December 9, 2017

Order of l'Epee Rouge - December 2017

The Order of l'Epee Rouge is an award given by the Baron and Baroness of Red Spears to those who have shown skill and service to the Barony in rapier combat.
The Order of l'Epee Rouge was created on pergamenata with Windsor-Newton gouache and Speedball calligraphy ink. The text reads as follows:
Be it known unto all that we, Konrad and Isibel, Baron and Baroness of Red Spears, do recognize Deorsa Macghillachear for the marshaling and training of cut and thrust in our lands. Henceforth he shall number as a member of our Order of l'Epee Rouge. Done this 9th day of December A.S. 52 in our Canton of Hróðgeirsfjörðr at Yule Feast.
From what information I could gather based off of the recipients name, they had an early period Irish or Celtic persona. I looked to the Book of Kells for early period design inspiration and because I haven't done a scroll of this type before. I found a reference illuminated initial, then pieced together the rest of the text to build the scroll. The finished work of text is roughly 5 inches by 3 inches without space for signatures and ranks as one of my smallest works to date.

Finished work.
Inspiration piece.