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jessamygriffith) wrote2012-10-15 08:12 pm
It Has Been Many Weary Months - Appendices
Appendices: Archeological Find Report - Bellevue House, Amherstburg, Ontario
Item 2 - 1 brass telescope
Item 3- 1 carved piece of scrimshaw
Item 4 - 1 pair of silk stockings.
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Item 2 - 1 brass telescope
The telescope does not have a maker's mark or engraving, but appears to be a good-quality piece of its type. The action on the sliding pieces is smooth, and overall the telescope is in excellent condition. The optics are fair, with no flaws or blurring.
Materials - Brass, copper, ground glass lenses, leather. Case is leather with brass buckles.
Broad period: Eighteenth to nineteenth century
Subperiod from: Late eighteenth to early nineteenth
Notes: Doctor Watson was renowned for his study of nature, both insects, animals and plants, and published a number of treatises on his observations throughout his life. A glass such as this, sent by Lt. Holmes no doubt to aid him in his studies, is a thoughtful gift and provides us with a glimpse into the great bond of friendship the two had throughout their lives.
Item 3- 1 carved piece of scrimshaw
An engraved whale's tooth with a depiction of a two-masted sloop at full sail in three-quarter view, with pennants flying and a sea bird flying near the bow of the ship. The detail is fine, and the piece is an excellent example of its kind.
Materials - whale's tooth, possibly from a sperm whale. Engraving possibly done with a sail-maker's needle, and engraving brought out with soot blacking.
Broad period: Eighteenth to nineteenth century
Subperiod from: Late eighteenth to early nineteenth
Notes: Scrimshaw was a leisure activity for whalers, who, due to their dangerous trade, did not work at night.
Ostensibly, this piece depicts the sloop HMS Peregrine, which was Captain Holmes' first command. Naval records show that the Peregrine was a square-rigged two masted ship, which matches the carving. Whether such a piece was found by Holmes, or whether it was procured to this design is unknown.
Item 4 - 1 pair of silk stockings.
The stockings are off-white due to their age, and do not appear to have been worn. They are calf-length and would have been worn with breeches, tied with garters above or below the knee. Stockings of this quality and type would have been worn for dress occasions requiring one's best uniform, or for evening wear.
Materials - The stockings are of knitted silk thread in a fine gauge. There is no pattern to the weave or any clocks (decorative diamond patterns) at the ankle.
Broad period: Eighteenth to nineteenth century
Subperiod from: Late eighteenth to early nineteenth
Notes: Though sharing clothing between friends was not unknown, this gift suggests a great deal of intimacy between Lt. Holmes and Doctor Watson and is indicative of their deep friendship and attachment.
Painting by Miss M. Reynolds - View of Fort Amherstburg, from the Public Library of Windsor, Ontario.
Painting by Miss C. Reynolds - Bellevue, from the Detroit Institute of Arts
Bellevue is where the package for Doctor Watson was found during renovations. The reasons why it was never sent and why it was hidden here are unknown.
HMS Detroit and HMS Queen Charlotte at the King's Navy Yard, Amhertsburg.
View of Amherstburg, circa 1821, A watercolour version by Woolford of this view "Amherstburg, looking down the river". Toronto Public Library
End of report.
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Authors notes: And thus one fan care package was happily made, sent and received with all joy. I rather enjoyed the time spent in my family's backyard in Malden, sitting outside watching butterflies, resting my feet on an adoring dog's belly and scratching away with pen and ink on my slope writing desk. Thank you for reading and/or being educated about the early 19th century, the Navy and the War of 1812! I've always enjoyed all of those things and as my hometown was celebrating the bicentennial of the War of 1812, it collided with my love of Sherlock and spawned this.
Part One // Part Two // Part Three // Part Four // Part Five - Appendices
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As someone on alltoseek's flist I had already admired and envied the gifts she received from you and heard about this amazing letter, and I am so glad she has persuaded you to post it. It does sound so very much like Sherlock, you have his voice, and I really enjoyed picking out the Aubreyad and Horblower references too, beautifully and subtly woven in though they were.
Your writing looks perfectly fine to me - it is clear, it is neat and it is legible and it is hand done! It may not be copperplate, but somehow I don't think Lt Holmes would have the character, time or patience to learn a clerk's hand, so it is appropriate - and I love your drawings.
Thank you for sharing this with us - and I don't think it is only Lt S Holmes and Dr St-J H Watson who are lucky in their mutually affectionate friendship...
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I'm glad you caught the odd Hornblower ref, it's actually been a while since I watched or read them. I was thinking of the watch, of course, but couldn't much remember the details, except how sorry I felt for the Captain.
I WISH I could do copper plate! Still, if it was halfway legible, I am not sure how I managed it, I know there's a knack to using real ink and pen, but I am pretty sure I don't have, when I think of how I dug that poor nib into paper... I am destroyer of nibs.
It was a pleasure to do, and the gleeful waiting for it to arrive was also fun. And she wrote me a reply, just got it for my birthday!
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This is beautiful!! All the details - Mrs Harte, the whist, the language, the drawings!!
Never has a fan care package been put together so wonderfully and so lovingly. I am in utter, utter awe. Please, please do not let this be your last foray into the wonderful world of the Age of Sail.
(I saved reading and looking through it until I had put it up on Despatches - I'd had a quick glance through it when it popped up on my reading page - and wanted time to savour it. I am so glad I took the time.)
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I enjoyed pulling together all the disparate things - a touch of Hornblower, Sherlock, Aubreyad, and my general huge love for Georgette Heyer (which I think influences a lot of my language choices, tbh!) I'm glad it worked, as it is the first I've done in Age of Sail.
Better yet, looks like today I got in the mail a letter sealed with wax, directed to Lt. Holmes... from my friend, yay!
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I loved doing it, it was terribly fun. Well, I enjoyed how in Sherlock John confesses he plays clarinet, and i DID chuck that aside because there would be no way a clarinet would do well on a ship. Better to have the flute! They certainly mention flutes quite often in Aubreyad.
Hm, Molly Harte. Well, I don't know! I could see her trying for Sherlock, not that he'd be interested, but I would hope he'd have enough sense ... huh. Plot bunny. He's so rude, Sherlock, but knows screwing the Admiral's wife is career death, but if she takes a dislike to Sherlock and says so to the Admiral, it'd be just as bad, wouldn't it? Hm. And we know how badly Sherlock plays the game sometimes...