A 16th century folding bookstand made of oak and stained to darken and age. Made with reference to an original in walnut.
A traverse, or navigation, board made from a single broad plank of oak. The top half has a compass rose with 32 points. Each point has 8 holes to allow for indicators to be set at each of the eight shifts so recording direction. The speed of travel is recorded for each of the 8 shifts in the boxes below. The lettering is in Dutch.
Commsioned by The Halve Maen, Holland
Hand fabricated brass navigational dividers. Based on examples recovered from Mary Rose (1545). Other dividers, including later Dutch and earlier Roman examples are also available.
A set of Napiers Bones in boxwood, with an oak and birch frame. Used for multiplication of large numbers since the 17th Century using adjacent diagonal numbers.
Now in a private collection.
Beech shovel carved from a single piece of wood. Based on examples recovered from Mary Rose (1545). Metal shoe not added.
Stained boxwood whip with turned bone inserts, brass fittings and hemp cord. There is also a garnet inserted in the end.
Made for a private client. Other whips are available, usually made to order. OVER 18s ONLY
Spalted boxwood writing set.
Comprising of: inkwell (based on the horn version recovered from Mary Rose), pen pot and pounce pot. The inkwell in hung on a hand woven silk ribbon. Shown with turkey, goose and swan quills.
Versions of these are available on the writing page.
Turned bone rosary, based on an example recovered from Galway, Ireland. The beaded form of the cross is similar to the boxwood one recovered from Mary Rose.
Other rosaries can be found here
Carved boxwood crucifixion panel, made with reference to medieval pieces
Now in a private collection.
A two-part hinged leather dog collar with hand-cut brass studs, fixed with a pin. Later this had a matching studded lead. Katy (our spaniel) was very proud to wear this at period events! Made with reference to medieval illustrations and extant examples, but adapted for practical purposes.
A fine collection of dog collars can be seen at Leeds Castle in Kent.
Demonstrating comb making at Haddon Hall in Derbyshire, using authentic and handmade tools.
Comb making is repetitive work requiring patience and skill. All my combs are cut by hand using simple tools, each tooth being finished by hand with files and scraping to achieve the highest finish.
Available on the hygiene page as available.
Engraving, carving, pierce work and colouring are available, as are special profiles and shapes.
A crucifixion panel carved from boxwood, then painted and gilded, with an applied pewter cross. Made with reference to medieval illustrations and architecture.
Now in a private collection.
A selection of turned pieces made from Tudor Mary Rose examples. The item in parts (front left) is a spile and shive set used as a spout in beer barrels. Many of these were found on the ship…
Front right is a canister made from ash (the originals were poplar).
Behind is a sand timer with turned ends. A few of this type of end were recovered together with flat hexagonal ones. Both can be found on the domestic page.
A selection of wood and leather toys.
The leather football is based on one recovered from the rafters of Stirling Castle in Scotland and is dated to the Tudor period. It is worth noting that Henry VIII’s will had at least two pairs of football boots listed!
More toys and games can be found here
Heavy, carved boxwood bobbins, possibly used for gold work. Based on examples in the Pinto collection, Birmingham.
A simple ash tinder box with damper, nailed construction. Based on an example recovered from Mary Rose.
A pegged version is available on the domestic page.
Surgeons equipment, including two turned poplar canisters, a maple feeding bottle and a boxwood bandage needle. Based on Tudor examples recovered from Mary Rose and on display in the museum.
More examples of turned wares can be found on the domestic page.
One of the most challenging pieces I make, this version of a staved wooden tankard uses many different types of wood according to their purpose. The hoops are willow which are latched and pinned in place with thorns. The staves are pine, and the lid beech. Oak and ash were used used on some tankards.
Based on examples recovered from Mary Rose and on display in the museum.
Tankards (when available) can be found on the domestic page.
A Tudor shaving set, with some parts sourced from Mary Rose, amongst others. The razor handle is made from bone and horn. This set was bought for use in the first series of ‘The Tudors’ television series. Subsequently, I produced work for Wolf Hall, Moby Dick, and many other films.
For more hygiene, pieces click here
A boxwood rattle turned with captive rings. Usually made as gifts, I also make cage type and hollow ball type ends with beads in.
A few of the fancy pomanders I have made over the years, mostly from boxwood, often painted and sometimes gilded.
Made with reference to historical themes, events and nationalities.
A brass pen with matching holder, hung on a hand woven silk ribbon.
A pair of boxwood nutcrackers, based on an example in the Pinto collection in Birmingham Museum. The original is fruitwood, but here boxwood has been used from strength. The teeth on the original are ivory inserts which I choose not to replicate.
An original boxwood Tudor comb recovered from Mary Rose, and my version of it. Almost all the combs recovered from Mary Rose were made from boxwood, with exception of a single fruitwood example and an ivory comb cut from the side of a tusk. All except two of the combs are of the H profile shown here. The other two may form a locking pair of single combs.
For more combs, click here
A miniature chest and accompanying 1/12 scale associated replica artefacts, with a presentation scroll.
The only concession to scale was the thickness of the wood for the chest for reasons of durability. The items are all made with the appropriate materials, including the silver dress pin, the silver coins and the brass thimble.
Made as a leaving gift fro the Chairman of the Mary Rose Trust.
A lantern with parchment panes.
Although the form for this lantern was taken from a Mary Rose original, the panes would have been horn, not parchment which has been used in this instance for economy and ease of replacement.
The instricption reads ‘Luceat Lux Vestra’ (‘Let Your Light Shine’).
Two versions of lantern were recovered from the ship: one with a hinged door, the other with a door that slid up the wooden slats.
For more lanterns, click here
A whittle tang knife with boxwood handle and matching boxwood sheath, on a leather thong. Made with reference to an extant example recovered from Mary Rose, the unfinished carving on the original sheath has been continued around all sides on the reproduction, and the handle embellished. to match. Several knives in hollowed wooden sheaths were recovered, along with a number of sheaths made from split and hollowed halves that were then bound with lead.
A dyed, 3 sided leather table bottle with Elizabethan initials ‘JS’, representing John Shakespeare.
Capacity approximately 2 pints
A copy of a fine calf skin leather jerkin recovered from Mary Rose and on display in the Museum in Portsmouth for many years. Now in the handling collection.
Three ink horns of differing capacities, with slightly different finishes.
These were made to hung from a leather suspension collar (not shown) or to be set into a hole in a desk or table.
These are available to order, but with different capacities due to the nature of the beast!
A toy horse and cart made for Brading Roman Villa on. the Isle of Wight
A hand-line fishing set.
The bag and parts of the set are sourced from Mary Rose, Portsmouth.
The parts shown are: hand-line; cast lead weights cork and feather floats; disgorger; hemp line.
Modern hooks are included (in a leather wallet) to allow the hand-line to be used practically. A couple of reproduction hooks are in included for authenticity.
For more fishing pieces, click here
A girdle in the form of a Tudor rosary, complete with turned cross pendant. The rosary pattern is taken from an example recovered from Mary Rose.
Knitting sheath in the form of a fish, carved from boxwood, the shape from a medieval needle case.
Knitting sheaths were used as an extra pair of hands to take the weight of the knitting whilst working on several needles.
This item was a one-off piece for regular customer and friend. The shape was dictated by the material, but proved practical for the purpose.
A birch and boxwood walking staff.
The head is in the form of a dragon, which is sourced from a Tudor linstock in the Mary Rose collection, Portsmouth. The shaft also has a natural barley twist with vine holes, through which a modelled lead snake was threaded. The headpiece is centre dowelled and cross pinned.
Now in a private collection.