From: owner-scribes@castle.org (scribes digest) To: scribes-digest@castle.org Subject: scribes digest V5 #60 Reply-To: Sender: owner-scribes@castle.org Errors-To: owner-scribes@castle.org Precedence: bulk scribes digest Tuesday, March 6 2001 Volume 05 : Number 060 ======================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list, send email to with unsubscribe scribes-digets in the body of the message. Leave the subject line blank. Do not include any additional text. [scribes]: Another way to do sealing wax [scribes]: Fwd: usst archetype news - march 01 : US distribution / + new Archetype title... Re: [scribes]: Fwd: usst archetype news - march 01 : US distribution / + new Archetype title... Re: [scribes]: wax seal question Re: [scribes]: Fwd: usst archetype news - march 01 : US distribution / + new... Re: [scribes]: wax seal question Re: [scribes]: Fwd: usst archetype news - march 01 : US distribution / + new Archetype title... Re: [scribes]: Fwd: usst archetype news - march 01 : US distribution / + new Archetype title... Re: [scribes]: Fwd: usst archetype news - march 01 : US distribution / + new... Re: [scribes]: Fwd: usst archetype news - march 01 : US distribution / + new Archetype title... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 6 Mar 2001 08:57:37 -0800 (PST) From: Mary Haselbauer Subject: [scribes]: Another way to do sealing wax Sealing scrolls in Calontir involves a blow torch. We use purple carving wax and pendant seals as I have mentioned. There is a nifty little metal base with different metal inserts for various awards. First he folds up the bottom edge, cut two small holes and insert a ribbon. After covering the scroll with a piece of foam core he lays the ribbons across the metal base. The wax is melted with the blowtorch directly into the base and the seal is placed on the hot wax. If bubbles form in the surface of the seal we've gotten really good a directing a small bit of wax to fill it. If the seal is totally gacked we just cut the ribbon and start again. The ribbons are made by local weavers. One time there were some awards that came framed in such a way that we couldn't use wax seals so we had to resort to the old stamp. I made a paper template or mask so if I happened to miss the mark the ink wouldn't get on the art work. I'm not actually fond of blowtorches but it's fun to tell people that one is part of the kingdom scribe kit. Slaine __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ =================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list, send email to with a blank Subject: line and unsubscribe scribes in the body of the message. Do not include any additional text in the body. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 6 Mar 2001 12:11:50 EST From: SNSpies@aol.com Subject: [scribes]: Fwd: usst archetype news - march 01 : US distribution / + new Archetype title... - --part1_28.120ee7cf.27d67456_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 03/06/2001 5:55:35 AM Eastern Standard Time, info@archetype.co.uk writes: << Subj: usst archetype news - march 01 : US distribution / + new Archetype title/ + 3 new titles Date: 03/06/2001 5:55:35 AM Eastern Standard Time From: info@archetype.co.uk (Archetype/IAP) Reply-to: info@archetype.co.uk (info@archetype.co.uk) To: jb@archetype.co.uk ('jb@archetype.co.uk') Dear Colleagues A belated first enews in 2001. We have been delayed while we were making sure that stocks of all Archetype titles are available now in the USA. This includes all new Archetype titles which came out at the end of 2000 : Cleaning Painted Surfaces (Wolbers); Material Characterization Tests (Odegaard, Carroll , Zimmt); Identification of Northern European Woods (Hather); Archaeological Parenchyma (Hather); Archaeological Displays and the Public (MacManus).........plus all our other Archetype titles. They can now be obtained in the USA by toll free call / email or fax from : 1. The US distributor for Archetype titles : Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at UCLA A210 Fowler/Box 951510 Los Angeles, CA 90095-1510 ioapubs@ucla.edu Toll free tel orders: 866 628 2895 FAX 310 206 4723 2. Many Archetype Conservation titles are also available from : University Products custserv@universityproducts.com 0800 336 4847 2. Forthcoming Archetype title - pre-publication discount ordering opportunity for 'The Art of All Colours: Medieval Recipe Books for Painters and Illuminators' by Mark Clarke The above title will be published on April 16th. Details are given below. The Introductory Price will be 24.50 pounds ($37.50). Pre-publication discount price 19.50 pounds plus postage (UK and Europe: 3.50 pounds; elsewhere 7.00 pounds). NB Pre-publication discount orders must be made through this office in London - and pre-paid with a credit card or sterling cheque before April 16th). NEW BOOK The Art of All Colours: Mediaeval Recipe Books for Painters and Illuminators Mark Clarke Much was written in mediaeval times concerning the preparation and use of artists' materials, and we are fortunate in that many of the manuscripts containing such writings survive. They vary from lengthy treatises to a few lines scribbled in a margin, and from the accurate and practical to the purely literary. These sources have been used for many years by art historians, practising artists, conservators and restorers as guides to the techniques of medieval artists and artisans. This new book explores the history and interpretation of mediaeval technical treatises on the arts. It examines the nature, variety and content of sources from the earliest times to AD 1500, and the relationship between what was written and what was practised. The author seeks to answer questions about how and why the texts were compiled, as well as why they sometimes seem obscure. The book lays out distinctions between practical and alchemical texts and provides a translation of technical terminology. Finally, this book contains a catalogue of more than 400 manuscripts that contain such technical texts, many of them largely unknown. These lesser known texts expand our understanding of medieval painting across a wider range of techniques, countries and centuries than those covered by the few well-known treatises such as Cennino Cennini's Craftsman's Handbook and Theophilus's On Divers Arts. Detailed descriptions and extracts are given for the more important texts, and a full bibliography of published editions and translations is included. This book will be a valuable source for all those interested in the techniques and practices of medieval artists. Due April 16th ISBN 1873132727 3. NEW TITLES WE ARE ADDING TO THE ARCHETYPE CATALOGUE and are recently published : i. The Conservation of Heritage Interiors Preprints of a Conference Symposium 2000 Ottawa, Canada 186 pages, 113 half-tones, Price : 45 pounds plus postage For full contents, please ask us to email it to you. ii. Caring for the Past by Elisabeth Pye 232 pages, 56 half-tones, Price : 25 pounds plus postage This book discusses the evolution, philosophy and current practice of conservation. It is intended to encourage a better understanding of what conservation involves, and of how it can contribute to the study and enjoyment of the heritage. Issues affecting conservation and its future development are examined. Topics covered include : History of Conservation; meaning of objects; change and deterioration in materials and objects; issues in practice : decision-making, conservation procedures; working relations between conservators, curators and scientists; development of a conservation profession, training in conservation; communicating conservation and attracting public support. For full contents, please ask us to email it to you. iii. Plants in Archaeology by Rowena Gale and David Cutler 513 pages, many half-tone cross-sections, Price : 75 pounds plus postage This handsome manual includes anatomical descriptions of over 160 species of plants that are recorded as having been used for a variety of purposes in NW Europe, European Mediterranean countries and Egypt from the Mesolithic to the medieval period (C.1500). Many of the genera have a much wider distribution thereby extending the application of the manual to, for example, North America. The species have been selected from archaeological data for a wide range of sources and plants known to have been used extensively in the time span covered by this book. For further information or to order one or more of these titles, please get in touch with us via email, fax, phone etc With best wishes James Black Publisher Archetype Publications, 6 Fitzroy Square London WIT 5HJ Tel: (44) 207 380 0800 Fax: (44) 207 380 0500 email: info@archetype.co.uk www.archetype.co.uk >> - --part1_28.120ee7cf.27d67456_boundary Content-Type: message/rfc822 Content-Disposition: inline Return-Path: Received: from rly-xb01.mx.aol.com (rly-xb01.mail.aol.com [172.20.105.102]) by air-xb03.mail.aol.com (v77_r1.21) with ESMTP; Tue, 06 Mar 2001 05:55:35 -0500 Received: from spielberg.vip.uk.com (spielberg.vip.uk.com [194.176.218.9]) by rly-xb01.mx.aol.com (v77_r1.21) with ESMTP; Tue, 06 Mar 2001 05:55:16 -0500 Received: from modem-75-82-60-62.vip.uk.com ([62.60.82.75] helo=jim2) by spielberg.vip.uk.com with smtp (Exim 3.02 #1) id 14aF5u-0003MO-00; Tue, 06 Mar 2001 10:53:31 +0000 Received: by localhost with Microsoft MAPI; Tue, 6 Mar 2001 10:59:42 -0000 Message-ID: <01C0A62C.8C3CA390.info@archetype.co.uk> From: Archetype/IAP Reply-To: "info@archetype.co.uk" To: "'jb@archetype.co.uk'" Subject: usst archetype news - march 01 : US distribution / + new Archetype title/ + 3 new titles Date: Tue, 6 Mar 2001 10:58:13 -0000 Organization: Archetype Publications Ltd X-Mailer: Microsoft Internet E-mail/MAPI - 8.0.0.4211 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Dear Colleagues A belated first enews in 2001. We have been delayed while we were making sure that stocks of all Archetype titles are available now in the USA. This includes all new Archetype titles which came out at the end of 2000 : Cleaning Painted Surfaces (Wolbers); Material Characterization Tests (Odegaard, Carroll , Zimmt); Identification of Northern European Woods (Hather); Archaeological Parenchyma (Hather); Archaeological Displays and the Public (MacManus).........plus all our other Archetype titles. They can now be obtained in the USA by toll free call / email or fax from : 1. The US distributor for Archetype titles : Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at UCLA A210 Fowler/Box 951510 Los Angeles, CA 90095-1510 ioapubs@ucla.edu Toll free tel orders: 866 628 2895 FAX 310 206 4723 2. Many Archetype Conservation titles are also available from : University Products custserv@universityproducts.com 0800 336 4847 2. Forthcoming Archetype title - pre-publication discount ordering opportunity for 'The Art of All Colours: Medieval Recipe Books for Painters and Illuminators' by Mark Clarke The above title will be published on April 16th. Details are given below. The Introductory Price will be 24.50 pounds ($37.50). Pre-publication discount price 19.50 pounds plus postage (UK and Europe: 3.50 pounds; elsewhere 7.00 pounds). NB Pre-publication discount orders must be made through this office in London - and pre-paid with a credit card or sterling cheque before April 16th). NEW BOOK The Art of All Colours: Mediaeval Recipe Books for Painters and Illuminators Mark Clarke Much was written in mediaeval times concerning the preparation and use of artists' materials, and we are fortunate in that many of the manuscripts containing such writings survive. They vary from lengthy treatises to a few lines scribbled in a margin, and from the accurate and practical to the purely literary. These sources have been used for many years by art historians, practising artists, conservators and restorers as guides to the techniques of medieval artists and artisans. This new book explores the history and interpretation of mediaeval technical treatises on the arts. It examines the nature, variety and content of sources from the earliest times to AD 1500, and the relationship between what was written and what was practised. The author seeks to answer questions about how and why the texts were compiled, as well as why they sometimes seem obscure. The book lays out distinctions between practical and alchemical texts and provides a translation of technical terminology. Finally, this book contains a catalogue of more than 400 manuscripts that contain such technical texts, many of them largely unknown. These lesser known texts expand our understanding of medieval painting across a wider range of techniques, countries and centuries than those covered by the few well-known treatises such as Cennino Cennini's Craftsman's Handbook and Theophilus's On Divers Arts. Detailed descriptions and extracts are given for the more important texts, and a full bibliography of published editions and translations is included. This book will be a valuable source for all those interested in the techniques and practices of medieval artists. Due April 16th ISBN 1873132727 3. NEW TITLES WE ARE ADDING TO THE ARCHETYPE CATALOGUE and are recently published : i. The Conservation of Heritage Interiors Preprints of a Conference Symposium 2000 Ottawa, Canada 186 pages, 113 half-tones, Price : 45 pounds plus postage For full contents, please ask us to email it to you. ii. Caring for the Past by Elisabeth Pye 232 pages, 56 half-tones, Price : 25 pounds plus postage This book discusses the evolution, philosophy and current practice of conservation. It is intended to encourage a better understanding of what conservation involves, and of how it can contribute to the study and enjoyment of the heritage. Issues affecting conservation and its future development are examined. Topics covered include : History of Conservation; meaning of objects; change and deterioration in materials and objects; issues in practice : decision-making, conservation procedures; working relations between conservators, curators and scientists; development of a conservation profession, training in conservation; communicating conservation and attracting public support. For full contents, please ask us to email it to you. iii. Plants in Archaeology by Rowena Gale and David Cutler 513 pages, many half-tone cross-sections, Price : 75 pounds plus postage This handsome manual includes anatomical descriptions of over 160 species of plants that are recorded as having been used for a variety of purposes in NW Europe, European Mediterranean countries and Egypt from the Mesolithic to the medieval period (C.1500). Many of the genera have a much wider distribution thereby extending the application of the manual to, for example, North America. The species have been selected from archaeological data for a wide range of sources and plants known to have been used extensively in the time span covered by this book. For further information or to order one or more of these titles, please get in touch with us via email, fax, phone etc With best wishes James Black Publisher Archetype Publications, 6 Fitzroy Square London WIT 5HJ Tel: (44) 207 380 0800 Fax: (44) 207 380 0500 email: info@archetype.co.uk www.archetype.co.uk - --part1_28.120ee7cf.27d67456_boundary-- =================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list, send email to with a blank Subject: line and unsubscribe scribes in the body of the message. Do not include any additional text in the body. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 06 Mar 2001 09:45:24 -0800 From: Lee Damon Subject: Re: [scribes]: Fwd: usst archetype news - march 01 : US distribution / + new Archetype title... Account "SNSpies@aol.com" has been removed from the scribes list, for spam. Do not send advertising to any list hosted on castle.org. postmaster@castle.org =================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list, send email to with a blank Subject: line and unsubscribe scribes in the body of the message. Do not include any additional text in the body. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 6 Mar 2001 09:45:48 -0800 From: Carolyn_Richardson@cch.com Subject: Re: [scribes]: wax seal question >>The wax that we used came in rods. To melt it I would light a candle, position the end of the rod of sealing wax above the area where I wanted the seal to be and place the flame of the candle underneath the rod. The flame melts the sealing wax which would then drip onto the paper (plus any dripping wax from the candle would also drip onto the same spot). Speed is of the essence because once you got the approx. amount of sealing wax that you felt you needed, you then had to pick up the seal and squidge it firmly onto the wax before the wax started to harden - which it did rapidly.<< The wax we use also comes in rods, so it's probably the same stuff. I don't know if it was dedicated sealing wax or not - I think Eowyn mentioned once that it was jeweler's wax (for lost wax casting). But the problem of using the method you describe, at least for Caid's seals, is that the seals are too large to melt enough wax with a candle. Our kingdom seal is about 2 inches in diameter - the wax would harden long before we got enough melted to make an entire seal. That's why we use the ladle, so we can melt enough wax all at once. I would think that the candle wax would also interfere with a clean seal since candle wax is a lot softer than sealing wax, but I've never tried it that way. My brother-in-law is a jeweler, and does a lot of lost wax casting (most of his pieces use this in fact). He has a nifty little wax heater that has a chamber about 4 inches square with a built in heating element, and a pump top. When he needs wax, he just turns on the heater and a few minutes later can pump wax out of it. Pretty slick, but probably more than we need for seals. Tetchubah =================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list, send email to with a blank Subject: line and unsubscribe scribes in the body of the message. Do not include any additional text in the body. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 6 Mar 2001 13:26:57 EST From: SNSpies@aol.com Subject: Re: [scribes]: Fwd: usst archetype news - march 01 : US distribution / + new... << Do not send advertising to any list hosted on castle.org. >> That message was sent to the scribes list because it announced a new book on medieval colors for painters and illuminators. It was not in any way meant to be an advertisement for anyone. Nancy Spies =================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list, send email to with a blank Subject: line and unsubscribe scribes in the body of the message. Do not include any additional text in the body. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 6 Mar 2001 10:12:23 -0800 From: "Sarah H. French" Subject: Re: [scribes]: wax seal question In An Tir we mostly do our seal ahead of time and attach them to scrolls as needed. We take the top off of a pop can, pinch the sides to form a pour spout and a handle for grabbing with a hot pad, and melt the wax in it by placing the can in an old, small cast iron fry pan that is lined with foil. We use wooden skewers or popsicle sticks to stir the wax and to help regulate the flow when pouring. The wax is poured onto foil squares from which it can be easily removed, and which can be reused. We use jeweler's wax, as it seems to take the best impression and is fairly easy to work with. The seal is kept on ice between stampings, though you have to remember to wipe the water off or you get interesting patterns in the wax. It takes a bit of practice to determine just the right amount of pressure needed to make the perfect seal. The seals are affixed to the scrolls using a double layer of rubber cement or barge cement (other types of cement or glues can melt the wax). We can produce enough seals to last an entire reign in a couple of hours, can remelt the ones we mess up on, and don't have to worry about making seals on site. This has the advantage of not needing to use kitchen utensils for the wax, except the cast iron pan which is beyond help, and is relatively easy to clean up. We throw away the cans and sticks when they are no longer usable and just make new ones. The wax comes out of the can easily when it is cold, so there is very little wasted. The system also allows people interested in learning to make seals the chance to do so without worrying. Tuirrean =================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list, send email to with a blank Subject: line and unsubscribe scribes in the body of the message. Do not include any additional text in the body. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 6 Mar 2001 17:10:44 -0500 From: "Susan Carroll-Clark" Subject: Re: [scribes]: Fwd: usst archetype news - march 01 : US distribution / + new Archetype title... Greetings-- > Account "SNSpies@aol.com" has been removed from the scribes list, for spam. > > Do not send advertising to any list hosted on castle.org. Was this really spam? I know the poster and she has nothing to do with the company, as far as I know. I thought she was forwarding something scribes might be interested in (although I would have trimmed the message down). If I send a message to the list mentioning that I noticed that such and such art supply company is having a sale, is that spam? Nicolaa =================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list, send email to with a blank Subject: line and unsubscribe scribes in the body of the message. Do not include any additional text in the body. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 06 Mar 2001 16:14:37 -0600 From: "Amy L. Hornburg Heilveil" Subject: Re: [scribes]: Fwd: usst archetype news - march 01 : US distribution / + new Archetype title... - --=====================_345442349==_.ALT Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed At 05:10 PM 3/6/2001 -0500, Susan Carroll-Clark wrote: >Greetings-- > > > Account "SNSpies@aol.com" has been removed from the scribes list, for >spam. > > > > Do not send advertising to any list hosted on castle.org. > >Was this really spam? I know the poster and she has nothing to do with the >company, as far as I know. I thought she was forwarding something scribes >might be interested in (although I would have trimmed the message down). > >If I send a message to the list mentioning that I noticed that such and such >art supply company is having a sale, is that spam? > >Nicolaa I agree with Nicolaa. Although I fervently dislike spam, I thought the message more of something that would be of interest to many. I do sincerely agree that the message should have been trimmed greatly. Despina - --=====================_345442349==_.ALT Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" At 05:10 PM 3/6/2001 -0500, Susan Carroll-Clark wrote:
Greetings--

> Account "SNSpies@aol.com" has been removed from the scribes list, for
spam.
>
> Do not send advertising to any list hosted on castle.org.

Was this really spam?  I know the poster and she has nothing to do with the
company, as far as I know.  I thought she was forwarding something scribes
might be interested in (although I would have trimmed the message down).

If I send a message to the list mentioning that I noticed that such and such
art supply company is having a sale, is that spam?

Nicolaa

I agree with Nicolaa.  Although I fervently dislike spam, I thought the message more of something that would be of interest to many.  I do sincerely agree that the message should have been trimmed greatly.

Despina
 - --=====================_345442349==_.ALT-- =================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list, send email to with a blank Subject: line and unsubscribe scribes in the body of the message. Do not include any additional text in the body. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 06 Mar 2001 15:25:45 -0700 From: Mary Hysong Subject: Re: [scribes]: Fwd: usst archetype news - march 01 : US distribution / + new... > << Do not send advertising to any list hosted on castle.org. >> That message was sent to the scribes list because it announced a new book on > medieval colors for painters and illuminators. It was not in any way meant > to be an advertisement for anyone. > > Nancy Spies And I happen to appreciate the thought Nancy. Some of those books sounded really exciting. I also appreciate the anti spam protections of the list but don't feel this is an instance of such. My opinion. Maistreas Mairi Broder ATenveldt =================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list, send email to with a blank Subject: line and unsubscribe scribes in the body of the message. Do not include any additional text in the body. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 06 Mar 2001 18:12:18 -0500 From: Randy Asplund Subject: Re: [scribes]: Fwd: usst archetype news - march 01 : US distribution / + new Archetype title... In this case I agree with Mistress Nicolaa. However the post did look a lot like it came from a book company. The mistake in identity is quite easy to see. There have been several posts from members of this list about books for sale on EBAY and from certain booksellers. I have considered it a great benefit of the list to get a heads up on such things. I will probably try to find someone to pick me up a copy of this book if it is for a reduced rate at the Medieval Symposium. RanthulfR Susan Carroll-Clark wrote: > > Greetings-- > > > Account "SNSpies@aol.com" has been removed from the scribes list, for > spam. > > > > Do not send advertising to any list hosted on castle.org. > > Was this really spam? I know the poster and she has nothing to do with the > company, as far as I know. I thought she was forwarding something scribes > might be interested in (although I would have trimmed the message down). > > If I send a message to the list mentioning that I noticed that such and such > art supply company is having a sale, is that spam? > > Nicolaa > > =================================================================== > To unsubscribe from this list, send email to > with a blank Subject: line and > unsubscribe scribes > in the body of the message. Do not include any additional text in > the body. - -- Randy Asplund (734) 663-0954 Science Fiction and Fantasy Illustration 2101 S. Circle Dr., Ann Arbor, MI. 48103 See a Universe of art ranging from Medieval Manuscripts to Star Trek and Magic: The Gathering at: http://www.provide.net/~randyaf =================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list, send email to with a blank Subject: line and unsubscribe scribes in the body of the message. Do not include any additional text in the body. ------------------------------ End of scribes digest V5 #60 ****************************