Nix Imperial Officer Boots

[Celtic505]

Well I was just arguing that perhaps the life likeness of the lions face and its adult like characteristics were perhaps apart of the artists attempt to make the subject look more impressive, like how all of augustus' statues portray him young and muscular, but perhaps they thought it would look more impressive to have a life like lion face than a flat inanimate flap of skin.

[AntonivsMarivsCongianocvs]

I hear you Dennis! You could be right.

I'm heading home now, I really hope my appliques came out good so I can complete my boots tonight.

[Tarbicus]

I have visions of re-enactors prowling their neighbourhoods at night, chanting "Heeeere, kitty kitty kitty,"

[Celtic505]

how did you know that? who have you been talking to?

[M. Demetrius]

Ok, I'll ask the dumb question. What if these aren't lions at all, but some other: lynx, bobcat, ocelot, middle to small sized feline species? The faces of all kinds of cats from house cats to lions have a generally similar appearance, don't they?

[Marcus Mummius]

Ok, I'll ask the dumb question. What if these aren't lions at all, but some other: lynx, bobcat, ocelot, middle to small sized feline species? The faces of all kinds of cats from house cats to lions have a generally similar appearance, don't they?

Hi David, I think this is what Jim meant when he said:

Bear in mind we're assuming lion. Why not leopard, cheetah, tiger, or even a bog-standard domestic type cat?

I think it could indeed be some other species than lion.

And just to reassure you Tony, I'm not going to use cubs for my footwear
I am looking for a bear pelt though...

Vale,

[M. Demetrius]

:oops: Ok, I admit it. I'm old. I don't see well. Um, I never claimed to be very smart in the first place. And I generally don't go back through the whole thread...so I'm guilty of overlooking that line. And I have a bad cold or something, and my head hurts, and.... :roll:

I could list some more excuses, if you like, or is that enough?? :lol:

[Marcus Mummius]

:oops: Ok, I admit it. I'm old. I don't see well. Um, I never claimed to be very smart in the first place. And I generally don't go back through the whole thread...so I'm guilty of overlooking that line. And I have a bad cold or something, and my head hurts, and.... :roll:

I could list some more excuses, if you like, or is that enough?? :lol:

:lol: You're the excuse-master it appears :lol:

[Celtic505]

I would like a few more excuses, just to use some as my own for later situations, but I agree that it could be any other type of cat, perhaps maybe even canines of some sort? like a dog or wolf pup? As for the applique idea, I think that definately some were made with them, but why wouldnt they just make the applique have a lower jaw and 4 fingers? Could there be some kind of symbolism we aren't getting here? One more thing, in all the statues it appears in the face of the "cub" that they have eyeballs complete with pupils, which is either prove of appliques or the artists embellishments.

Anthony- I just noticed on that picture link you posted with the claws, if you look closely at the "2 paws" you can see the beginning of others but they appear to be cut off. I also think the top of the head is flat because its been folded over but I could be wrong. I'm just trying to get to the bottom of this.

[Tarbicus]

I can't see anything being definitive about this unless either an actual boot, or an explicit textual description, is found. Like many things in ancient re-enactment, you have to take a punt and decide on one or the other.

[M. Demetrius]

Jim, you forgot to add, "...and then be assaulted by those that take the other view."

Just helping you out. :roll:

[Tarbicus]

Jim, you forgot to add, "...and then be assaulted by those that take the other view."

Just helping you out. :roll:

It's the Animal Rights campaigners I'd be more worried about :wink:

[AntonivsMarivsCongianocvs]

TARBICvS said

It's the Animal Rights campaigners I'd be more worried about

That's it... I'm giving your email address to PETA! (just kidding)

Celtic505 said:

...why wouldnt they just make the applique have a lower jaw and 4 fingers? Could there be some kind of symbolism we aren't getting here?

That is my opinion exactly… we are absolutely missing something here. Why is the lower jaw always missing, why always three points hanging down? There is some tradition, some reason why it is that way, regardless of real or appliqué… we just don’t know.

Tarbicvs is correct “I can't see anything being definitive about this unless either an actual boot, or an explicit textual description, is found.â€

[M. Demetrius]

Well, there are different ways to skin an animal. Generally, the skin can be split down the belly and under the legs, sort of like the letter H, and peeled off, or split at the hind legs and peeled off like a tube (cased).

If you use the former method fully, the lower jaw will necessarily be split. When it hangs down on the finished pelt, it will appear as two "half jaws", and unless you realize what you're looking at, won't look much like a jaw at all. Most commercial leather is done in this way, because it leaves the largest piece of usable leather.

In the latter case, you end up with a possibility of leaving both jaws and teeth hooked together, more or less like what you see in the "bear rug". Then the rest of the body stays in a tube, along with the legs and feet. This is a common method when the fur is wanted. You see cased weasels, ermines, minks, foxes, and so forth.

Naturally, you can cut the skin however is desired. And combinations of techniques can be done. The ordinary skinning method is the easier of the two. Skinning out a face, with lips and eyelids is pretty tedious, and not a job for the faint of heart. Kind of icky. Done that once. Accidentally sliced open an eyeball. Very icky.

[Theodosius the Great]

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