the Renaissance Faire and Internet geeks

		We accept this token of that ...
			which doth travel far, and fast.

				--the Queen, 
				  upon accepting the gift of a favour
				  RPFN 1994

What is this strange symbol, you may ask. Well, the symbol above was the brainchild of John Daniel, better known as jD, tapeworm@netcom.com.

some background...

Part of the culture of a Renaissance festival is the designing, making, giving, and receiving of favours, which are small decorations worn on the doublet or bodice. People devote a good deal of energy into their favours... they are somewhat like any other collectable item, except since everyone makes their own to give away, everything is "limited edition".

...the story...

jD is an artist, and a geek. Independently of the Ren Faire, he had decided to craft a leather stamp that consisted of the @ symbol as a trescalion. After much preparation the stamp was finally finished after the Northern Renaissance Pleasure Faire began in Fall 1994.

Word got out about jD's wondrous leather stamp, and those who had heard of it gathered around to marvel at its simplicity and subtlety. The stamp turned out to be so popular, that jD decided to craft a "geek favour" out of it. Any person working the Ren Faire who would give jD his/her email address (keep in mind that in 1994 Faire participants with email were in a minority) could get a favour, which was a small round of uncured leather stamped with the trescalion.

And then, jD found out that the Queen had an account with Internet access.

the pictures.

By this time the Ren Faire had been going several weeks and word of the "geek favour" had spread far and wide. Participants with email actively looked for the favour on others; it's not an easy thing, asking a stranger for his or her email address in Elizabethan English!

One such wearer of the favour was a bearer of the Queen's chair. Together, he and jD schemed to set up an opportunity for jD to present a special purple-and-gold version of the favour to Her Majesty.

What follows is a sequence of pictures of the presentation, kindly provided by David Vangerov, a fellow member of the Guild of St Cuthbert's.

the Man Himself 398x528 JPEG, 24 Kb	jD hams it up for the camera at Fyne Leather Masks, the concessions booth at which he works. Notice he is wearing two of the geek favours, one on his hat and one on his vest.
the Presentation to the Queen 570x394 JPEG, 43 Kb	A nervous jD has removed his hat and presents the Queen with the favour, wrapped in black velvet and a purple ribbon. Not seen, but backing him up in the presentation, is Jenn. jD has good reason to be nervous. In Elizabethan times, he would have been risking his head. At Faire, he is risking getting banned from the site. Jan Todd, head of security, is the jester looking suddenly stern in the background.
the Queen accepts 594x394 JPEG, 43 Kb	However, jD has nothing to be worried about, as the Queen is delighted to receive a favour with the geek design. She graciously thanks jD.
Breathin' easy 524x359 JPEG, 33 Kb	The group of geeks providing jD with moral support wearily pose for a shot after the Queen has gone her way. From left to right, top row first: Shari, Kaz, jD, Jenn, Georgia, John.
Her Royal Majesty, Queen Elizabeth Gloriana 600x728 JPEG, 63 Kb	The Queen onstage the very next day, watching a pageant performed by the Guild of St Cuthbert's. She is wearing the favour on her upper right arm.
the Queen's geek favour 107x120 JPEG, 6 Kb	A closeup from the shot above, showing the favour's design clearly.

`HOME - INFO - PHOTOS - WOODCUTS - LINKS`

wonderland renaissance faire photo gallery / webmaster@wonderland.com	updated 17 May 1998 Copyright