2006 national pictures with help from my son

[Books OToole]

She did a great job of cleaning the table.

Now go to the picture of that distinguished gentleman in the duster and remove all modern anachronisms. 

That would be a great picture.

Books

[Delmonico]

Cardboard boxes could be correct in the 1890's, with in the time frame of NCOWS.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardboard

[River City John]

Great job Camille!

[O.T. Buchannan]

Great job Camille, and very well said Frenchie!!!!

In doing living history, of not only the Old West, but also the Civil War, and the Colonial era as well, I have seen VERY FEW individuals who have achieved what I would consider to be perfection, and let me be upfront and honest and say that 'I'm NOT one of those individuals'.

Respecting authenticity, and striving for a high degree of historical accuracy is one thing......but being anal is another thing entirely.......

[Frenchie]

Cardboard boxes could be correct in the 1890's, with in the time frame of NCOWS.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardboard

True, but not with cartoon cowboy logos and (most likely) a modern company name, address with ZIP code, and probably a union logo with plant and shift IDs and date codes. And what's the stuff in that box? While I'm on a roll here, is the paint on those tables period-correct oil-based or latex? Are the nails round wire or hand-made square ones? Is the lumber mill-finished or true size? The covering on the table isn't really synthetic carpet with jute backing, is it? Are those stakes with the 'V's on top iron or 3% carbon mild steel? Were acetylene welding torches around in the 1890s?

You get the point. Look hard enough and one can pick out any number of things. Question is, is one doing it to improve the experience or just to make trouble? Seems like some "farby" things are near and dear to some people's hearts and 'most anything else is good for stirring up the mud. It all depends on your intention. There's anal-retentive, and then there's looking for ways to start a fight.

There's a current discussion much like this on the Civil War Reenactors Forum http://www.cwreenactors.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1974&page=7

[Delmonico]

Since round wire nails are also period correct I am trying to point out folks need to dwell deep into their research before they say something is not correct.  The Post-Civil War to 1900 period we try to depict was a rapidly advancing time period that takes far more research to find out what is right and wrong than any of the earlier time periods  Since you said "cardboard box" and not cardboard box with incorrect for the time period logos it showed me that you didn't realize how long cardboard had been around and now the wire nail thing.  I did some research a while back and by the 1880's half the nails made in the US were the wire type.  The reason for the reseach was research on another topic showed what appeared to be wire nails, so off on another research tangent. 

Do the research on the amount of patents in this time period, if even 1 out of a hundred, came into production, that is almost a lifetime of research.  If you want it to be more simple and cut and dried, work in the pre-Industrial Revaloution time period, there is a hell of a lot less stuff to document.  When I got into this period I was fed a lot of BS about what was there and what was not, but I decided that I needed to do a lot of research, not rely on what others told me.

As for me, I am as always, only period correct till it gets to endangering folks health and safety, a good reason for the period in-correct glasses and them orange things folks seem to stuff in their ears, that show up in pictures.  Heck if folks want to split hairs as I've said before, folks didn't shoot steel targets back then and see if they ring or fall down, or at least as far as anthing I've seen/read.  But heck I'm open minded, if someone will show me proof I'll belive it, otherwise another non-correct thing folks can pretend like don't matter when the are whining about what someone else does incorrect.

With that I'm going to bed, I have a public awaiting my teachings tommorow and Sunday, I'm taking my knowledge out and offering it to the general public, might save a few more from the Hollywood image that many complain about but don't seem willing to do anything about.

[Frenchie]

Del, I wasn't questioning anything you said or even referring to you at all, I was making a point about how some people throw a hissy fit when their favorite farby item is not allowed and then go about picking nits 'cuz they haven't the wherewithal to do anything else. I've had my say, that's it.

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

Del, I wasn't questioning anything you said or even referring to you at all, I was making a point about how some people throw a hissy fit when their favorite farby item is not allowed and then go about picking nits 'cuz they haven't the wherewithal to do anything else. I've had my say, that's it.

Guy......

Well put!!!!!

OCB