I really does make more sense that they are metal eyelets. There doesn't seem to be any sign of attachment of the ones on the dress - unless the little black marks are thread to hold it down.
Thanks! Sg ----- Original Message ----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]<mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]<mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, April 11, 2007 1:37 PM Subject: [h-cost] Re: Eyelets or Buttons It seems worth mentioning that there have been archaeological finds from this general time period of actual grommets/metal eyelets. Granted, the ones I know of were found in London, but since London (no offense intended!) was a bit of a fashion backwater at the time, it seems at least reasonable to me theorize, on seeing something that looks like a metal grommet on a fashionable portait, that you actually are seeing a metal grommet! Geoff Egan's "Material Culture in London in an Age of Transition" (c1450-c1700) describes the following on page 53: Copper alloy 229: ...late 15th/early 16th century... Diam 13mm; consists of two opposed convex sheet rings, a smaller one (Diam 11mm) with a tubular extension on the back which has been inserted through the center of the other and the end bent over to fix it in place (rather in the manner of a rivet); now-black coating on both sides; traces of leather survive. 230: ...c1550-c1650 As 229 Lead/tin 231: ...c1500-c1550 Worn; D-shaped, overall approximate Diam 13 x 12mm; pair of opposed, tear-like forms flank the central hole, beading along sides; stylized floral motif on the flat side; two rivets. Egan also points back to "Dress Accessories c1150-c1450" pp 227-8, fig 142, for a similar but simpler version of 231, dated to the late 14th century. Here's a rather crappy scan of the illustration: http://www.formfunction.org/temp/img045.jpg<http://www.formfunction.org/temp/img045.jpg> Though it seems to me that the cross-section illustrations don't really match the text description, so I'm not sure which is more accurate. Granted, these probably aren't (as far as we know) from women's clothing, especially 229, but still. -E House _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com<mailto:h-costume@mail.indra.com> http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume<http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume> _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
