Echna's Celtic Inventory

Honor Price refers to the "status" of a particular member within the Tuatha de Bhriain. Ratings are in multiples of three, and historically refer to the value in cows that would be paid for ransom or settling Irish legal claims. Within the Clann, it has to do with how close to the Chieftain you may sit, and who gets fed first at events.

Category Jump-To List

• Aurrad status - basic gear
• Aire status - all the trimmings by persona
• Want List - things I still want
• Extras I Have - the extra goodies I already have
• Merchant List - where to buy what I have and want
• Garb List - a quick list of my clothing

Aire (noble) - a clann member who maintains and displays the traditional belongings of nobles from the fifth century, and therefore contributes to the re-enactment "atmosphere".

Items marked with a "[*]" are items I already own.
Items marked with a "[x]" are items I'm working on acquiring in some way.
All other items I have no actual prospects for purchasing (beyond impulse buying) at this point (If you're a clann member looking to trade for my sewing skills - here's a good place to start!)

Aurrad Status

When a probate is made a member, their honor price will stay at 1/4 of their sponsor's and then be graded from there as they acquire, maintain, and regularly display:

• [*] A set of period style garb of wool or linen (blends of good quality are acceptable)
• [*] Period footwear (ghillies or bog shoes to be REALLY authentic)
• [*] A period bowl and/or [*] plate, a period [*] drinking vessel, and a period [*] knife (eating or dagger type - I have an eating knife and am working on a dagger/belt knife)
• A period table cloth, or section of table cloth
• [*] A simple rectangular cloak or shawl of wool, linen, hide or fur
• [*] A period cloak pin, fastener or brooch
• [*] A period tent

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Aire Status

To claim Aire status, an Aurrad must acquire, maintain, and regularly display:

• [*] 3 sets of period garb of good quality (I had these first, as I *am* the unofficial clan seamstress!)
• [x] A period tent furnished to keep mundania out of sight (I have the tent, and I'm working on the furnishings)
• A period table section for the great table
• [*] A period banner
• [*] Period Candles or [*] period oil lamps (oil lamps are not really "appropriate" for Ireland since the climate was too cold to supply the oils commonly burned in period lamps. However, they are allowed in camp providing proper fire safety practices are in place.

Aristocracy set:

• A period sword
• A period javelin
• A period shield

• A period spear
• Clann standard heavy weapons tournament armor (full suit)
• Clann standard heavy weapons tournament sword
• Clann standard heavy weapons tournament shield
  (Clann standard standards are currently SCA East Kingdom standards)

• [*] A period serving platter
• [x] A period serving bowl
• [*] A period serving pitcher
• [*] A period woven basket
• [x] A period tent large enough and furnished to receive visitors. (Wall tents as owned by many clann members have been deemed acceptable so long as guest space/furnishings are provided - I have the tent and I'm working on the guest furnishings!)

• A period cooking spit/tripod
• A period cauldron/kettle
• A period cooking pan
• A Period Spatula
• A Period Fork
• A Period Ladle
• A Period water bucket or basin

Want List

Authentic "Period" items:

• [*]A leather belt pouch
• [*] A leather belt
• A tablet/card-woven belt.
• A pair of Danish Ankle-Boots
• Turned amber beads - any size, any shade. I don't mind if they're the reformed amber, so long as they're *some* kind of amber. However, I don't want nuggets or chips (I have some, but, I would always like more).
• Lengths of cloth for making even more garb - wool and linen preferred. Linen MOST preferred!
• A period-looking wooden box to carry craft projects in. A generic shape to carry a variety of projects. Something roughly comparable to a lap desk.

• One of those canvas camp/outdoor chairs that comes in 2 pieces and slide together to make a handy seat.
• Some special presser-feet for my sewing machine - they will enable me to speed up decorating period garb.
• Spools of embroidery cotton (I'll let you know where to buy them if you want to offer this) or skeins of metallic yarn for decorating garb.
• A wind-up radio and wind-up flashlight. No camper should be without them!
• Bottles of lavender extract or lavender essential oil (these can be found at scent shops in local malls). Be sure to ask for the essential oil - don't let a shopkeeper talk you into something watered down!

Extras I Have

• A horn comb - drilled with a hole after purchase to string on a thong for hanging (source: Swan and Lion Sutlery).
• Sewing Kit:
  • Two pairs of chinese steel scissors (based on a vaguely medieval style). One for hanging off my belt, the other for my sewing basket. (source: unknown merchant booth)
  • Several large brass needles. I use these for ornamental embroidery and overstitching, not sewing seams. (source: John Rose)
  • Drop spindles (all with wood whorls): 2 large/heavy spindles (for thick wool or linen), 1 medium spindle (for fine wool or linen), 2 ultra-light spindles (specialized for silk). (source: various)
• Assorted small jewelery items:
  • Pair of fine silver triskelle earrings (source: Gaulker Medieval Wares)
  • Vaguely "tribal" looking cord necklace with carved beads hanging pendant - a round flower bead, and a natural fish-shaped fish. (source: unknown merchant booth)
  • A cord necklace with a sterling silver pendant stamped with the Uffington Horse (source: The Mystic Caravan)
  • A copper cross pendant filled in with knotwork patterns. (source: unknown merchant booth)
  • A pair of white bronze Visigoth fibulae (source: Master Ark)
  • A pair of brass pennanular pins with stamped terminals (source: John Rose)
  • A pair of turned amber bead earrings with gold-filled spacer beads and wires (source: bead-stringing friend)
  • Several bronze bow fibulae - mostly used on my son's garb because of their small size (source: Master Ark)
  • Sterling silver sun pendant on a leather thong (source: unknown merchant booth).
  • Sterling knotwork earrings with amber acccents. Stud-back drop earrings (source: unknown merchant booth).
• Feast Gear:
  • 3 sets of twisted brass cutlery (spoon, fork, knife). The knives have steel blades. (source: John Rose)
  • 5 horn spoons, 2 medium, 3 large (source: Swan and Lion sutlery).
  • 3 horn cups of assorted sizes (all fairly small) - made of horn with horn plate bottoms. VERY highly polished. I plan to carve and decorate these some time after I get a Dremel tool (source: Swan and Lion Sutlery).
  • Drinking horn with carved horse image (source: gift from my clann foster-father, Aonghus). A leather carrying belt loop was commissioned by Aonghus and made by Brogan (the clann jack-of-all-crafts) at the time the horn was completed.
  • Copper tray - round, about 12" diameter. Simple edge (source: garage/yard sale)
  • Silver tray - sterling plate. About 8" diameter. Decorative edge (source: garage/yard sale)
  • Copper tray - rectangular bread or fish tray. Hammered copper with two carrying handles. I use it as a copper trencher (source: garage/yard sale).
  • Wooden bowl - small walnut-stain stew bowl. Carved with stylized stag on bottom (source: Clann auction).
  • Wooden bowl - large walnut-stain stew bowl. Carved with stylized stag on bottom (souce: Clann auction).
• Baskets:
  • Small "cabin-boy" (2 section) style basket with buff and blue reeds. I use this to carry my sewing supplies (source: library basket-making class - made it myself!)
  • Medium-large open-top round basket made from brown coiled coarse rope. Sewed plaid flanned cloth strips along the handle to soften for carrying. I use this basket to carry my spinning supplies (some fiber and my heavy spindle) (source: second-hand store).
  • Large open-top round basket with buff reeds. Possibly made by local artisan. I use this basket to carry my assorted feast gear (source: farm stand).
  • Extra-super-large basket of pale bleached reeds. I can carry sewing supplies stored in my small cabin-boy basket, plus several garb items, ALL in this basket (that is, it holds another smaller basket, plus MANY yards of cloth). (source: IKEA furniture store, Summer 1999).
  • Three or four tiny baskets with plain reeds. Similar in style/size to cheap reed strawberry pint baskets. I use these in my tent to store things to look cute :) (source: Clann auction).
• Archery Gear:
  • Red Plastic 35# ambidextrous standard (non-recurve) bow (source: hunting store 10+ years ago) -- this recently developed a crack (Boo!)
  • 10 Red/White/Blue fletched handmade arrows. Assembled these myself, with help (source: local SCA Arts-and-Sciences project)
• Wooden trinket box - we think this was originally a cigar humidor. It is a hardwood box with a white plastic interior lining. VERY well-made, with a lovely finish and fine construction details. Brass corner plates on the top. I plan to paint it with celtic stencil patterns (source: garage/yard sale)
• Carved stone oval trinket box - this is a non-period item, from India, with inlaid flower mosaic patterns on the top. It feels like some sort of light stone. I use it to store my smallest trinkets (earrings and bow pins) inside my larger wooden trinket box mentioned above.
• Two-well wooden box - I don't know what this originally was, except it's a souvineer from Puerto Rico. I plan on using it to store resin incense in. It is a small rectangular pine unit with two round wells cut into it. There are individual wooden covers for the holes. I also plan to stencil patterns on this one, especially over the words "Puerto Rico" in small letters on one side (source: garage/yard sale).
• Aluminum lantern-style candle-holder - this "lantern" has glass sides and opens like a lantern, but, it holds tea candles. These are very popular with clann members to combine "functionality" with safety concerns (source: IKEA furniture store, Summer 1998).
• Battered/tarnished copper pitcher - originally from Turkey according to the woman at the garage sale. Apparently her mother was born in the Middle East, and she has an attic full of "junk like this". It has a beautiful patina I don't want to polish away (source: garage/yard sale).
• Camp stools for myself and my son. Blue nylon non-period for my son, with back support. Green canvas and wooden "X"-leg folding stool for myself, no back support, but, it passes for period if you squint :) (source: camping store).
• A pair of tiny (palm-sized) reproduction oil lamps. I have two of the "Gaul" style from the Roman Empire (source: Ancient Oil Lamp Reproductions).

Online Merchants

• Gaukler Medieval Wares is a lovely site with Celtic, Anglo-Saxon, and Roman accessories (pins, belt buckles, earrings, others). Some are simple and inexpensive, some have a bit of a higher price tag, however all are reasonably affordable.
• Multi-Media Artisans make hand-worked copper and iron brooches, torcs, and pendants. The prices are on the lower end of the scale (the torcs were $50 last time I was there) good for someone just starting out.
• John Rose - an individual merchant with copper and bronze accessories. Again, inexpensive but useful. This is the only source (I could find) for authentic-looking brass needles. The eating set is also very useful.
• Tattershall Arms - a source of an antler-handled Sgian Dubh.
• Renaissance Shoes by Cardos - these shoes aren't really period looking, but, one or two pairs will pass at a distance, and they have modern soles and padding for easy walking.
• Dream Shoes (with boots included on the site) - same warning about authenticity as Cardos shoes.
• Museum Replicas has a wealth of quality reproductions (many on the pricey side, but most items can be seen as investments), including belt buckles and blades.
• The Mystic Caravan - many (most?) of the items displayed on this site are cute New Age/Wiccan-Celtic paraphenalia. Some judidicious searching will reveal authentic reproductions, and realistic interpretations of period items. Look for St. Justin of Cornwall products, among others. Request the catalogue for even more items than are displayed on the pages.
• The Crafty Celt is a site with *top* reproduction-quality accessories (mostly jewelry). Their price tags are surprisingly affordable.
• Swan and Lion Sutlery has an inexpensive selection of horn items, as well as other fine products. I can't recommend the horn items enough!
• Ancient Oil Lamp Reproductions features reproductions of several styles of tiny oil lamps made the same way as the originals! Very affordable items, though the lamps require more "maintenance" than candleholders. These lamps burn vegetable oils.
• JBL Statues is a site that sells reproductions and interpretations of statues of religious and mythical figures from over a dozen cultures (including Celtic).
• Moscow Hide and Fur. Not a pattern page, instead a source for real hides, furs, bones, skulls, teeth, and feathers from a wide range of animals. Also, simulated teeth and claws for those who don't want an animal to die for their trophy items!

A good source of interesting and moderately-priced jewelry and pins is Master Ark (Bill Guse). He works mostly in bronze and white bronze, with a silver item or two. I particularly recommend his "bow fibula" (a small functional fibula about an inch long) and "Visigoth fibula" (a heavier and more ornate pin). Both are sized to be worn to pin the shoulders of your garments, as opposed to the heavier cloak pins most merchants sell. A small "shield fibula" was also recently added to his line. He features several totem/symbolic animals (wolves, ravens, boars, etc) in inexpensive pins/pendants, and other peices. Master Ark is THE merchant I would recommend for finding pins and brooches appropriate to pre-Viking Irish re-enacting. While the styles are not 100% Irish, they're much closer than the later disk or dome brooches most people buy, and which were a later Viking Age style.

I purchased a beautiful bronze penannular brooch at a Science Fiction/Fantasy convetion. It appears to be a representation of a "Green Man" figure, although I may have my Celtic symbolism mistaken. At any rate, I paid $35 for it, and I love it. I thought I would post some information on how to contact the artisans, in case you're interested in similar castings.

Garb List

Wool garb:

• Purple wool plaid brat. 3 yards long. Fringed at both ends, with tiny silver bells knotted into one set of fringes. Naalbinding in bright constrasting green crocheting cotton on the two long edges.
• Medium brown wool plaid brat. 2 yards long. Fringed at both ends. Naalbinding in taupe crocheting cotton on the two long edges.
• Rich blue blue wool plaid brat. 1 1/2 yards long. Fringed at both ends. Naalbinding in blue crocheting cotton on the two long edges.
• Medium grey poncho made from a wool blanket. White crocheting cotton naalbinding around the round neck opening. Green naalbinding around the squared hankerchief hem. Commercial trim just below the neckline in a second circle. I plan to adapt this to a cocul, with a hood and sleeves, when I get a better sense of that pattern.
• Green plaid wool sleeved léine with rows of red, black, and green herringbone embroidery from knee to hem and from forearm to wrist.
• Red plaid wool sleeved léine with cream commercial trim along the neckline. Embroidered single row "hook" pattern in cream crocheting cotton along hem and wrists.
• Blue/black/muted yellow plaid wool sleeved léine. Faux keyhole neckline edge in red crocheting otton naalbinding. Back of neck ornamented with red herringbone embroidery and silver-substitute cord accents of french knots. Sleeve edges in blue crocheting cotton naalbinding. Bottom hem in taupe crocheting cotton naalbinding.
• Orange and black large-block plaid wool tube dress with cream yarn naalbinding.

• Natural linen sleeved léine with single row of green-and-white crocheting cotton interlocking embroidery at neck and wrists. Simple green suns at either shoulder.
• Natural linen sleeved léine with contrasting short sleeves of herringbone linen fabric. The neckline is decorated with cranberry wool herringbone stitching with a simple taupe wool sun over the sternum area. The short sleeves have two rows of wool couching: taupe bands held down with cranberry below cranberry bands held down with taupe. A single line of dark green wool herringbone along the shoulder lines.
• Natural linen sleeved léine with open shoulders. Layered green embellishments around the neckline. Black thread herrringbone embroidery around open shoulders. Single line of copper floss herringbones along the lower shoulder line to the wrist.
• Natural linen herringbone sleeveless léine with open shoulders. Linen woven into a herringbone pattern from shades of very light cream through medium brown unbleached linen. Naalbinding in green crocheting cotton around neckline and open shoulders. Taupe yarn couched down with green cotton around both sides of the neckline. Green and white interlocking embroidery along the "front" neckline.
• Blue/black/gold plaid cotton flannel sleeveless léine. Layered gold-substitute cord embroidery over a single row of purple grosgrain ribbon. Streamers of purple ribbon at each shoulder join. A cluster of fake amber-colored beads over the sternum area. Slashed up each side for easy movement (made with minimal fabric).
• Light yellow silk-linen blend sleeved léine. The neckline, wrists, and hem are embellished with red crocheting cotton naalbinding. This is my "saffron" léine.
• Bright white gauze linen sleeved léine with blue/silver and blue/gold commercial trim sewn in three rows around wrists, in the Byzantine style.
• Two muslin sleeved léinte. Worn as sleep gowns.

• Hunter green linen tube dress. Black crocheting cotton naalbinding at top edge.
• Grey and white irregular flecked pattern linen tube dress. Taupe wool naalbinding at top edge.
• Subtle cream pattern linen tube dress. Decorative selvege edges instead of embroidered embellishments.
• Natural linen tube dress with shoulder stitching for pin placement. Silver-substitute cord naalbinding around top edge (neck and armholes). Shades of brown/cream/white linen cord embroidery of a largish Celtic-style horse over sternum area of dress. Three large triquetra knots of varying colors (pinks, greens, browns, blues) linen cord along front hemline.
• Medium orange linen tube dress with shoulder stitching for pin placement. Red-and-white crocheting cotton interlocking embroidery along neckline area.
• Peach linen peplos with shoulder stitching for pin placement. Small peplos flap. Commercial gold and black Roman key pattern trim along edge of flap.
• Orange and taupe large-pattern plaid lightweight linen tube dress with blue crocheting cotton naalbinding around both edges.
• Brown and grey tiny "+"-shaped check gauze linen tube dress. No embellishments.
• Purple linen tube dress with one edge of green crocheting cotton naalbinding, and the opposite edge with blue grosgrain ribbon large herringbone stitches.
• Pale yellow silk-linen blend tube dress with a single row of cream yarn couched along one selvege edge.
• Black/dark green/grey striped linen gauze tube dress with no embellishments.
• Dark orange linen tube dress with bright white naalbinding along both edges.

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