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Post by spence on Jun 24, 2022 16:54:57 GMT -7
A steelyard is a balance beam scales, I would assume a pocket steelyard is just a small one, easily portable. Gold scales are frequently small steelyards, I think.
I'm with you, 'tying up paper' sounds like wrapping paper to me.
The language of the day is like never-ending crossword puzzle. I'm always running across words which make no sense. Sometimes I can solve the puzzle, sometimes not. For instance, I'm still not at all sure I understand what a matchcoat is, or where that name came from. I have information which tends to make me think it is descended from a garment of the Algonquin people in coastal Virginia, made of skins sewn together. [From the description of Powhatan's Mantle at the Ashmolean museum.] "The colono-Indian word 'match-coat', which appears in other catalogue entries, was derived from a Virginian Algonquian word which John Smith spells 'matchcores' and glosses 'skins, or garments'."
None of that helps me at all to understand what a 'match clout' might be as mentioned in Tryon's letter above.
Spence
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Post by hawkeyes on Jun 24, 2022 18:05:13 GMT -7
Concerning a "match clout" I'm wondering if it is potentially a reference to a lock cover of some kind?
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Post by spence on Jun 24, 2022 19:49:51 GMT -7
The letter in which that term was used said, "indian match clouts (in lieu of breeches)".
Spence
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Joe
City-dweller
Posts: 170
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Post by Joe on Jun 24, 2022 20:05:42 GMT -7
My guess would be a loin cloth made made from a blanket or broad cloth material. I wore one for years.
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Post by hawkeyes on Jun 25, 2022 3:10:14 GMT -7
The letter in which that term was used said, "indian match clouts (in lieu of breeches)". Spence Well that would do it. Certainly would agree that must be it then. |
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Post by artificer on Jun 25, 2022 9:04:42 GMT -7
Colonel Phillip Ludlow Lee of Stratford Hall, Virginia. (1727-1775)
Col. Phil also enjoyed hunting. The inventory of his possessions included "1 Rifle new made by Turvey" and "1 new Turvey," as well as a fowling piece and a gun.57 The rifle and unspecified firearm were probably made by gunsmith William Turvey (II) of London. Most Virginia planters purchased locally-made rifles, but Col. Phil had sent to London to acquire one of the best rifles available at the time. Much more accurate than those made in the colonies, this rifle was used for recreational game hunting and target matches. Turvey rifles were elegant, artistic pieces, and an obvious status symbol in the colonies.58
So imported English rifles were not unknown, but maybe/probably not that common.
Gus
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Post by artificer on Jun 25, 2022 9:14:20 GMT -7
I'll also have to find a way to not loose my screenshot of this quote, "Gun Work, such as Guns and Pistols Stocks, plain, or neatly varnished, Locks and Mountings, Barrels blued, bored, and rifled..." The question of barrel finishes, of what's appropriate and when, seems to come up with some regularity in certain places. The interesting thing is there is no history of the Geddy brothers ever having made a single rifle gun at Williamsburg, so "rifled" in the above quote meant it was one of the services they were offering. blued Meant charcoal bluing in this case. Gus |
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RyanAK
City-dweller
Once scalped…
Posts: 973
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Post by RyanAK on Jun 25, 2022 9:16:12 GMT -7
That’s interesting, Gus. It makes sense in my mind too that the colonial version of ‘landed gentry’ would seek out an English ‘park rifle’ RCA Vol. I - a William Turvey rifle    |
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Post by artificer on Jun 25, 2022 9:25:41 GMT -7
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Post by artificer on Jun 25, 2022 11:27:41 GMT -7
As I have studied late 17th and 18th century British Military Arms, the use of the term "Dutch" can get very confusing. It could mean the country or things that came from Holland/Nederlands, but it also could mean Belgium, the German States, believe it or not Switzerland and any country that had a somewhat "German" sounding language. The use of the term "Dutch" in a pejorative manner, likely comes from or remained entrenched in the English language when George I of Hanover was given the throne of England. 22 English towns rioted when he was crowned. Though I've read much of this elsewhere, the article below is a pretty good encapsulation of how poorly many of the English regarded him for most of his reign. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_I_of_Great_BritainBailey notes the term "Dutch" for muskets first came when during the War of the Spanish Succession, 1701-1714 when England could not make enough muskets quickly enough and King William III granted permission to contract for muskets from Holland, though they may or even probably were made in Liege. So, the common use of the term Dutch, as a catch all phrase to the English, goes back further than George I. Though Bailey often mentions the original term "Dutch" from period documentation in his different works, Chapter 14, Foreign Arms in British Service in North America, 1690s-1815, of his book - Small Arms of the British Forces 1664-1815, gives a more thorough explanation. Gus |
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