Two New Armigers

White Scarf Collaboration

Calligraphy by me, Illumination by Bethany of Windermere

Calligraphy is Batarde/French Secretary in Pelikan ink. French translation was provided by Bartholomew of Hightower and his wonderful wife

Award of Arms

Based on the Luttrell Psalter, made in England, c. 1325-35.

 The original had a weird cross between an orangutan and a raccoon which I replaced with the grinning gryphon. The smile was actually an accident but everyone comments on that before anything else. The stance of the gryphon really cried out to me. It is taken off of a period chandalier or something like that. I love how the wings curved up like a sphinx and the tail curled in different directions. The original color scheme was more of a peach color than gold, but I didn't want to do another peach and blue piece. The scan makes it look more lemon than gold, but it really is darker in person. I chose this piece because of all the fun whitework on the geometric ornamentation.

Cero e Luce Scroll

Based on Lancelot du Lac. La Quête du Sant Graal. La Mort le roi Artu.

This book was created for Antoine Vérard, bookseller to Charles VIII, King of France, in 1494. The book was a series of large woodcuts that were overpainted with miniatures. The illumination was by Jaques de Besançon.

Gifford Prosser, Tesnière, Marie-Hélène Creating French Culture: Treasures from the Bibliotèque Nationale de France.
The Library of Congress and the Bibliotèque Nationale de France, 1995. pp 124-125

Golden Maple Leaf Scroll

White Scarf Scroll

Premier Sero e Luce / Cero e Luce

Kingdom Arts and Sciences Scroll

Based on the Wyndham Payne Crucifixion

The Wyndham Payne Crucifixion was created in England, probably in London, c. 1405-1410.  This is a detached leaf with no text sized 375x260 mm.  Its name comes from a former owner, who bought it in a Cirencester antique shop, believing it to be a reproduction.  The miniature (not shown) may be associated with Herman Scheerre, an illuminator from the Lower Rhineland, who spent most of his life working in England.

Blackhous, Janet  The Illuminated Page:  Ten Centuries of Manuscript Painting

          The British Library, Great Russell St., London WC1B 3DG, 1997.  P.141