AmericanLongRifles Forums

General discussion => Contemporary Accoutrements => Topic started by: tallbear on June 21, 2018, 09:26:41 PM

Title: Caul Locket
Post by: tallbear 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


(https://image.ibb.co/gdTpLT/2006_AM6751_jpg_l.jpg) (https://imgbb.com/)


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.



(https://preview.ibb.co/i7RJfT/DSC_0110.jpg) (https://ibb.co/diNr0T)



(https://preview.ibb.co/bux278/20180613_114121.jpg) (https://ibb.co/nDymZo)

Finished fronts



(https://preview.ibb.co/jstQS8/DSC_0115_2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/bHebZo)

Backs completed



(https://preview.ibb.co/bsLGZo/DSC_0120.jpg) (https://ibb.co/nK4zn8)

I've started the hinges



(https://preview.ibb.co/bxCPLT/DSC_0127.jpg) (https://ibb.co/fSG6Zo)



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

Mitch Yates
Title: Re: Caul Locket
Post by: Tim Crosby 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
Title: Re: Caul Locket
Post by: stubshaft 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.
Title: Re: Caul Locket
Post by: John Proud 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.
Title: Re: Caul Locket
Post by: n stephenson on June 22, 2018, 04:05:40 PM
Mitch, Pretty neat!! Some shop technique , with a history lesson thrown in. Thanks for posting.  Nate
Title: Re: Caul Locket
Post by: Arcturus on June 22, 2018, 10:51:03 PM
Your work continues to amaze, Mitch.  Love seeing the process, look forward to more.  Thanks!
Title: Re: Caul Locket
Post by: davec2 on June 23, 2018, 03:41:55 AM
How was the caul "preserved" ?

Beautiful silver forming, by the way.
Title: Re: Caul Locket
Post by: tallbear 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