Author Topic: Caul Locket  (Read 1235 times)

Offline tallbear

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  • Mitch Yates
Caul Locket
« on: June 21, 2018, 09:26:41 PM »
   This is a little project I've been working on and I thought I would share the process.I have an order for a Caul Locket.A caul is a piece of the amniotic sack that covers a babies face like a veil at birth.It's pretty rare and it was thought that it brought good luck.The caul was scraped from the babies face and preserved.It was often put into a locket like this and given to the baby to wear over his life as a talisman.It was particularly popular with sailors as it was believed that babies born with a caul could not drown. It was also belived that babies born with a caul had the power of forsight. It was also considered bad luck to lose your caul so lockets like this were very common,The one I'm copying is from the 16th Century but the basic style continues well into the 19th Century.I know of several examples from the late 18th Century and the style and construction of the  lockets are basically unchanged.

Photo of the original





To make the front of the locket I reforged and filed an existing hammer to produce the necessary 3D shape.The silver was then driven into a Linotype block.









Finished fronts





Backs completed





I've started the hinges







I will post more photo's as I progress!!!!

Mitch Yates

Offline Tim Crosby

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Re: Caul Locket
« Reply #1 on: June 21, 2018, 09:52:44 PM »
 Really cool Mitch and the write-up it great. I have never heard of a Caul or the history.

   Tim

Offline stubshaft

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Re: Caul Locket
« Reply #2 on: June 22, 2018, 02:18:11 AM »
First I've heard of a caul locket myself.  Pretty ingenious making the hammer and using Linotype as a backer.
I'd rather die standing, than live on my knees...

Offline John Proud

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Re: Caul Locket
« Reply #3 on: June 22, 2018, 04:00:53 PM »
Interesting piece of history Mitch. Thanks for share the story and your process. Beautiful work, as always.

n stephenson

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Re: Caul Locket
« Reply #4 on: June 22, 2018, 04:05:40 PM »
Mitch, Pretty neat!! Some shop technique , with a history lesson thrown in. Thanks for posting.  Nate

Offline Arcturus

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Re: Caul Locket
« Reply #5 on: June 22, 2018, 10:51:03 PM »
Your work continues to amaze, Mitch.  Love seeing the process, look forward to more.  Thanks!
Jerry

Offline davec2

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Re: Caul Locket
« Reply #6 on: June 23, 2018, 03:41:55 AM »
How was the caul "preserved" ?

Beautiful silver forming, by the way.
"No man will be a sailor who has contrivance enough to get himself into a jail; for being in a ship is being in a jail, with the chance of being drowned... a man in a jail has more room, better food, and commonly better company."
Dr. Samuel Johnson, 1780

Offline tallbear

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Re: Caul Locket
« Reply #7 on: June 24, 2018, 01:26:17 AM »
Quote
How was the caul "preserved" ?

The caul was simply dried,sometimes laid flat on a piece of paper.The lockets were not designed to open after they were sealed.The bottom edge was burnished down the same way you would seal in a cabochon stone .I've seen evidence on a couple of 18th Century examples of what looks like sealing wax around the edge as well.

Mitch