Ask this couple about it, and they'll tell you that brassing is a difficult and demanding hobby, but with many rewards. If you ask them nicely they may actually tell you what it is all about. When it comes to brassing, the images influenced by 13th to 17th Century England pieces including the flat metal figures seen in tombs and the images in stones in churches are recopied in paper to create a piece to be displayed.
Here, the process may seem simple to do but the couple says that this is not the case. About one year ago was when the couple moved to an Air Force base but before that they were in England for four years. For this couple, a common interest they share involves collecting antiques and their collection includes antique furniture, dishes, utensils, and other items. Although brassing is unheard of in most parts of the United States, when the couple arrived in England they grew fond of the activity which was rather popular over there.
Not only were engraved flat brass portraits placed on tombs but some were also placed on the floors of nearby churches during the 13th Century as a way for the upper class English to honor their dead. The process involves transferring an image by placing special black paper over the brasses and then using a gold colored wax bar to rub against it.
An image appears as the wax rubs off on the paper following the ridge pattern in the brass. Aside from 200 paper images, the couple also brought with them a duplicate brass from the original monument. Sir John d' Abernon died in 1277 in battle and his brass was what the couple treasures most. Not only is this the earliest known brass but to accommodate the people who want to take rubbings bookings were made months in advance.
It is not that simple of a process to duplicate brasses for the Vicars in charge of the brasses only allowed those with experience to do so. 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.
There has been a large number initially put down from 1250 to 1650 but now there are only 8,000 monuments that remain. Aside from being able to trace the development of armor and clothing historians have also been able to trace the development of lifestyle through these brasses as they unlocked clues from the monuments. Aside from finding out that a lion pictured at the feet of a knight means that he died in battle, they were also able to determine that a hound at someone's feet meant that he liked to hunt with dogs.
Brassing is not an ordinary concept in the US especially since art is just catching up here. Rubbing can be used to make copies of manhole covers, etchings on tombstones, and other decorative engravings. Completing the rubbing of Sir d' Abernon may have taken the couple four hours but this is still an enjoyable hobby. There have been invitations by art shows and several schools for the couple to display their rubbings.
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When you would like to get more information on photos to paintings check out this site. Learn about photograph to oil painting .
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