Re-enacting groups, Ren. Faires and other organizations often have specialized regalia to indicate various things. I am often asked to create such objects to order, and even keep a few of the more common items in stock.

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So many Coronets!

For the last year and a hlaf I have been inundated with orders for crowns and coronets.  There have been so many that I have had time for little else, including posting images of them here.  So to remidy that situation, here are pictures of but of few of the crowns and coronets I have made recently.

Forget-me-not crown
Sterling Silver, yellow and blue sapphires, and enamels

On this project the customer wanted as much detail as possible in a rather small space.  The biggest challenge was making all the 3mm enameled flowers with the 1/2mm gold centers.  I then had to make all the little settings for them, and find spaces for them between all the vines and leaves.  The yellow sapphires I used are clear, but the larger oval blue sppphires have a beautiful asterism, though that only shows in natural light.  In the background, the diapering lines are engraved, but for the stars I made a very small punch, and tooled those.  In the end it all worked well, creating a beautiful denisity of orniment.

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Summits travel coronet
Sterling Silver with lapis lazuli

This coronet is one of a pair, each made up of many hinged panels.  The hinge knuckles are intregural with the castings, and were more than a bit fussy to fit and align.  However the amount of detail that came through in the casting was simply amazing.  (Thank you James) Because these coronets are made up of many removable panels, they can be packed down very small for travel, and larger adjustments in size can be done by adding ot removing panels.  I used a couple different styles of griffen here, and a more or less generic high Cascade peak, however the grail images are a very close representation of the Summits Grail, which I made thirty years ago.

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Stromgard travel coronet
Sterling silver with star rubies and sapphires, pearls and enamels

This coronet is also one of a pair that are composed of hinged panels for convienent packing and sizing.  While there was a whole lot of fitting, and setting pearls on the hinge pins, I think the most challenging part of this project was engraving the plates for the enamels.  The rubies and sapphires are synthetic, but in natural light show beautiful asterisms.

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Older Crowns and Coronets

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Large gilded crown

This custom gilded silver crown was a commission from a customer in Australia.  The arches and orb are removable for cleaning and transport, and the cap is a placeholder, as the customer had another artist take care of the fur work.  The project involved an immense amount of chasing and fabrication, and the creation of a number of new chasing tools to form the details.

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Florentine Coronet

The challenge with this project was that the customer had the work of six other artisans that he wanted to have incorporated into the design, and wanted the whole gold plated.

The Body of the coronet is plated sterling silver, with a diaper pattern, and with tooled and cast additions.  The laurel leaves are carved chrome diopside, and the pelican’s drop of blood is garnet.  The plaques are alternating gold inlay on blued steel, and cloisone enamel.  I based the pearl brackets on the design of a 13th c. gold Florin.

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 Ornate Hinged Coronet
18K gold with silver trim and many gemstones

Making this coronet occupied my time for some months. In this view of the front you can see some of the many beautiful stones, including the four large emeralds around the central intaglio, and flanked by rubies and sapphires.

Detail, center  back.

The large tourmaline at center is set in prongs carved to the shape of fleur de lis. The diaper pattern visible on the adjacent panels gives sparkle to the work.

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Four Coronets

These represent the range of crown and coronet work I get asked to do.  On the upper left is one of a pair of Arts and Crafts style coronets in the form of wreaths of strawberry vines, with little carved garnet berries.  Below that is the massive Spanish Renaissance piece, complete with lions, castles and pirate ships.  The Bronze Renn-faire crown at upper right, is hinged and has the features they requested from a number of periods.  The coronet at bottom right, is made of yellow and red brass, with pearls, and garnets cut to look like pomegranate seeds.

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Other Regalia
Royal Orb of the SCA Kingdom of An Tir
Silver, Brass, Stones, Enamels, and Pearls

For long years the Royal Orb of the Kingdom of An Tir was simply a brass knob, about the size of a billiard ball.  It was not very interesting, and was seldom used or seen.  Not long ago I was asked to make it look, well, royal.  So I set it with silver straps set all about with pearls and gemstones, and a lion on top.  The number and position of the straps and other elements all have allegorical meaning that I have not the time here to describe.   The stones are emeralds, carnelian, amethyst, chrome diopside, and Oregon sun-stones.  All were donated for the project, and many had belonged to people from the Kingdom who have recently passed on.  I also wanted to include the work of other artists in his project.  The enamels were made by L.A. Fine, and the coin set under the base was made by the late G.P. Franck-Weiby.

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Two Intaglio Laurel Medallions
Silver, Pearls, and Carved Stone

Not long ago I began teaching myself to do a little intaglio work, and found that before I had even gotten started, I had two custom orders.  The first is a Renaissance style medallion, cut in blood-stone, and set in silver with pendant pearls.  The other is Late Roman style, worked in carnelian, and hung from a chain of pearls.

Intaglio Laurel set in gilded pendant, with pearls

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Cast Pelican and Laurel Jewels
Sterling silver, with various gemstones.

Though I make all manner of badges and medallions to order, I try to keep some of the most popular designs in stock.  These cast silver pelicans and laurels, can be purchased plain, or fitted with pearls and gemstones.

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Laurel Wreath
.999 and Sterling  Silver.

In this simple wreath the leaves are engraved and soldered to a structure of forged silver wire. I make these to order.

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Spurs
Sterling Silver

These graceful 12th century prick spurs are available in either silver or bronze, and with the option of custom mounts and fittings.

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Collars and Chains of Office

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Chain of Office
Sterling Silver

This massive chain was a custom order for a woman in California. The medallions with the roses are thick, and 50mm across, about the size of a silver dollar.

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Heraldic Collar with Enamel Pendant
Sterling silver, Enamel, and Garnets

This collar is made of twenty linked silver crossed crosslets, each set with a square garnet, and the links betwen them are carved to the shape of barbed quatrefoils. The pendant is a green enamel with the crossed crosslet pattern in the diapering. It is set with a garnet on the reverse.

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If you have questions about any of my work, or want to see more detailed images of any of the things you see here do not hesitate to contact me.

Bill Dawson
2103 Harrison Ave. NW  Ste. 2.
P.M.B. #341 Olympia, WA 98502