This leather, iron, and brass bridle is covered with maroon (faded) velvet. The bridle dates from 1740 and belonged to the 4th Earl of Kilmarnock. The bit has two cast brass rosettes and 5 silk tassels.

Image taken from CULLODEN: The Sword and the Sorrows pg. 84 fig. 9:2. Lender:The National Trust for Scotland (Culloden)

[ 11-25-2001: Message edited by: Fire Stryker ]

I find no evidence for tablet woven bardings or other tack in the records, but we do find these sorts of leather covered bridles and such up to the 19th C. or so. We also have a relatively long and well established record of "things" of leather or metal covered with velvet:

• Armour, such as the velvet covered breastplate from the Bayerisches National Museum in Munich (Edge & Paddock Pg 76), the Italian sallet (Edge & Paddock pg. 121) and barbuta/celatas from the Met (Curtis, pgs. 121 & 159)

• Ceremonial polearms whose hafts are covered with velvet and nailheads (Higgins Armoury & MMOA collections)

• Brigandines (Higgins Armoury & MMOA collections)

• Saddles with velvet covered seats and skirtings (Philadelphia Museum of Art)

I'm thinking that the above pictured bridle is an example of the continuation of a long tradition of velvet covered fancy stuff, horse or otherwise.

Practically speaking, leather would give a barding or bridle more body than tablet weaving, and it would be a heck of a lot easier to keep clean. I think of how dirty the woven girths get, and imagine it would be a real pain to have to dismantle a bridle twice a week to wash the sweat and slobber out of it. The leather stuff is easy to keep clean and conditioned with saddle soap.

I don't have any positive proof either way, but given my train of thought so far I'm inclined to think that tablet woven barding or other tack is not a medieval thing.

I'm perfectly willing to believe otherwise though, if someone can come up with a 15th C. citation!

I also think it's interesting to find the cavesson still attached to the cheek pieces of the bridle at that late a date.

Oh boy, more book delving tonight.

Brenna

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whilst I haven't gotten to any 15th c. accounts, I did come across the findings in the King's wardrobe accounts from the 14th c. There are a few mentions of saddles and associated items, the cost of said items and one Saddler even wrote down the names of the men and women who worked for him, what they did, and how much they were paid.

quote:

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...more elaborate-and costly-items were specified for use by the king and his nobles. Between 1320 and 1322 Gilbert de Taunton sold a number of such special order items: a saddle for a palfrey at £5, a pair of saddles embellished with the royal arms at 8 marks (£5 6s. 8d.) and a more expensive saddle covered with red velvet and silk, garnished with pearls, embroidery and enamalwork for one of the king's warhorses at a cost of £10.

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That's not all. The same saddler seemed to have met with the King's approval and received further orders for his household knights and "for making a child's saddle in pink leather for 8s.(18)"

The author's chapter note (18): PRO E 101/99/40; it is not clear whether the child's saddle was double-seated like those made for Henry III's children in 1243 'utraque sella fiat cum duabus sedibus', CCR 1242-47, p. 45 m3.

The next example comes to us from John de Cologne who gives us an insight into the system. In 1322/3, he submitted a detailed account for the work carried out in making two sets of harness (equine) for Edward III.

quote:

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One of these was extremely elaborate, with green velvet embroidered with pearls, rubies and other precious stones while the other was less ostentatiously made of 'brounscarlet'(2).

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Among the workers employed:

Thomas le Peintour: 10d./day
Gerard de Bruges & Nicolas de Almain: 8d. each/day
Less skilled men were listed at 6d., 5d., and 4d.
Helen Glanville & Beatrice Danbury: 2d./day each.

Embroiderers:

Joan Bullock & Agnes Skinners: 3d./day each
Alice & Matilda Prince, Joan Marchant, & Rose Waite did the gold and silver thread work and received 8d. for each ounce of thread they embroidered.

The author's chapter note (2): 'Broun' as a qualifying adjective implies a dark shade of the specified colour, Oxford English Dictionary; PRO E 101/101/9 rolls 1 and 2. The third roll describes materials purchased for other sets of harness, one of which was decorated with white silk roses made up by Rose la Smythes at 2 1/2d. per day, m1.

It's really interesting to read how some of these items were decorated and in many cases the amount of collaboration that went into a project.

"I did come across the findings in the King's wardrobe accounts from the 14th c."

Do you have the title for this book, I have been interested in doing some more research into the wardrobe accounts.

[ 11-27-2001: Message edited by: Phillipe de Pamiers ]

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Jenn

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