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Original Piece or Faithful Copying?

© Megan McConnell

Following on from a discussion on documentation of your work, I now look at what you make.

There are two schools of thought amongst re-enactors: some think that we should only copy those items already known and existing. That we should not cross-embelish (that is, if we see a particular design on a building, we should not put it on a cup).

The other school of thought is this: if enough research is done, to see that a certain technique or design element is widely used throughout a number of different pieces, then the artisan should use period techniques and materials to produce a piece of their own in the correct style.

I tend to come closer to the latter thinking, but admit that the former is equally valid.

Re-enactors have a bad habit to end up re-enacting themselves. By this I mean that they tend to perpetrate errors that seem to be accurate. Often, they are not noticed as everybody assumes that if it was wrong, it would not be there.

So - what are the advantages and disadvantages to both?

The first school has the advantage that you know that what you are doing is accurate, and you can easily produce the proof of this. You have the advantage of knowing exactly what the item should look like, and so be able to ensure at every step of the way that the piece is what it should be.

A big disadvantage is that you are straight copying. There is nothing of your own inspiration or design in the piece. All you are doing is copying what somebody has done before.

In the second school, you are doing a lot more research, so you are actually learning a lot more about your re-enactment period. You are finding out about their tastes in decoration, design and function.

In deciding to make your own piece in period style, form and design, you are showing not only that you understand what you are doing, and can prove that what you are doing is an accurate piece, but you are also showing your own creative bent.

In effect - you are giving free reign to your talents as an artisan, whilst still within the bounds of historical re-enactment.

The way you choose to create an item can also be dictated by the item you are choosing to make. Shoes are the main thing that I am thinking about - it is not often that we see highly decorated shoes, so most re-enactors making footwear tend to follow from an existing piece.

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