SCA – Patent of Arms – Pelican – Jan al-Tha’lab (Atlantia)

Inspiration – requested Black hours – taken from Morgan Hours exemplar, c 1470, (MS M.493)

Materials: dyed Pergamenta, period and natural pigments, gum arabic binder, shell gold, gold leaf. Calligraphy being suspended silver and gold applied via quill.

Goals for assignment:

1) Request of recipient: Affinity noted for style of Black hours
2) Use of pigments to match colors and application techniques as closely as possible.
3) Continue practice gilding techniques. Limited use of gold in original – match application, factor design of coronet along arches.
4) Calligraphy with silver and gold inks, apply with quill. size matching in appearance to inspiration.

Following experiment with Durazzo hours, choice made to dye vellum for this project also. Dying attempt for vellum failed, due to poor mordanting. End result splotchy and unusable. Due to time constraint, reverted to dyed pergamenta, where experience demonstrated success. Sizing of project to match original (170 x 122 mm per page – 170 X 244 overall. Limitations for space for verbiage- when page made, still waiting for words. Did not have sufficient iron gall

Contact with Atlantia Signet – Crown of Atlantia give permission to sign for them with Gold, in keeping with original style.

During illumination phase, mistake made. Intending to use “spike” as decoration, noted after completion location was in “fold area” of dyptich. Essentially, blank space between pages. Attempt to scrape and clear demonstrated no way possible to make mistake totally disappear. Choice made to utilize space then for Royal signatures and triton attestation. Given large amount of text for award, balance worked, saved two lines calligraphy, thus allowing more illumination to more closely match exemplars.

Exemplar images copied closely in many areas. Some creativity implemented with Fox illumination and other minor adjustments to illuminated flora. More practice for type and style.

Calligraphy flowed well. Hand tighter than previous, capital letters with green and leaf show well. Detailing within capital blocks done with same shell gold.

Verbiage: (from Duke Ragnarr Blackhammer)
The emblem of the Order of the Pelican is a Pelican in its Piety, illustrated by the pelican vulning itself, piercing it’s own breast to feed its young. This symbol represents the level of self-sacrifice associated witht he service given by the members of this august Order. One such person is shayka jan al tha’lab, known as Fox. She is one who constantly gives of her time, talents and resources to the benefit of others. That could be hours retaining for royals, assisting with evelopment and running of events or her true passion: providing hospitality to all the fighters of the Society. It has been said that Water is life and Jan takes this to heart, providing sustenance to hot and weary warriors to keep them from collapsing and giving them strength to carry on. For these and many other reasons do we, Abran and Anya, Rightful King and Queen of Atlantia, induct Shayka Jan al-Tha’lab into the Order of the Pelican, and award her by letters patent the sole right to bear the arms: “Per pale purpure and sable, a foxes head erased and a point Or” without hindrance. Done by our hands this 4th day of August, Anno Societatis LX.