The Abbey Museum has adopted the Queensland Living History Federation's guidelines of authenticity. These are used as the basis for our costume standards and have been reproduced with permission.

Please note: The minimum standard for the 2008 Abbey Medieval Festival is set at ACCEPTABLE QUALITY.

DEGREES OF AUTHENTICITY
(Adapted from the original by the 14th Brooklyn NYSM, reproduced in UNIO: Quarterly Paper of the Queensland Living History Federation (Inc.) Vol. 1, No. 1, March 1999:10-21).

Museum quality:
Design, materials and methods are identical to those of the time and place one is attempting to represent. As an example this would involve copying an original garment down to the last stitch.

Acceptable quality:
Having one or more variation from museum quality, which does not significantly detract from its use in historic representation. This might allow garments with a modern material lining or synthetic thread, but which has the exact look of the original.

Marginal quality:
Having one or more variations from museum quality or subject to questionable interpretations of historic fact, which significantly detracts from its use. The use of incorrect weight material, change in design or fit which are noticeable on close inspection, or incorrect materials for buttons, falls into this category.

Unacceptable:
Anything which is clearly unquestionably wrong, ie polyester materials, modern shirts, wrist watches, chromed metals, mobile phones, stay-brite buttons. We discourage the wearing of modern eyeglasses.
 

Photo: Steve Lippis   

How can we help?

The Abbey Museum has an extensive number of medieval costume books in its Library. Access to these is by appointment.  Phone 07 5495 1652. We are always happy to talk to you.


Also look at the Medieval Stallholder’s Assistant http://www.abbeystalls.com which has great links and costume ideas.