11-24-2009, 12:31 AM
Ah, okay- it's not a very good term because these are washers not bell caps, but if there are examples of plates with them still extant, that is what counts. Too bad the photo you provide Brian doesn't show the back so isn't much help, and yes Jurjen, now I see what you mean- if it is in fact a terminus. It's a strange one though with the loop set that way- it's the usual way for a pendant, not a terminus, no? I'd certainly like to see a close-up of the washer though- not that I don't trust you or Brian, but it's always better to study original objects than people's interpretations of them :wink:
Below is an example of what would 'usually' be described as a bell cap- it's just a thin sheet metal hemisphere attached to the end of a rivet; note the small circular end of the rivet and the thicker shank. If you look for 'bell cap' on the Internet, you'll find modern jewelry findings as the source and they're all decorative exterior pieces. There are several examples of larger belt plates (a pair of 'Emperor and Cornucopia' from Cassenard, an embossed floral type from Serbia I think it is, a pair of silver-looking plates on very ornate buckles from I don't know where (I just have the photo) and I'd wager more, that seem to have these bell cap rivets- that is to say the 4 rivets aren't just large-headed, but are like this piece. I would credit Brian with making me realize the nature of the rivet on my pendant though- he mentioned bell caps to me when we talked once, and it wasn't until then that I realized the nature of the rivet; I was at a loss to explain how a rivet with a very thin, domed head could have been made but as a composite piece it's quite simple.
Not to hijack the how-to myself, the ones like are on the balteus plates I mentioned and this pendant are easy enough to make by simply drilling a hole in the metal prior to punching the dome as Jurjen has suggested, or even after if it's prior to punching it from the sheet. I've also found that just using a block of wood works well to form the domes on- no need for swage block or forming die, just the punch. Of course making the washers as he does, does require a metal form for punching the second hole and depressing the centre...
Just as a related aside, it's interesting- it would seem that a number of attachment methods were concurrent if you say the Velsen dagger had plates with these convex washers; I have in my own collection two of the usual style of Augustan belt plates (with geometric decoration) that have the pointed type rivets that are simply bent over, one whose rivets look peened but lack any washers, and two different styles of narrower plates that have normal rivets (with a head) that are peened over the usual squarish washers (third picture)
Below is an example of what would 'usually' be described as a bell cap- it's just a thin sheet metal hemisphere attached to the end of a rivet; note the small circular end of the rivet and the thicker shank. If you look for 'bell cap' on the Internet, you'll find modern jewelry findings as the source and they're all decorative exterior pieces. There are several examples of larger belt plates (a pair of 'Emperor and Cornucopia' from Cassenard, an embossed floral type from Serbia I think it is, a pair of silver-looking plates on very ornate buckles from I don't know where (I just have the photo) and I'd wager more, that seem to have these bell cap rivets- that is to say the 4 rivets aren't just large-headed, but are like this piece. I would credit Brian with making me realize the nature of the rivet on my pendant though- he mentioned bell caps to me when we talked once, and it wasn't until then that I realized the nature of the rivet; I was at a loss to explain how a rivet with a very thin, domed head could have been made but as a composite piece it's quite simple.
Not to hijack the how-to myself, the ones like are on the balteus plates I mentioned and this pendant are easy enough to make by simply drilling a hole in the metal prior to punching the dome as Jurjen has suggested, or even after if it's prior to punching it from the sheet. I've also found that just using a block of wood works well to form the domes on- no need for swage block or forming die, just the punch. Of course making the washers as he does, does require a metal form for punching the second hole and depressing the centre...
Just as a related aside, it's interesting- it would seem that a number of attachment methods were concurrent if you say the Velsen dagger had plates with these convex washers; I have in my own collection two of the usual style of Augustan belt plates (with geometric decoration) that have the pointed type rivets that are simply bent over, one whose rivets look peened but lack any washers, and two different styles of narrower plates that have normal rivets (with a head) that are peened over the usual squarish washers (third picture)
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