Chatelaines

I have been watching Jericho - you know, that series on ITV set in Victorian times with something of an American West feeling as a group of people try to build a viaduct and lives for themselves and are constantly running into problems, with Jenny from Call the Midwife (whose nicked Irene Adlers coat in the early scenes).

I have to get my hands on that coat... just check she's not looking...

Right! Got it! Quick kids, better leg it before she sends her sleuth hound after us. Should be alright in the middle of nowhere.

I could have sworn I had a coat a minute ago...

Sherlock,  dear, I seem to have mislaid my coat. You wouldn't mind lending me yours, would you? I mean, surely You wouldn't send a lady out onto the cold streets of london improperly attired?

Ok, deviation over. Sorry. The mind seems to become extra imaginative when your meant to be working on something else. I expect the answer to life, the universe and everything would be found by a procrastinating student, if only because they'd end up reading Douglas Adams.


Now where was I? Oh yes: Jericho.

 Now, as I was watching this I noticed something silver hanging from the waistband of Annie's skirt. I tried to ignore it, but curiosity has finally gotten the better of me.

 As you may be able to see, its a simple but pretty little thing: a wheel like thing hooking onto the belt with two chains hanging from it, which suspend in this case a couple of keys and a little hook.
She can wear it with different skirts too, so it's clearly not a permanent fixture.

 so, curious as I am about most things I share on this blog, I googled. First for details of her costume - nothing. Then for edardian female accessories - still not much. Finally for edwardian female accessories,  and thats when I found it.

 The Chaterlaine.
 I found a very nice website too in collectables, detiling their history and form :  http://www.collectorsweekly.com/articles/the-killer-mobile-device-for-victorian-women/

I'll leave them to detail the topic. Suffice to say, victorian women with their neat silhouettes and crisp lines suffered from a lack of pockets. A problem not entirely resolved in the present day

 So, for the practical (or wishing to appear so) Victorian woman,  the answer was the Chaterlaine.  this nifty little thing clipped onto the belt or waistband and kept what she needed at hand - fans, perfume bottles, note books, sewing kits, watches and keys just to name a few things. And, often, they were interchangeable: planning on a day in the countryside? Swap that fan for a pen knife!


 its interesting to note? (As Wikipedia reminds me) it was hardy a revolutionary practice that came with the 1800s:  theres evidence of similar practices among romans

 Anglo-Saxons and vikings:

 and in the middle ages belts were more common, from which one may hang any number of bags, tools and accessories and tuck their skirts up into. (And I have just discovered its not worth searching google images for "medieval womens belt": there are only a handful of good results between all the fantasy ones and ones with a bit too much metal, if you catch my drift - quite unexpected results.. dear gods googles going down hill if it doesn't bring you what you actually ask for):

 because ultimately a lack of pockets in womens clothing is an age old problem. *Helloooo? Fashion Designers? Are you listening? Stop all that modern art-y flouncy strange stuff you push up and down catwalks and start working out how to handle a real fashion problem. We're not dolls to dress up and leave around doing nothing - we lead busy and interesting lives too and need to get that balance between practicality and looking good*



 back to chaterlaines. They really are pretty things,  often delicately made with silver.  oh, you dont get craftsmanship like that much nowadays.

A quick browse through etsy reveals a number of beautiful and often pricey antiques, adnd often pricey antiques, including the tiny maile purses they used to carry. It seems theres a bit of a victorian revival going on.
















The quest to find the Chaterlaine also brought to my attention some other little gadgets for ladies of the past: skirt lifters, hankey holders, glove hooks.  Add to that the medieval thing of having belt books and you've quite a range of possible and interchangeable additions. Why haven't the modern merchants and trend setters realised this? What a way to make money in this mass-produced individualistic world, by offering another way to show charms and such.































Links:

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chatelaine_(chain)

Stanhopes

It all started with watching the latest (today being 2015.09.21) episode of Ripper Street on BBC iPlayer: The Peace of Edmund Reid.

oh, I know its not from the episode but I couldn't find the image I wanted and a group pictures always good

During the episode a little device, a golden ball - not unlike the Snitch of Harry Potter fame - was used. It possessed a small hole through which one could look and see images otherwise too small to easily see magnified and thus become observable. It was named as the "Stanhope".

And so to google I go.

In a short amount of time I discover - without much research at all - that the term Stanhope can be linked to a noble family (which I think may well be worth researching since it includes Tudor links and from the looks of it an adventuress), a style of art, a printing press, a carriage and early form of automobile, a place (or rather, places), trains and a comedian.

But I also find what I seek: those strange little artifacts like those seen in the program.

They are, essentially as described above. The image-magnifying form first made in 1857 by Rene Dagron. The lens alone was invented pre-1816 by Charles, 3rd Earl Stanhope. Microphotography was developed in 1839 by John Benjamin Dancer who improved upon his work in 1852.

 

What is interesting is the range of forms they can take: charms, jewelry, details of pens and pocket knives, tape and rings (often the signet rings of men which contain some risque "artistic" image - put it this way, I doubt I'll look at the "respectable" "gentlemen" of Victorian-era period dramas in quite the same way again if I see them wearing a signet ring).

a rotating option of images is featured in this one

That is an acorn shaped propelling pencil, with stanhope AND possibly was worn on a Chatelaine!

A mother of pearl chatelaine perfume bottle with stanhope.

One for Discworld Fans
http://www.penpeep.com/artist-gallery-jewelry.html

Oooh, very risqué for an age when showing an ankle or a bit of calf was considered enough to inflame the blood - and to think here are two full pairs of legs! There are other more revealing images featured in stanhopes... revealing may be the wrong word as in order to reveal there should surely be an attempt to conceal which is distinctly lacking in such images - but I'm not about to fill my blog up with that sort of thing.

They often served as souvenirs, such as barrel shaped ones from Niagara Falls, or carrying pictures of places like Notre-Dame or Paris or London, photos of loved ones or political messages or images.

Because why have bone or ivory when you can go for gold?

Apparently they are nowadays mainly used for religious items, which apparently do not offer the same views as those Victorian gentlemen might have been looking for, but prayers.

It is now that I remember some from when I was little. Coming full circle, back to my mention of Harry Potter, it was in Harry Potter memrobillia I first encountered them, though I didn't know their name. One was encased in orange-coloured plastic and contained a snipett of information on Gryffindor, I think, and the other was in the stand beneath a figurine of Fluffy, the three-headed dog, here depicted as a German Shepherd like breed, this latter rotating with several

The Wikipedia Article for your perusal can be found here:

The lens itself was also used as a magnifier for other items, rather than single images included within the device: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanhope_lens


They seem a little enthralling to me: like in Ripper Street, the idea of secret messages and images being conveyed in such a small form, often passing right under peoples noses without being noticed except by those with some awareness of them already is natural fuel for stories.

 I must admit I marvel at things such as these. You don't get stuff like this all that often nowadays
 pictures to follow


Other links:

http://kievkirby.com/?p=547 
http://www.stanhopes.info/who_made_stanhopes.html


https://uk.pinterest.com/echarmony/vintage-charms-stanhope-viewers/
http://www.collectorsweekly.com/articles/secrets-of-the-worlds-tiniest-photographs/


Edited 2016.10.05 - removed some images

There is hope for me yet...

I write a bit of fanfiction. Ok, more than a bit: its a bit of an obsession even though its yet to be published. Stories just have ways od playing on the mind and sparks of inspiration hit when least expected and I have to be getting on with real life and real work.

But then with the unfortunate death of David Bowie a post was shared on the Discworld Monthly facebook page - a post from Neil Gaimen's blog. He - one of the greatest fantasy authors of this time - wrote David Bowied fanfiction!

 I guess from little seeds big trees grow - one might cut their teeth with fanfiction,  learn about writing, develop ideas than write "real" fiction.

 Read it here

Remidos Varos

Well today I had a little browse of the Google Doodles - today's celebrsting an author of fairy tales.
What caught my attention though was one featuring fiery colours and a mystical figure.

 Clicking on it I discover there was once an artist called Remidos Varos, so my next stop is Wikiart

 Now I must say I'm not fond of this sort of impressionistic-y art. It's like it's consciously trying to mess with your head. Perhaps thats the point, but personally I'd like to be able to just be able to enjoy a pretty picture and perhaps explore it.


And there are some pieces of her art that don't attract my full appreciation.  some just aren't my style. But others... well they certainly can be explored. I like art that inspires too, and its fair to say that, certainly for a mind turned towards the Discworld, there's some inspirations coming through some of these.

 I found the original image google based their doodle on:

The interesting thing is the combination of rather mystical themes with quite medieval-ish and edwardian aspects and modern almost surreal styles.

A hurdy gurdy and Da Vinci's wings?

Then theres the subjects of the works... curiously futuristic in some cases...

The 12th Doctor?

Jean Michelle Jarre?

A bit Tim Burton-y?

The first time I saw this was on a youtube video accompanying Danse Macabre. Had no idea it was one of her paintings.

Vegetarian Vampires?  All the rage nowadays. Chicken quadraped pets... not so much.

Bankers up to no good.

Big Brother looking over your shoulder when your not expecting them?

Wind turbines and sea power?

Well thats enough distracting myself for now







 

An Introduction

I am not the best at blogging, I must admit that from the start. I have a number of little blogs, on blogger, and a tumblr and a livejournal - each seems better for a different purpose but none I maintain consistently despite my intentions. I half expect this will become a blog like many of my others, with the occasional thing on it, and many a post in progress, but not actually complete.

I expect this is because, by nature, I am not a blogger. I research, and like to collect that research together, but that's more like a wiki and constant work in progress.
Still, that's how I use them, so be it.

Now, what has come to my attention is that between my pursuit of an eclectic knowledge and search for inspiration and little details of my attempts at fan writing, my web wonderings have led me in many a direction.
Some, perhaps, of interest to others.

Think of this little blog as a "word-a-day" journal. Except it's a topic a day, not a word. And it's not going to be everyday - simply whenever the google, pinterest and wiki bugs hit me.

- Verity, 

2015.09.21