Page 279 - J. C. Turner "History and Science of Knots"

270 History and Science of Knots

and security of knots. With the aid of over 1000 photographs, he then lists,
describes and gives names and numbers to over 200 knots and operations with
knots and ropes.
Two further scholarly contributions by C. L. Day on the history of knots
might well be mentioned here. They are: Knots and Knot Lore: Quipus and
Other Mnemonic Knots (Western Folklore, 1957), and Quipus and Witches'
Knots (Lawrence, 1967).
We shall next review four books of wider scope, written in the English
language since the 1930s. There is, of course, much overlap; but between them
they describe some 4000-5000 different knots. Each gives diagrams , names,
textual descriptions , and instructions for tying of the knots. All discuss the
various uses of knots; and their classification methods generally depend in
some way on the functional uses of knots. Thus their contents constitute a
basis for the descriptive part of a practical Knot Science.

4.1. `Encyclopedia of Knots and Fancy Rope Work'
This extensive work [4] on knots was first published by Cornell Maritime Press,
Maryland, U.S.A. in 1939. It was first written by Raoul Graumont and John
Hensel; and reached a fourth edition in 1952, when it was completely revised
and enlarged by Raoul Graumont. The Encyclopedia is still in print.
The fourth edition is a book of 690 pages. Generally, each right-hand
page contains photographs of up to 25 different knots, each of which bears
a number; and each corresponding left-hand page supplies a name and brief
description for each of these knots. We estimate that over 3500 knots are
treated in this way.
In general the photographs are clear; and most `small' knots could be
made up from them and their descriptions. But for the very many designs
of, for example celtic weaves, macrame knots, belts, handbags and leashes,
it would be very difficult, if not impossible, to make the objects up without
further instruction.
The scope of the Encyclopedia, and its main divisions, are best seen from
the headings in the Contents thus:

Notes on the History of Knots and Rope Making;
I Elementary Rope Work; II Simple Knotting; III End Rope Knots;
IV Rope Splicing; V Coxcombing; VI Turk's Heads; VII Sennit
Braiding; VIII Ornamental Knotting; IX Macrame Tatting, Fringe,
and Needle-Work; X Useful Rope Designs; XI Miscellaneous Knot-
ting; XII Splicing Wire Rope.

Quoting from the Preface, the authors' aims emerge thus: