Page 389 - The Ashley Book of Knots

THE ASHLEY BOOK OF KNOTS

The three complete priest cords detailed in the left, center and

right areas of page 381 belonged respectively to Louise Delano

Cheney, to the author, and to Mrs. Frederic Stone. The left is gray

lilac in color with a gold-leaf tassel mold. The center cord is dark

golden ochre, and the right cord is a rich orange. The tassels of the

latter are of gold cord formed over an emerald-green mold. The

other tassels are the same color as the cords.

2378, 2379. These should be compared with KNOTS fI? 2 35 5 and

fl?2356, which are from the powder horn of 1675. KNOT fl?2378 ap-

pears in both the lilac and the orange priest cords; fl?2379 appears in

the ochre cord.

The diagrams in general will indicate the finished form of the

knots but a better idea may be formed from the photographs of two

cords among the frontispieces. These also will indicate how the

knots should be spaced.

Having tied a cord in regular over-and-under sequence, except

that between two knots the sequence does not alternate, proceed to

draw up the knots evenly, beginning at the top and completing each

knot before progressing to the next.

2380. An original knot supplied by Mrs. Cheney.

2381. Appears on both lilac (left) and orange (right) cords.

H9 2382. Found on both the ochre and the orange cords.

2383. Found on a priest cord in the stock of a New York Chinese

"notions" shop.

A knot similar to either fI? 2 3 86 or fI? 2391 appears as the initial

knot of every priest cord that I have seen except one on which the

first two knots were missing.

The semifinal knots for the cords that I have seen are almost in-

variably derived from the TRUE-LoVER'S KNOT or else follow it

closely in diagram form, as does KNOT fl?2387, (which is an EIGHT-

BIGHT, THREE-LEAD TURK'S-HEAD); so also does semifinal KNOT

fI? 2 392. (See KNOT fI? 2 289, this chapter.) When the semifinal knot is

not a TRUE-LoVER'S KNOT, it still has the two flanking loops that

are characteristic of that knot. Generally below this the two center

strands are held together with KNOT fl?2361, which serves to secure

two of the four ends, while fI? 2 387, fI? 2393 or some similar knot holds

the other two ends.

2388. When the four ends are ready they are each made up into

twist braid of seven to nine bights each. The method of making this

is shown at the top of page 95.

It seems probable that the center (ochre) cord originally had a

CARRICK BEND (fI?2361) at the top in place of KNOT fl?2379. This

would explain the shortness of the lanyards and would make the

three cords, right, left and center, quite uniform in their propor-

•
tlOns.

2393. Two OVERHAND KNOTS hold the loops of the TRUE-LoVER'S

KNOT in place.

2394. To tie a TRUE-LoVER'S KNOT: First make two interlocking

238. OVERHAND KNOTS and then pull the bights out as indicated by the

arrows in the fourth-column diagram. (See KNOT fI? 2418.)

2395. A knot supplied by Mrs. Cheney.

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