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07 31st, 2009| 
FANS
All kinds of materials were used to make the hand fans so popular with our grandmothers, and many of them are very pretty things, well worth repairing.
Fans were made of ostrich feathers set in ivory or ebony; or of bone, ivory, or ebony, or of paper and silk, mother of pearl, or lace. Sonic fans have a ribbon tie running through the sticks which controls the spread, and this ribbon may be torn or very dirty. It is simple to replace the ribbon, but it will probably be threaded in such a way that the fan may be opened and shut easily without pulling or looping. Take a careful note, when removing the old ribbon, of the way the threading is done so that you can put it together properly To clean fans made of ivory, bone, tortoiseshell, ebony etc. treat as described under Ivory and Tortoiseshell.
Broken sticks present a problem if they are made of these materials, and very careful sticking with epoxy resin is the best way if you have all the pieces. A strengthening piece may be added, either of matching material if available or of clear plastic. Replace broken wooden sticks by making a careful copy. Remove the D-shaped ring at the bottom which holds the sticks together if a whole new stick is to be inserted. The straight part of the 1) is a pin through the sticks, and this will have to be taken out (see Fig. 16). If it is riveted through, file back the sides of the rivet at one end until the pin slips out. Put die new stick in its correct place. The pin should be hammered a little to lengthen it so that it can be riveted over when replaced.
Clean fans made of fabric by brushing with Fuller’s Earth. Immersion in any kind of liquid is usually inadvisable because there will be glue about which can all too easily be loosened. Painted colours on fans may not be fast and will run, or be lifted, so take care. Remove spots carefully with dry cleaning fluids such as carbon tetrachloride, or blot out grease spots as described in the section on Needlework, remembering once again that heat will melt any glue.
Mend torn paper fans as described in the section on Books, or put in whole new pieces of paper as detailed in the section on Prints and Watercolours, and revarnish with Winsor & Newton’s Water Colour Varnish if necessary. Sometimes a heavier varnish will have to be used, and Picture Mastic Varnish or Copal will match this.
Generally speaking, fans are delicate objects which need a lot of care and delicate work, as each one must be treated on its merits according to the material from which it is made.
SWINEFEATHERS apostle spoons .
Top: A Swinefeather and its Case antique gateleg extention table .
Bottom: Combined Musket-rests and Swinefeathers antique spanish sideboard .
Dragoon—A flintlock (not a silver tripod table . matchlock) musket (which I hold much better for dragoon service, being upon occasion they may be able to make use of their snaphaunces on horseback, and upon any service in the night they may go undiscovered’); a belt to hang the musket on; a long tuck; a swinefeather identify furniture legs 1930 .
THE BIRTH OF THE REGULAR ARMY
With the restoration of the Monarchy the large and well-trained army of the Commonwealth was disbanded rococo medallion sofas . But from it, and from the exiled followers of the new King, was formed the British Regular Army art deco china cabinet . It was only a small army: a mere handful of regiments of horse and foot porcelain jug representing the four continents and a queen as europa . Its requirements in equipment were therefore comparatively small, and easily satisfied from the vast stocks of military stores which were available after the disbandment of Cromwell’s troops regency sofa . The King was far too poverty-stricken to provide his Army with more modern arms; and thus through the whole of his reign the troops were armed with substantially the same weapons with which the Civil War had been fought dining room table with white pillar legs .
The first scale of arms for the Army is contained in two contemporary documents gothic iron garden seat . In a M leaves for old oak table? .S latter carving on pembroke table . book which contains the establishment of the Army as it was formed in 1661, it is laid down that:
`Each horseman to have neoclassical regency furniture period . palissy dishware . marquetry semi-circle drop leaf . a sword, a case of Pistolls, the Barrells whereof to be not under fourteens inches length, and each Trooper of the Horse Guards is also to have a carbine 19th century regency furniture . The Musquet of every Musquettere is to be three feete in length in the Barrell, And the Bore to bee for Bullets of twelve in the pound, and each Pikeman to have a Pike made of Ash not under sixteens feete in length Head and Foote included antique furniture 1800 .’
Two years later the ‘Orders and Instructions’ of the Sth May 1663 directed that: antique gateleg table small . upholstered desk chair with cabriole legs . bob-box century . each Horseman to have what is a harlequin pattern . black leather armchair for desk . antique writing utensils . A sword, a Case of pistolles, the barrells whereof are not to be under fourtecen Inches in length, and each Trooper of Our Guards to have a Carbine, besides the aforesaid Armes, And the foot to have each Souldier a Sword, and each Pikeman a Pike of 16 foote long and not under, and each Musqueteer a Musquet, wth a Collar of Bandaliers, the barrell of which Musket to be about foure foot long, and to conteine a bullet fourteen well shall weigh a pound Weight antique black irish dresser .’
Whilst these documents are in substantial agreement, there is a surprising difference iii two lengths given for the musket barrel antique cherry drop leaf tables . Four feet was the normal measurement, but it may be that when the Army was first formed some relaxation was allowed in order that some of the non-standard arms available could be issued antique bookshelf design . As regards the apparent differences in the musket bore, one of these probably related to the nominal bore and the other to the actual weight of the bullets swansea duck egg .
There are two further points of interest: a trooper of the Horse Guards carried a carbine as well as two pistols; and the pike had been reduced in length to sixteen feet song dynasty bluish green glazed earthenware .
The eventual doom of the pike was heralded in two extracts which appear in Book W 5 leg antique table .O antique stemware+cobalt blue . 47/5 in the Public Record Office:
4 14 March, 166,2 antique english dressing table . Ordered that the french pikes and ye short swords or Byonettes that lately were recd finmar aalto artek . from Dunkirk be surveyed & an accompt presented to the office of their defects to ye end a Contract may bee made for their speedy repaire antique bedroom furniture with fan brass handles .’
4 17 March, 166-2 console tables tubular uk . Ordered yt ye Byonettes lately recd from Dunkirk to be issued to the psons foil antique wood inlayed wine cellaret photos . to be by them made cleave and repaired & returned with io daies space at rod ape antique chinese carved wood nest of tables .
It would thus appear that Soo bayonets were obtained from France, and that they had already seen hard service and required overhauling japanese antique boxes . Bayonets were already issued to at least part of the French Army, for in his oval loudon floral 1783-1843 .4rt de la guerre Puys6ger notes their use in 1647 valuable antique basketry marks . They were plug bayonets with handles and blades which were both twelve inches long classic furniture.dwg . It is probable that Charles II or his officers had seen and admired them in France, and it may be that this worn lot were obtained either very cheaply or as a gift from the French King cabriole design .
The plug bayonet apparently originated in the short, broad-bladed knife which was carried by hunters, and which had a round handle which could be fitted into the barrel of the gun in an emergency what is a double gate leg table .
The trial of the bayonet in the British Army was evidently a success; for a Royal Warrant of the 2nd April z 67 contained the following:
CHARLES R antique draw leaf dining table .
`Our Will and Pleasure is, that a Regiment of Dragoons, which we have established and ordered to be raised, in Twelve Troopes of fourscore in each beside officers, who are to be under the command of Oure most deare and most entirely beloved Cousin Prince Rupert, shall be armed out of Our stores remaining within Our office of the Ordinance antique paintings of trinidad west indies . gillows decorating firm . king george sofa table with iron lion legs . the soldiers of the several Troopes aforesaid, are to have and carry each of them one match-locke musquet, with a collar of bandaleers, and also to have and carry one bayonet or greate knife angouleme dihl .’
After this initial issue to one regiment, the adoption of the bayonet throughout the Army seems to have been somewhat slow george scheidt enamel . This was only natural, as the combination of musket and pike was a well-tried one in the infantry, and, war being a dangerous pastime, there is always an understandable reluctance to replace proved weapons by new and to act as escort to the artillery, and the light fuzil was better suited to their particular duties than the cumbersome matchlock mahogany coffee tables that incorporate a glass display case in centre . It will be noted, however, that the fuzil, although of carbine bore, was built as an infantry weapon, for the barrel was of matchlock length swan plate kandler .
Rests still formed part of the equipment of the musketeer, but they were seldom taken on active service, and were generally only used for ceremonial parades and duties carved african tripod table with chess board .
The introduction of Grenadiers into the new British Army marked the recognition of a weapon which had proved its value in the Civil War imperial gateleg table with japanese decorations . Explosive hand missiles had been used in warfare for very many years, but they were crude in manufacture and fairly ineffective in use first antique table de chevet . Those first used in the Civil War were also of doubtful value antique regency furniture . The filling aperture was generally closed by means of a wooden plug, in the side of which was a slot so that one end of a piece of slow match could be pushed into the interior nineteenth century gillow chair . The other end of the match was lit before the grenade was thrown wedgewood stoneware . The disadvantage of this method was that it was difficult to judge the correct length of match antiquite dressers . If it was too long the enemy often had time to throw it back again before it exploded sheriton roll top antique bureau . If it was too short it exploded in the air or even in the thrower’s hand maurice dufrene, design . The difficulty was surmounted by a most ingenious device antique extend side table . The wooden plug, instead of having the single slit, was bored with several holes chicken coups made into dressers . Into one of these a piece of match was inserted, and a bullet was fastened to the end inside the case sofa french 4 legs . Twigs were pushed into the other holes to act as a rudder like the feathers of an arrow and ensure that the match was kept to the rear during flight antique carved trestle table . When the grenade hit the ground or target the momentum carried the bullet forward and the lighted end of the match was pulled inside the case so causing the explosion walnut escritoire .
The grenades adopted for the Army in 1677 were better made and designed, but the percussion-ignition system was retained antique sideboards and buffets 1920 dutch . The military grenade weighed about 21 pounds and was 2-1 inches in diameter italian wood armchairs .
The subsequent life of grenades spanish vargueno . in the Army was comparatively short were exports scenes common in the chenghua period . During the eighteenth century they gradually dropped out of use; probably owing to the introduction throughout the Army of efficient flintlock weapons flatware forks types . The trench warfare of the Crimea brought them back into favour: and then they reappeared for some reason in the Sudan in 1884, But it was not till the First World War that the prestige of the grenade was restored to the level which it had acquired in the late seventeenth century antique drop leaf painted table 1800 .
Officers and sergeants of the infantry were still armed primarily with shafted weapons edge simplicity tub chair . These, however, were as much a symbol of rank as for serious use english stoneware marks . In 166o captains carried pikes, but by 1680 they had eight-foot spontoons antique hepplewhite sofa . Lieutenants started by carrying partizans, but in 168? they received pikes instead antique,dinning room table,gateleg,drop leaf . The sergeants were armed with halberds, which they retained until very nearly the end of the eighteenth century vintage gateleg dropleaf table .
In spite of the introduction of bayonets, musketeers were still equipped with swords american oak drop leaf table antique . Whilst there was no regulation
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pattern, something more serviceable than the rapier had gradually been evolved, with a straight cut-and-thrust blade and a simple guard with counter curved quillons, one of which was usually extended towards the pommel to form a knuckle bow paris style art deco desk .
It does not appear, however, that swords were popular with musketeers nancy galle furniture . According to the French writer Louis de Gaya, in his Traitl des armes of 1678, the English infantry seldom drew their swords but preferred to use the butts of their muskets at close quarters renaissance italian furniture style a bambocci and cupboards . This is understandable, since, without dropping the musket, the effective use of a sword must have been a difficult matter louis xviii style furniture . De Gaya was a captain in the Regiment of Champagne, and probably fought alongside the troops of King Charles II on the Continent antique double claw pedestal dining room table .Somewhere about x685 a sword with a short curved blade was introduced in supersession, or partial supersession, of the long straight-bladed sword antique english queen anne china cabinet with cabriole legs . This new weapon was known as a ‘hanger’ christening bowl used for . The blade was single-edged, curved towards the point, and about twenty-four inches in length art dec countries . The hilt’ was brass, and consisted of a rather flat double-shell and knuckle bow 19th century furniture archives . The grip was generally of wood and bound with wire boulle card table .
The first troops to be equipped with the hanger were the Grenadier companies of the infantry regiments; and it appears to have been, in fact, the first sword with which they were issued kem weber furniture designer prices .
The rapier was worn by officers long after it was discarded as an other ranks’ weapon, and it was probably carried by infantry officers during most of the reign of Charles II antique oval table with middle drop leaf . The sword which gradually replaced the rapier was of a somewhat similar type to that carried by the musketeers mahogany dining table cabriole legs . The blade was generally straight and intended for both cutting and thrusting antique little silver . The hilt was brass, and the guard comprised quillons and knuckle bow aaron burr desk .
From about 1685 officers of the Grenadier companies were armed with fuzil and plug bayonet, and thus carried neither sword nor shafted weapon 1800’s library tables .
At the end of Charles II’s reign privates of Horse and Dragoons had a sword with a straight blade and a steel full basket hilt inexpensive antique wardrobes . The blade was generally about thirty-eight inches long and sometimes double-edged universal statuary co mirror .
An improved method of carrying powder on the infantry soldier began to make its appearance during the 168o’s antique mahogany fretwork hanging cabinets . The bandolier, with its suspended and clattering wooden chargers, made silent movement by a body of troops virtually impossible sheffield plate 19th century . In its stead there was introduced a cartridge pouch, in which was placed a supply of made-up paper cartridges; each containing the requisite amount of powder (but not the ball) for one round of ammunition chamber pot cabinet commode 1800 . Such cartridges had already been in use for some time for the carbines and pistols of the cavalry antique book ends .
MARLBOROUGH’S ARMY
Charles II was succeeded by his brother, James II, a first-class administrator, who proceeded to expand the Army and to forge it into an efficient fighting machine repaint ceramic lamp .
One of the first results of the new regime was the production of a new scale of firearms to replace the many worn-out antiques which were still in service french makers of consoles gibier style 18th century . The effect of this was to give the Army a fairly standard armament, and, for the first time, regulation designs rococo writing table .
The new musket could be fitted either with a matchlock or a flintlock austro-hungarian +antique +furniture . It was a very substantial and heavy weapon lion head sphinx paws revival art chair . The* barrel was 451 inches long and made of very thick metal important american girandole mirror . The stock was painted black, and the barrel probably `russeted’ maples of london cabinetmakers . The matchlock was fashioned something after the style of a flintlock; the pan and cover being attached to the lock plate instead of, as previously, to the barrel petite french mantel antique clocks . The flintlock too was an improvement on its predecessor; the befter-designed lock which had been fitted to private arms for many years past being substituted for the old crude military lock classical revolving bookcase . Many of these muskets, as well as the other new firearms, bore the Royal cypher, J2R with crown over, on the lock plate antiquevenercoffeettableclawfeet . It has been suggested that this was a privilege restricted to the Household Troops and the Royal Regiments, and that it was not extended to all arms until the reign of George II antique mahogany rent table .
Matchlock muskets appear to have been issued only to the battalion companies of the infantry italian spider leg table . Fusilier regiments, Grenadier companies and Dragoon regiments had flintlocks paris exposition candlesticks . Muskets issued doric china longton england .to the Grenadiers were usually shorter and stouter in the barrel than the standard type 19th century bavarian side chairs . Some of them were fitted with steel grenade cups for firing grenades antique austria 1855 - 1953 statues . (A practice which was to be revived in the war of 1914-18 czechoslovakian lustreware .)
It was probably intended that as soon as economically practicable matchlock muskets should be converted to the more expensive flintlock william kent eagle console . It is likely that the battle of Sedge-moor was the last action in which matchlocks constituted the bulk of the infantry armament antique japanese tea table mother of pearl . By 1700 there can have been few, if any, matchlocks left antique brass mirror convex eagle .
All carbines and pistols were flintlocks staffordshire william kent . The former were lighter and smaller versions of the muskets with a barrel length of thirty-six inches boulle furniture . They had a steel suspension ring which moved on a ‘traveller’, or iron bar about world war 1 antique shovels . ten inches long, and was connected to a swivel and runner on the carbine belt antique octagon oak table . Pistols had a fourteen-inch barrel 4 section antique cutlery box .
The new muskets were issued with the plug bayonet regency pedestal desk buhl marquetry . This, of course, had the dual disadvantage that when it was fitted in the barrel the musket could not be fired, and when it was not so fitted the musket was not a close-quarters weapon antique 19th mahogany hepplewhite card table . These limitations led to the disaster of Killiecrankie in x689, when the English infantry were caught by the charging Highlanders in the process of fixing their bayonets into the musket barrels value of empire style china closet 1910 .
As a result of Killiecrankie, experiments seem to have been made with the ‘ring’ bayonet half tester bed . This was fitted to the musket by means of two rings which passed over the end of the muzzle and the grip of-the bayonet covered bowl/antique chinese doucai . General Hugh Mackay claimed that he invented this after the battle of Killiecrankie; but Puys6gur says that a regiment of the French Army had these bayonets in 1678 antique chests of drawers south wales .
The ring bayonet does not seem to have been a success; but the next invention, the socket bayonet, was 18th empire furniture . In this type the blade was attached to a short tube or socket which slid over the muzzle end of the musket barrel baroque rationalism . Socket bayonets suffered from the same initial trouble as the ring bayonets, that the external diameter of musket barrels varied too much to provide a standard bayonet which would fit even the majority of them american art deco bar furniture . Plug bayonets had a tapering handle and could thus be thrust into any barrel antiques table clock 1700 . In an effort to remedy the trouble bayonets with a socket split lengthwise were made, the idea being that the diameter of the socket could be adjusted to the size of the barrel which it was required to fit barley sugar twist pillars timber . Some antique display . of these were issued to Killigrew’s Dragoons in 17o6; for their equipment schedule lists: ‘Split socket bayonets to serve over a full bored musket’ antique china carving furniture .
Pikemen finally disappeared from the Army in 1702, and thereafter all private soldiers of the infantry were armed with musket and bayonet william iv furniture . The situation as regards the latter was, however, somewhat chaotic care of antique oak chest woodworm rot . An Ordnance Board report of 1706- says: ‘All the regiments raised since the disuse of pikes (1702) have provided bayonets india brass table tray . dutch delph pottery marks . biedermeier antique de . at their own charge 19th century 5 legged table . Few of the officers agree in the sort of bayonets fit to be used or in the manner of fixing them as may appear by the various sorts there are of them in the Army modern oriental writing bureau .’ It is probable that throughout the wars of William III and Anne most units were still equipped with the plug bayonet holland and sons ivory marquetry . But the socket bayonet must have been in fairly extensive use; for the Ordnance records of 1704 show that socket bayonets had been sent to Portugal, although 3000 plug bayonets were available in the Tower stores 17th century oak tables .
The blade of the socket bayonet appeared in a number of different shapes before a 1800’s library table . standard type was finally adopted england biedermeier chest of drawers . This was triangular in section, tapering to a point, and with two of its sides deeply grooved, or ‘fullered’ glasgow art nouveau antiques . With various modifications this triangular socket bayonet remained as the standard Army weapon until 18 8 8 19th century drum table examples .
