Barkertown – Missy Clark Proprietor

Missy Clark has been a Fort Frederick Trade Fair regular for longer than I have known her.  She was back again this year with a new trade tent and plenty of clothing for the commoners of the realm.

 Missy Clark of Barkertown

I got to the fair Wednesday afternoon and was able to help Missy, Chantal & Matt get everything unloaded & setup.  (Chantal & Matt regularly help Missy at events).   Mighty Mouse work is my specialty. 

Missy’s New Trade Tent

Missy carries both men’s and women’s attire.  The “legs” in the center of the photo are wearing country shoes.  These are a light weight soft soled leather shoe worn by women at their own home.

Missy and Her Barkertown Sign

Missy is wearing what a woman of modest means who earned her living as a traveling trader in the farm and frontier areas of the English colonies would wear.  Her wooden shoes are for the wet and muddy site conditions.  Klompen weren’t just used by the Dutch, they were common all over Europe.  If wet and muddy ground was common, so were wooden shoes.

 Chantal with the New Sign

Chantal made Missy her new trader sign.  This was the sign’s 1st public appearance.

 Missy’s Wares

Women’s short jackets, bed jackets (for lack of a better term), men’s work caps, breeches, slops and various socks for both sexes plus some notions were readily available.

 More Women’s Clothing

Women’s gowns, bodices, sleeved bodices, shifts and petticoats.

 Men’s Clothing

The men’s rack had shirts, hunting frocks, weskits, sleeved weskits and several styles of coats.  She carries socks for the lads too but no soled shoes for either men or women.

 Barkertown’s Tent once the Rain Stopped

The weather for this year’s trade fair wasn’t the best so most traders were limited goods outside their tents to a few easily moved items or things that wetting wouldn’t affect. 

 Missy’s Hand Organ - Front

Missy’s Hand Organ – Rear

This isn’t one of Missy’s trade goods, its a hand organ she built from a kit.  I just thought it was cool. 

(Missy has a new web site under development.  Watch for it.)

Trade Goods of Note

The Fort Frederick Trade Fair is, well, a Trade Fair.  So all kinds of 18th century goods can be found.  These are just a few of my favorites.

 Various Guns Long & Short

OK, some of these are 17th century designs, but they’re super anyway.  I rather favor the horse pistol on top.

Various Types of Gun Locks & a Gun Tool

Personally I think making my own gun from scratch is way too much work, but it does float some folks boat.

 Long Rifles and a Few Muskets

I rather like the Committee of Safety Musket, its 2nd from the bottom.

 Military Muskets of Various Kinds

The short stubby thing leaning against the rack is a granade launcher.  It’s a navel gun, the hook lets the user stabilize the thing using a ship’s rail. 

 Powder Flask

My persona wouldn’t own this and its not in the budget but I really really like this flask.

 Blanket Trader’s Array of Flasks & Powder Measures

I did buy 2 of the little turn screws with rammer puller holes from the lower left hand corner of this gents trade goods.

Redware

More things that pleasure the eye, empty the pocketbook and have no place given my persona.  Sigh.

 Art Portraying the 18th Century

The painting of a young Tomas Jefferson in the upper right corner really caught my eye.

 Trading on the Banks of the River

I liked the peaceful activity of this one.  FYI: I got permission from the artist to both photograph her work and put some of the photos in my blog. 

 Quill Work at Beaver River Trading

 More Excellent Quillwork at another Trader’s Tent

 Quillwork Pouch

I like this pouch enough that’s it’s almost worth changing my persona so I could use it. 

Beadwork Knife Sheathes

 

 More Excellent Beadwork

These are garters to hold up leggings or stockings.

 Camp Cook Box

OK, this isn’t a trade good, its a camp box made by its owner.  A modest size camp box that is likely to be duplicated by me and for me lodge.  Its about 8 projects down on the list so don’t hold your breath.

Gourds by Ver Sacrum – A New Trader at FFTF

I initially ran into Perry Riley as he was buying some candles & putting them into a market “basket” made from a gourd.  He said this fair was a new one for him & to please come take some photos of his site.   Which I did.

Perry Riley at his trade tent

Mr. Perry grows all the gourds he sells.  He also does all the research & decoration of his decorated gourds.

 Plain gourds for bird houses or other buyer projects

The area under the tent fly is full of mostly undecorated gourds in a wide variety of sizes.  These can be used as is or decorated by the new owner as they desire.

 Mr.  Perry’s Work

There is every kind and size you could want here.  Water gourds, food storage gourds, craft supply storage gourds, marketing gourds.  Each is carefully researched and then decorated by hand using traditional tools and techniques. 

 Storage gourds

The designs reflect a wide variety of cultures and eras.

 Lidded Gourds with Reinforced Openings

 Dry Goods Gourd with Horse

 Itty Bitty Gourds to Wear

 A Big Gourd for Food to Share

 Gourd with an Incised Design

For more information on these fine products see:   perryriley.com

Old Virginia Primitive Riflemen Spring ‘Vous

It’s the end of March so of course its time for another Spring Rendezvous with the folks of  The Old Virginia Riflemen.  The weather was chilly and the ‘Vous started out with some heavy rain but things improved as time went on. 

Rita’s Camp

Rita’s camp was sporting a new dining fly since her previous dining fly had not survived the Snows of February.  But her fire was just as warm as ever and generally her camp was full of friends and laughter.

Friendships are great for keeping the cold at bay.

The rain and damp chill kept many friends around the lodge fires.

It also meant there was much wood to be carried to camp and split.  Both activities help keep one warm.

Paul & Mo

Mo has missed a few events due to medical events but she was back in camp for this one and looking better every day.

All over camp friends were sharing the warmth of a fire with a friend.

Or the warmth of a fire with a sister.

Family, friends and smiles were the order of the day.

Rendezvous are times to spend with your family.

Or a long date weekend with your spouse.

Or even to have some time all by yourself.

Lou and Feather swapping tales.

The Fearless Range Officer on her way to open the range in the rain for the folks who wanted to shoot.  Yes the range was opened and folks were shooting in the rain.

Art the Smoothbore Range man was in high spirits

Smiles were everywhere

Well maybe not quite everywhere . . .

Once the rain slacked off the trade blankets came out.  I got a couple of things from this one.

Of course trade blanket shopping is a family affair.

Others prefer to shop with a friend.

The dry skies also brought out the musicians.  Iche and Jane were busy picking and singing while folks shopped at her blanket.

Some folks have hand crafted goods for sale the equal of any at a juried trade fair.

 

THE TRADERS

There was a new face on traders row this year and the aromas at this trade tent were wonderful beyond compare.

The Green Man Inn had hot food available all day.

Their tables were generally full.  Too bad it was Lent for me, they didn’t have any Lenten Fare.  I sure hope they come back this fall!

The Paddling Potter was back again this year with his fine array of clay mugs, jugs, crocks and pots.

So was the Russian American Trading Company.

The Little Dan River Trader had her usual fine array of fabrics and notions.  I now have more sewing projects on the plate.

Tom of Mountain Forge was there too. 

And of course my friends of Seams Colonial.

The Usual Goings on Happened of course.  There was a formal ladies tea on Friday, the Ladies Social at the Spider Inn on Saturday with the Formal Camp Court following the social.  And of course there was  BBQ chicken by Tim & Company on Saturday evening.