Thursday, October 13, 2011

the other 99% Fort Pitt style...

Study of workmen by Joseph Vernet....scenes you would have seen all over the place at Fort Pitt

Bales by moonlight
trunks, crates, barrels and human misery


Blah, this is like the 3rd start for this entry. I need to just start typing when I feel like it and not pause look at some msg boards and anger myself. My Chi was all focused and then blammo the negativity crept back in. Ok so first off a msg to my hate mailers...if you dont like what I write on my blog dont read it.
what I find funny is the fact people have been taking time out of there day to send me long angry emails not realising it's part of a conspiracy by me and the liberal media to take time away from their construction of roadkill pouches and embroidered haversacks. George Soros is behind this whole blog...Nathan Kobuck doesnt exist.
Ok back to normality...First off to show my true geekness this entry has had me stumped:
John Jennings
1 french matchcoat ..15..
1 ditto Damaged ..5..
3/8 blue cloth 6/..4 yards Bedlace 2/...8................1/8

Richard Winston
3 damaged french matchcoats ..12..
3/8 blue cloth 6/ 4 yards bedlace 2/...8.......1/

What are these guys making! is this an awesome blue cuffed bedlace edged blanket coat? Is this the weirdest set up for sleeping ever? Was richard winston alot heavier then John? If canoe A leaves fort pitt at 2pm and native B leaves Mohican John's town at 4pm....so many questions.
One question I get alot is what is a french matchcoat and my answer is I have no idea. They dont specify in the papers i have read what it is but I suspect it has to do with the size. French measurements in the period were slightly different then english measurments. so I suspect this was the selling point. I'm still looking.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Units_of_measurement_in_France

Another entry I thought was kewl just for the mental image of what a trading post might look like inside comes from November of 1767 "for the use of the people employed in the service":
18 1/2 yards Chk for Bed curtains..4/............. 3..14
20 yards coarse linen for sheets...2/6......... 2/10
3 yds Callicoe for a counterpine (counterpiece?)..5/......... ../15.
1 1/2 yd ditto for a curtain for the store window..... 7/6
6 yds damaged strouds for working table cloths..7/6

And finally I thought I'd post a few images showing items in shipping containers. Some things (and types of people) you'd see around Fort Pitt in the 1760's. you know the other 99% of folks other then longhunters.

Well I'm getting back to weaving and this weekend I'm off to Fort Pitt to take part in a demo of a hunting camp. flesh hides, run ball, clean my gun (or get Duane to german clean my gun) and finally check out the rifleman exhibit. Then possibly off to the Schoenbrun trade fair for the day...i really need to weave faster.


More Joseph Vernet Images
http://www.gegoux.com/JosephVernet/

some killer images showing working class folks/dock scenes/and ship life
http://www.nmm.ac.uk/collections/explore/index.cfm/category/90683

1 comment:

  1. When you are from the, ahem, 1%, you know that rather than "counterpine" the word is "counterpane" meaning a heavy or embroidered quilt or bedspread.
    Intriguing post and topics this blog.
    Don't throw your chi away.
    Russ

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