Parchment Research & Production by Jean Paul Ducasse

In this post I would like to highlight and promote the work of Jean Paul Ducasse.

Many know of him due to his success within the fencing community, but what is not so obvious is his experimental research into the techniques and production of parchment. Its a field of study that offers very little in the way of available sources, or even other people researching the same things. The vast majority of his knowledge comes from small tidbits found in historical sources, talking with what few people he can find and then experimenting with techniques. He and I have spent a lot of time having fun discussion while debating sources found in my scribal library. There are also a number of us that have successfully used his parchment for our own scribal work, examples of which can be found on this very blog.

I was thrilled to see his display at this past K&Q Arts and Sciences competition here in the East Kingdom. From what I saw he had a crowd of interested people around him for most of the day, letting some of them actually use the lunarium/lunellum to see for themselves what it is like, and randomly sending folks over to me since I had swatches of pigment painted onto one of his finished pieces of parchment.

I'd love to hear what other peoples impressions were.

JP stretching his wet goat-skin onto the rack for display.
Photo used with permission from Mistress Brunissende.

An onlooker trying their hand at scraping parchment under the instruction of JP.
Photo used with permission from Rosaline Wright.