Chaplet Decorations

Here’s an item you will not find anywhere else! It was only in the summer of 2019 that we became aware of the existence of this group of small medieval objects. We are tracking them as we find them on a Pinterest board at https://www.pinterest.com/macs_shop/ribbon-plates/ .

So – what are they? As far as we can tell, they are inexpensive bits of metalwork that you slip on ribbons or tapes to decorate them. We propose that they are an easy and relatively inexpensive way to produce a riband / chaplet / garland / fillet / circlet – a decorative band on a textile base to wear around your head or over your veil. We do not know a medieval word for them – I currently call them “Filletmabobs.” Chaplets seem to have been popular for both women and men through much of the High Middle Ages (see Lightbown, Mediaeval European Jewellery, Chapter 12, “Head Ornaments”), with ups and downs in fashion, of course. At the high end, they have pearls and silk embroidery and little jewelled or enamelled gold ornaments or findings (like spangles or bezants) sewn on. At the low end – I think we’re looking at it, probably with embroidery and glass beads, as well as anything else pretty that can be sewn down.

These are quick, easy, and inexpensive. We are packing them in half dozens and charging $3 for a pack of the “plain” pewter ones and $5 for a pack of the ones with the stones. If you have a 22″ head circumference and you put them every two inches, it’s only two packs to decorate your first chaplet. To make that project easy, we also sell lengths of ribbon and single circular fittings to use as closures.