. With my wife's endorsement, I made a second graph and this time I used coded symbols to represent the colors. Coming up with 22 different but easily recognizable symbols was fun, sorta. The symbols and color numbers ran down the side of this drawing as well. To avoid confusion, I glued little snippets of the individual yarn next to its number. At this point you might think it was overkill on the planning but I knew what lay ahead and I couldn't afford any mistakes. What followed was the pure joy of creation and my discovery of an age old craft. There is a relaxing rythmic pace to needlework as you see the patterns emurge and it's downright fun. Pulling the yarn just so to keep everything even is a big plus if you want to be consistent. There is no substitue for practice. Now, where have I heard that before ??!!

Once the needlework was finished, I made the brass buckles and assembled the leather components that I had finished before I started the cross-stitch strips. All the sewing was done with linen thread, by hand, and the leather parts were joined with a saddle stitch. At this point I will let the pictures do the talking but in closing I will say it was a great project and well worth it.

Rear View, my replicas on the left

Buckle closeup, original on right

19th Century Angling Revisited or Part 2 of Fishing for History

2011-02-02T19:05:00.000-08:00

In the previous post I documented my angling adventure with its focus on recreating a fly-fishing kit from the 1860's. It occured to me at some point during that project that I had completely neglected Historic Coarse Fishing and its place in our country's angling past. So what follows in a briefer account, is how I later recreated a circa 1830's coarse fishing outfit.

This time around I made the commitment to craft "everything" from scratch, just for the challenge and experience of it. I was inspired in part by Darrel Martin's book "The Fly-Fisher's Craft". I know the book's emphasis is on the history of fly fishing but I found considerable helpful information useful in the creation of my coarse rig. Mr. Martin's book is an inspiration on many levels as it beautifully charts his hands-on journey back in time to uncover the misty beginings of fly fishing. Among many offerings, it explains how the author recreated historic horsehair lines. Now this is cool. A tapered line from braided or twisted horsehair sound like just the challenge to start my project with and it's totally appropriate to the period I'm working in. The final results of my efforts was a 15 1/2 yrd. braided hair line, tapering from 16 hairs at one end to 6 hairs at the other. Maritn's book is very clear on how the splicing is done as the average horsehair is only 20+ inches long. Don't ask me how long it took to braid it, it doesn't matter.

Reels and Rod
T.F.Salter's "The Angler's Guide"
1823

Next came the rod but I needed to explore my options within the period I was working. There were many. What I came up with was another 12 footer with similar materials to my fly rod but with an earlier influence in construction. I settled on a three piece model, shaped (as collectors refer to them) like a billard cue stick with a continual taper. The butt section was to be ash, the middle would be hickory, and like before, the tip would be hickory, but spliced to lancewood as the final foot of length. Lancewood is a classic choice for a tip but it's a little hard to find. I lucked out by reshaping a vintage drum stick that was made out of it. Instead of ferrules, I opted for tapered splices at the joining ends of each section. These tapered ends would be bound with leather or string when the rod was assembled. Thaddeus Norris had discussed tapered splices as giving a rod more flexibility than with metal ferrules. So with ring guides wrapped in place, a brass buttcap fabricated and installed and a couple of coats of varnish, it was ready to go.

Original Clamp Foot Reel
Courtesy
Mullock's Auctions UK

What followed was deciding on which style of reel to replicate. When I rebuilt my little original English winch, I was encouraged to discovered the straightforward simplicity of the mechanism. Based on the illustrations in T.F.Salter's 1823 "The Angler's Guide and photos of several surviving examples, I finally settled on a Clamp Foot Winch. From what I could gather, historically the Clamp Foot landed somewhere between the Spike Foot and Plate Foot reel and was in use from the late 18th century through a large part of the 19th. I carefully crafted all the parts in heavy brass plate and rod using my drill press as I don't own a metal lathe. I think it turned out swell. I was careful to make sure it would dismantle for future service, using screws on one side of the pillars, instead of peening them over on both sides, like cheaper reels were made. Lastly, I gave it a horn knob.

My replicas
Note the spliced ends of the rod sections are covered
with a tapered piece to protect them.

To round out the project, I decided I needed a Bait Horn (literally a cowhorn to keep bait in) and finally created what I thought was a viable copy. Then my friend Derek Manov looked at it. Always the astute historian and material culture guru he noticed a flaw in my replica. I had mistaken the patterned dots on an original as just that, dots. Derek pointed out that they were actually tiny vent holes to allow the captive bugs to breath. Thanks Derek, the bugs thank you too. Lastly I need a float and found the perfect choice in another Salter illustration. It's a pretty simple design that's been aroung a long time, cork and a stick, nothing fancy but the paint. I have yet to give any of this tackle a serious workout so the real fun is yet to come.

Fishing for History or Trying My Hand at 19th Century Angling

2011-01-31T19:24:00.000-08:00

I wouldn't call myself an avid fisherman although I have fished off and on all my life. I had an old bamboo fly rod thrust into my hands long before I was a teenager. My father, on the other hand, was an avid fisherman, so I can thank him (the thruster) for getting me started. A few years ago I decided it was time to get back into it but this time with a different take. I thought to myself, what was it like to be an angler in the early to mid-19th century? Could I possibly recreate that early tackle and learn to use it effectively?

Currier and Ives
1860's Trout Fishing
Check out that suit !

This is a fun project to talk about as a lot of us have had the chance to go fishing. I also think it's safe to assume there's a broad base of similar experiences out there. People like myself, who are more than a little bent on history, might even be curious about the ancient beginnings of angling. There seems to be at least a couple of us out there who even want to "experience" fishing at a pre-industrial , low-tech level. I find this quite comforting that I'm not alone but for the time being, we early angler types are few and far between. Since recreating period angling is a quiet and personal sort of experience, it might be a little harder to sell it as an option to the warrior / reenactor crowd. I did uncover a lot of information and sources to help me build my period fishing kit, so I think it's within the grasp of the hobby-historian to do this.

First things first, I wanted to know who out there is, or has been, fishing in a 19th century fashion. I stumbled on Hank Trent's website Fishing Rod . Hank had put together a pretty convincing impression of an 1860's angler for a one time Civil War reenactment event back east. His site had some basic information and lots of primary sources he had used to pull it off. It was a good starting point but I wanted to go a little further. I wanted to scratch build my own authentic tackle and use it to catch fish. A little later I found Paul Jones and his Historic Angling Enterprise . Paul's site is full of goodies and getting better all the time. He is a great resource for things like horsehair and silkworm gut line and he also has period appropriate flies. His booklist includes some of the best titles on the subject. Paul even encourages people to make their own hooks and sells what you need to do it.

1850's American Angler
image courtesy
The Daguerreian Society

I continued my internet quest for information on early tackle and made some great discoveries. The American Museum of Fly Fishing is a must visit. I wish I could see their collections in person but they do at least feature some of their exhibits on line. There are also many sites that focus on Angling History. I found Dr. Andrew N. Herd's site to be quite helpful, A Fly Fishing History and I stumbled on a great article on gut line at Midcurrent. Little by little, I was amassing the parts of the puzzle but I still lacked a clear plan.

One name that I kept coming across in my research was Thaddeus Norris, sometimes refered to as the father of American Angling. When I learned that his "The American Angler's Book" was reprinted by Derrydale Press, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. As I suspected, this would become my bible and an invaluable aid to formulating my strategy for the project. Honestly, I couldn't get enough of it. At the time this book was first published in 1864, most of the literature on angling, up to that time, had come from England. The influence of the English style of Angling on the Early American fisherman was undeniable but Thaddeus wanted to celebrate a distinctly American version. What gave me a charge was that Norris made his own rods and promoted that very self-made fisherman I wanted to become. His detailed descriptions of tackle and how to make it was just the ticket I had been looking for. This was going to be fun but there was still a ton of work to do.

Thaddeus Norris
aka Uncle Thad
The Father of American Angling

What I was looking for beyond Norris' book were pictures of actual surviving examples of early 19th-century tackle to study. Hopefully this would help me decide what I needed to reproduce and what I could buy. I thought that antique tackle auctions might be a good place to start and I was right. Mullock's Auctions in the UK is an amazing resource for early gear. You will see some of the rarest of reels, rods, creels, flybooks and all kinds of scarce period fishing minutia. On this side of the pond you have Lang's Auctions although I found access to their past auction items is limited unless you're willing to pay.

Mullock's Catalog Cover
courtesy
Mullock's Auctions UK

In the collector's books department I found A.J. Campbell's book, "Classic & Antique Fly Fishing Tackle" is full of eye-candy and great information. I also found a great site that helps collectors ID old rods, with some classic examples worthy of study. I know that there are tons of books and resources out there but this is what I found to get me started

. My final decision on a reel was to go ahead and purchase an antique. I was looking for a plate mounted, small brass winch, around 2" in diameter, if I could be so lucky. Something mid 19th-centuryish would be fine, since it appeared these cheaper, simple little reels were produced for at least 50 years. Well, lucky I was, thanks to Ebay, a little prize reel from an overseas dealer, was mine for a price. It turned out to be not quite ready for service until I unpeened the pillars, tore it apart and rebuilt the ratchet. But hey, the price was right and I was off and running. Before I launched into crafting the rod ala Norris, I decided to focus on a creel.

On the Mokelumne River, Calaveras County,
with my creel on my hip and
net on my backl
Photo Andrew Quist 2010

From what I could gather, the classic creel of the early to mid 19th-century would be commonly made of split or whole willow not wicker. The hole on the lid would be centered and the classic body shape could be what we call "pot-bellied". I'd never made a basket before but what the heck, this could actually be fun. After surfing around on the net for a basketry source, I found Bonnie Gale and her English Basketry Willows. What a lucky find. Ms. Gale not only had the correct willows for sale but she had a pattern for a creel !! With a little tweeking, the pattern worked for me just dandy. Norris said that your creel should be large enough for a bottle of claret! I just love this guy.

My rod with the English reel and my fly-book
photo Andrew Quist 2010

No more procrastinating, it was time to craft the rod. Norris recommended starting with square stock wood strips for the rod's sections and shaving them round but I chose straight-grained round dowels instead. I decided to make it a three piece rod that would finish out around 12'. With the master's guidance, I made the butt section out of 4' of ash, the middle section out of 4' of hickory and the tip 4' section would be a combination of materials. That final section started with hickory, spliced to rent (split in 4 sections) and glued bamboo, spliced to a final few inches of solid bamboo. All the sections were tapered according to Norris' plan. I made all the ferrules from flat brass sheet and left the wooden spike of the earliest styles. All the guides were to be floppy brass rings that I had to hard-solder together. The butt section was shaped in the classic cigar-shape swell near the base. I inletted a section near the base for the reel plate and slipped on the sliding brass rings that I had made to secure the reel. I decided to dye the butt and middle sections with India Ink and leave the final section natural. With the rod complete, stained and fitted together, I lashed all of the guide rings in place with silk thread and gave the rod several coats of varnish. It all seemed a "little" homey but I think that Thaddeus Norris would have approved. It was a whippy little devil too. That was a discovery right there. Not at all like a modern rod.

The typical fly line of the period was made of braided silk, usually in a tapered form. With the current mainstream interest in classic early 20th century tackle, they are still being made but the new lines are quite pricey. I decided on an affordable vintage line that I restored with a mixture of linseed oil and varnish.The line that Norris recommended was a combination of horsehair and silk. That wasn't going to happen but at least I was close. Silkworm gut leader material is unfortunately obsolete but you can still get it from people like Historical Angling Enterprise or take your chances on Ebay. It was in use until after WW II, when Nylon line began to take its place. Gut is amazing stuff as it has to be soaked before it's in a usable state. I keep mine wet with little baffles of damp felt, layered in an old shoe polish can. To store my flies, I created a Fly Book based on original examples I had studied. It's literally a leather book with parchment ( I substituted Tyvek ) pages that have little envelopes to keep the flies in order. The flies are tied on a blind eye hook (no loop) and snelled with a short piece of gut line. With the snoods coiled around the fly, they tuck neatly into the book. I'll get into the period flies shortly. Lastly, I had to come up with a proper net to land those luckless fishies. I steam-bent a strip of oak into a circle and turned a wooden handle with brass fittings to attach to the loop. I had an old cotton net that belonged to my Dad and since it was still serviceable, I put it back to work on my new/old frame.

Another view of my fly book,
rod and an assortment of
snelled flies
photo Lindy Miller 2011

Cowdung Replica with Period Illustration
courtesy
Fly Anglers on Line

My Cowdung Replica After a Few Tmes Out

Fly tying is an artful craft that when pursued seriously, demands both intense study and strict attention to detail with the highest level of commitment of both your time and energy. All I wanted to do was create some accurate, historically-based flies that hopefully might actually catch fish. As that fly-fishing kid, I had used an old Herter's Fly-tying Kit to make a few flies. I can't even remember if they caught any fish at all . The amazing thing was that I still had the vice, pliers and the "How To" book. At least my primitive tools gave me something to build my new tying kit on. In Norris' "The American Angler's Book", there is a chapter on recommended flies with suggested materials, so I wasn't at a complete loss and had somewhere to start. Then I found Fly Anglers on Line and their Archive of Old Flies. They have preserved many recipes and show a photo of the reproduction fly next to the original period illustration. Way cool and very helpful. After my wife bought me new tying materials and I scored some vintage blind eye hooks, I decided to wade in. I found that most of the 1860's flies I studied, turned out to be wet flies. Wet fly fishing appears to be the ancient style that travels back in time to the very roots of angling when some Macedonian first tied feathers on a hook. The period patterns I decided on were , Yellow Sally, Red Hackle, Jenny Spinner, Coachman (not royal), March Brown, Cowdung, Bee, and Grouse Hackle. I've yet to give any of these a real test but it's been promising so far. I did catch a couple of small rainbows on Beaver Creek in Calaveras County last year on a Cowdung. This year I've promised myself to continue in my efforts to learn from our Angling Past and enjoy my recreated gear, if I could just learn how to carry that 12' pole through the brush. By the way, I don't normally fish in costurme but it made for some fun photos.

As a footnote to this post, I have to recommend the viewer to check out Michael Hackney & Friends. Their project to recreate the fishing gear of president Martin Van Buren was incredible. I had already created my current 1860's fly fishing tackle and even my 1830's coarse fishing version ( a future post) when I stumbled on Michael's site. You will enjoy reading about the collective efforts of several craftsmen that led to a dynamic display of replica tackle for the historic Van Buren estate. Keeping our history alive, that's what it's all about. Fish On !!

How I Revived an Obscure Piece of Communication History and Discovered the Secret Life of Carbon Paper

2011-01-22T20:10:00.000-08:00

Since 1991 I've been a volunteer at Columbia State Historic Park, in Tuolumne County, California. The Park has had an active Gold Rush Living History progam since the early 1980's. I've always been an advocate for honesty in interpretation and have tried to follow that philosophy whenever I've portrayed a historic figure, be it a miner or a merchant. In a previous post, I had mentioned the "Columbia Diggins' 1852" Living History Event as an annual affair in the Park. While researching all of the possiblities for portrayals at the Diggins', it suddenly dawned on me that I had missed one of the key players in a historical trading center like 1852 Columbia.

Yours Truly as a Forwarding Agent
Columbia Diggins' 2008
Collodion Image by Will Dunniway

How did the merchants procure their goods ? What about the business of business, in those wild and risky times? The answer may seem obvious today, but maybe it was different then. One shouldn't assume anything about the past until you've done your homework. What I discovered in "A Gold Rush Merchant's Manual" by Mary Helmich and Pauline Spear was the important role of the Forwarding Agent. Think of them as the Sales Reps of their time. These guys would front for the large,wholesale traders in the major cities and by working a circuit, would travel to the outlying and sometimes isolated towns in the mining districts. As a merchant, you depended on your Forwarding Agent. He could arrange the purchase, shipping and warehousing of your goods and even sell you insurance in case of the loss of said goods. Not a bad idea when you consider how often fires swept away entire towns. I decided I needed to accurately portray this key figure in our recreated town of Gold Rush Columbia.

Living History is a tricky business. I personally feel the past will always remain as such and any notion of bringing it "all" back is pure nonsense. What we hopefully can do is kick that door open once in a while and invite the public to gain a "little" insight into the past through our scholarship and sensitivity. That's my philosophy and I'm sticking with it. Since I don't do first person, I rely heavily on an accurate costume and authentic, replica props to teach with. With all that said the question remained, what did a Forwarding Agent need, to do his job in the field ? One mysterious object that kept popping up as I did my research was something called a Manifold Writer. This little object turned out to be a great piece of communication history that had virtually fallen through the cracks. Most people have never heard of it.

Edward Kavanaugh's Manifold Writer
Georgetown University

The Manifold Writer was a copy book used to make multiple versions of letters or notes or anything written. How was this accomplished ? Well, it was done with carbon paper, first called carbonic paper. The way it worked was so cool that I was determined to locate an original Manifold Writer, and replicate it. You've got to love the internet, when it works. I lucked out and discovered that Georgetown University, in Washington D.C., had an original Manifold Writer in their library archives. It was owned and used by Edward Kavanaugh around 1832. Mr. Kavanaugh had been a State Legislator from Maine, a U.S. Representative, the Governor of Maine and finally a diplomat to Portugal. Whew...that's a life ! No wonder they kept his copy book full of his letters. I contacted the University and was thrilled to learn that they would photograph all of the parts of the Manifold Writer for me, for a small fee. The fact that it was a complete, intact example gave me the opportunity to produce an accurate replica. So how about a little history and insight into how this thing actually worked ?

Original Ad for Wedgwood's Manifold Writer
courtesy of
scienceandsociety.co.uk

It all started in 1806, when Ralph Wedgwood patented the Stylographic Manifold Writer. It's intent was to help the blind to communicate. Ralph's idea was to make it possible for someone, sighted or not, to write a letter without the usual quill pen and ink. This was accomplished with the use of cabonic paper that was saturated with wax and pigment. What you had was a bound book of tissue paper pages. You would insert a sheet of this new carbon paper that was coated on both sides, under the tissue page. Under the carbon paper, you inserted a plain piece of letter paper and under that a thin plate of metal for a backing. With a special stylus that had a smooth, blunted end, you proceeded to write your letter on the top tissue paper page. By pressing down with the stylus, the pigment on the top of the carbon paper would transfer the writing to the back of the top tissue (readable through the tissue) and transfer the writing from the back of the carbon paper, to the blank letter paper. I know it might take a moment to understand this but it was revolutionary in its day. It was possible to make several copies, at the same time, by repeating the combination of carbon paper and blank letter paper, in multiples. You also ended up with a copy in the bound book of tissue paper. In all the examples of original Manifold Writers that I surveyed, these bound letter copies were usually all that remained. One more thing that the Kavanaugh example had that made it so special was a separate cardboard shield that kept your hand from making an imprint. It also had guide strings to help you write in nice straight lines. Way cool !

My replica, showing copy book, carbon paper in
protective paper folder, metal backing plate,
cardboard shield with guide strings and sylus.
photo Lindy Miller 2011

In order to make a credible replica, I had to do a crash course on bookbinding. Both ehow.com and instructables.com were good places to start. I found some very thin calfhide, period looking marbled papers and thick chipboard for the covers. The hardest thing was locating a close substitute for the original tissue paper leaves. The best I could find was tracing paper bound in a pad, for artists. Luck would have it, carbon paper can still be purchased, but it's really getting hard to find in this digital age. Two sheets of it, carefully glued back-to-back, recreated the original double sided version. Sewing the signatures of tracing paper together, with waxed linen, took some time. The paper was easily torn after I punched the holes for the thread, so I had to be very careful. I turned the walnut handle for the stylus on my lathe and crafted a metal tip to match the original. The photos from Georgetown were high resoulution and I easily copied the label from Kavanaugh's original. The label is in three languages, a reminder of the popularity of such things in the 19th century.

Our original 1855 Manifold Writer
photo Lindy Miller 2011

Another little tidbit that I discovered about the Manifold Writer was its place in our history. Did you know Ulysses S. Grant wrote the terms of surrender at Appomattox on one so Lee could have a copy, or that Mark Twain used one to copy his thoughts for us to discover later? The use of the Manifold Writer almost spanned the entire 19th century. Carbon paper finally came into its own when the typewriter was perfected in the 1870's. Heck, I used the stuff in the early 1960's, in typing class, but all that remains of it today, is a saying in our common language. People sometimes still call it a "Carbon Copy" or CC when they refer to anything duplicating an original. One final note, my wife and I were lucky enough to later find and purchase an original 1855 Manifold Writer which I've pictured here.