Re: Medieval Instrument Cases

[White Tree Productions <ioseph@locksley.com>]

On Fri, 22 Mar 1996, Matthew Allen Newsome wrote:

> Greetings all and sundry (yes, Sundry!  I see you lurking over there in 
> the corner!).  I come to you this day with an inquery.
> Now, I know of several excellent sources for medieval instruments, but 
> what is out there telling us what medieval people carried their 
> instruments in?  Surely they had some specialized cases to keep their 
> instruments out of the elements and safe from jostling about while on the 
> road.  Are their any good sources I could look for?  Does anyone know 
> themselves?  I am a cordwainer, so leather cases would be convieneint for 
> me to try and make, although my lady is handy with wooden constructions.  
> Any help would be appreciated.
> Aye,
> Eogan
> 

Leather cases were quite common in the 1880's, and I would imagine that 
the patterns hadn't changed muich... form following function and all of that.
They opened from the -end- rather than the top, and tended to buckle shut.

Myself, I use the commercially available "gig-bags" for my 5-course guitar.
(I found a gig bag for a requinto that fits it perfectly!)
The best are made by Tough Traveler and (damn! can;t remember their name. 
Elderly Instruments carries them, and they are available in leather, but VERY
costly.) I use the commercial bags because they are padded well and close 
well enough to keep out the weather, which the 1880's design cases won't do.

If you want to make your own cases, I would look at the Tough Traveler design
and duplicate that.

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