Hobbies do not necessarily have to be easy and this concept is true for the brassing activity which is done by one couple although they say that the rewards are incomparable. If you ask them nicely they may actually tell you what it is all about. Brassing is the process whereby the images of the flat metal figures placed on tombs and in churches in stones, and other decorative 13th to 17th Century England are transferred onto paper for displaying as works of art.
Considering this context, the process may seem easy but the couple says that it is not. About one year ago was when the couple moved to an Air Force base but before that they were in England for four years. This couple is engaged in collecting antiques and they have been able to obtain quite a display of antique furniture, dishes, utensils, and other items. This is not an ordinary thing in most parts of the United States but in England brassing was popular and the couple grew fond of it when they were there.
In order to honor their dead the upper class English during the 13th Century made use of engraved flat brass portraits that were placed on the floors of nearby churches or on the tombs. For an image to be recreated there is special black paper that is placed over the brasses and then a special gold colored wax bar is used to rub it.
Wherever there are ridges in the brass the wax rubs off on the paper and the image appears. Other than a duplicate brass, the couple also brought back 200 paper images from the original monument. The brass they treasure most, however, is one of Sir John d' Abernon, who died in battle in 1277. Being the earliest known brass this has become so popular that appointments for rubbings are necessarily booked months ahead of time.
Permitted by the Vicars in charge of the brasses to make duplicates of the brasses were the people who had prior experience when it comes to that sort of thing. Due to the actions of some Americans that brought back duplicates and then sold them in New York for $2,000 each the English are now stricter when it comes to allowing people to make duplicates even requiring them to sign waivers that state the absence of any intent to sell.
Of the large number originally put down from 1250 to 1650, only about 8,000 of the monuments remain. Tracing the development of armor, clothing, and lifestyle all became possible after the historians were able to find clues from the monuments by means of these brasses. From these came about information that included a lion pictured at the feet of a knight means that he died in battle as well as a hound at someone's feet meant that he liked to hunt with dogs.
In the US the art is just catching on, although there are very few brasses in this country. The way to make copies of manhole covers, etchings on tombstones, and other decorative engravings is through rubbing. Although the rubbing of Sir d' Abernon needed four hours for the couple to accomplish it is still a fun hobby. Other than being asked by art shows for a display of their rubbings, the couple was also invited by schools.
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