[Ansteorra] Fwd: Overstock Natural Parchment Sale from Pergamana 30% off!

[Robert G. Ferrell]

On 7/16/2011 6:52 PM, Stefan li Rous wrote:

> I'm not a scribe and I'm not sure what makes parchment
> "scribal-quality'. Can you tell me what makes it thus, and what details
> to look for when someone is describing parchment for sale? Are skins
> from a particular animal better than from other animals? Why?

What matters from a scribal point of view are texture, nap, and
porosity. You want skins that have been properly cured and scraped.
Scraping takes off the hairs themselves, but leaves a nap of hair
follicles and very short hair roots that make the ink and pigments stand
out a bit from the hide surface. The texture needs to be uniform and
smooth to avoid ugly discolorations or irregularities in the surface
that create problems for the scribe when lettering or painting. Porosity
is critical for ink retention. Hides that are too porous will allow the
ink to bleed, although this can be ameliorated to a certain extent by
thorough pouncing of the hide before you apply the ink.

As to which animal skins you use, that's really up to the individual
scribe. I prefer calf hide or, when I can get, uterine calf vellum for
its incredibly smooth texture and exquisite, unique nap (the hairs are
very short and much less stiff than on any other hide, so there is an
effect almost like scribing on silk). I use goatskins for drumheads
mostly, although I have done some scroll work on them. I have also used
sheep hides on occasion, although I've had less luck with them than with
the others. Kangaroo hide, if prepared correctly, is also quite useable
for scribal purposes.

> They did have a section on parchment "scraps". What would you use these
> for? To make glue?

Hide glue is usually made by boiling rawhide, rather than prepared
parchment. Scraps are used for a variety of purposes: in bookbinding or
for making small exemplars, for instance. I use scrap parchment for
making corners and hinges in bookbinding, as well as for hand rests to
keep body oils from being absorbed by the parchment underneath (oil
changes the surface characteristics of the parchment and renders it less
useful for calligraphy, especially). I've also taken scraps to demos and
taught children to do simple calligraphy and illumination on them.

Cynric