Original Mollen Hoods @ M-J Hoods

[GriffMJ]

Here are two examples of Mollen hoods on loan to M-J Hoods. On the left is a Tiercel Hood made by Adriaan Mollen himself and on the right a Tiercel Hood made by his son. Both hoods were made in the 1800's.

I will be adding more detailed pictures to this thread in the next few days with detailed pics of pattern and stitching technique. I will also be copying both hoods and will post pics of my modern copies next to the originals :D

http://www.m-jhoods.co.uk/images/Mollen/MR/both1.JPG

[Finnish]

They look very nice Griff. I bet there worth a fortune.

[Hawkmaster]

Love to see your master pieces too mate. Is the one on the right done with a herring bone stitch?

[GriffMJ]

Detailed pics of the originals will be posted soon, I will also scan the pattern that I am making from the hoods and post for people to download from my website....so all you hoodmakers out there can have a go to !!!!

[GriffMJ]

Yes they are worth a bit :D

[GriffMJ]

Hi All

How to make a Mollen hood from scratch :D

http://www.m-jhoods.co.uk/Mollen_Make.htm

[Miguel]

Great job!! You rule Griff... really nice work copying that old hood!

[Hawkmaster]

Griffy Baby! You are the Master! Very nice to see you in action and sharing your skills, with us that merely wish we could. Thanks! Paul

[Goose]

Griff....I can only imagine the level of skill needed to craft the hoods as you do....RESPECT..8-)

[FlameHairedFalconer]

Oh wow Griff!! Fantastic!! I have always wanted so see some original Mollen hoods. Can I ask where you got them from?? I always assumed that these sort of items just didnt survive the years...

[GriffMJ]

Oh wow Griff!! Fantastic!! I have always wanted so see some original Mollen hoods. Can I ask where you got them from?? I always assumed that these sort of items just didnt survive the years...

The two hoods are on loan from a private collection, many Mollen hoods survive in varying conditions .... these two examples are intact but a bit moth eaten. The Mollen family made many so there are Mint condition hoods floating around out there.

I can make them as a collectors item, but they wont be cheap :D

[FlameHairedFalconer]

Thats really interesting - I do keep an eye out for hoods etc when browsing through antique shops etc...not had much luck tho'

I have found 'falconry bells', but they turned out to be harness bells ;)

Really nice piece of falconry history - look forward to seeing your copies :)

[Jackie]

very very very nice absolutly beatiful . matts gona give it a bash to nonight. wheres the pattern you promised us tho ???
do you find that the mollen hood sits low and it pritty heavy as roger upton mentions in his book?
to be honest who gives a poo its smashing.

[Moritz]

Hi Griff,
I think I know someone who would like to buy some of your copies once I have shown him your pictures.

Moritz

[GriffMJ]

I would like to see Uptons patterns and compare with this version... can you scan them and post them up on the thread?

I will be scanning my pattern tonight and I will put it onto my website as a downloadable word document so its to scale.

The pattern would sit low on the back of the falcon....but would have the perfect eye and gape form. The hood that I have copied is an early Adriaan Mollen hood made in the 1800's.... the second hood is by his son and that pattern is more modern ....in fact only the eye panels and gape opening differ from a modern hood today.

The Mollen hoods were made from a heavy 1.5mm gage leather and weigh alomost an ounce.... I bet when they were first made they were heavier... I cant believe that lighter leather was not available then....so maybe weight of the hood was not such an issue to the bygone falconers.

[GriffMJ]

Hi Griff,
I think I know someone who would like to buy some of your copies once I have shown him your pictures.

Moritz


Hi Moritz

Ok ....take it to PM when your ready :D

[Jackie]

this new site is **** i cant resize the scans any smaller . so im gona email um to you griff to post up.

[GriffMJ]

this new site is **** i cant resize the scans any smaller . so im gona email um to you griff to post up.

lol...ok :)

[GriffMJ]

Here are the patterns & a pic from Roger Uptons Book (Thanks Jackie)

http://www.m-jhoods.co.uk/images/Mollen/mollenUpton.jpg

http://www.m-jhoods.co.uk/images/Mollen/mollenUpton2.jpg

http://www.m-jhoods.co.uk/images/Mollen/mollenUpton3.jpg

Here is a pic of the mint condition Mollen hoods
http://www.m-jhoods.co.uk/images/Mollen/MollenHoods.JPG

[FlameHairedFalconer]

More wow!! ;)

Does anyone know what Roger Upton means by 'metal' pattern - did they have a die and stamp them out??

FHF

[GriffMJ]

More wow!! ;)

Does anyone know what Roger Upton means by 'metal' pattern - did they have a die and stamp them out??

FHF

It would be a stamped or cut metal pattern that you could cut around.... much in the same way that a "clicker" in the shoe trade would do it :)

[FlameHairedFalconer]

Absolutely fascinating subject!! I'd love to find out more about the Mollens and their techniques - is there any literature (in English) on them??

[Jackie]

i think we might have some more stuff about them but not in much more detail than the stuff i sent griff i will have a look and try to post it .BUT my pc will only resize to big for the new forum so it might mean private emails im sorry. see ya

[TiercelR]

-GriffMJ: -Excellent work you make it! and great pictures of the originals of Adrian Mollen´s hoods!
-Have good falconry!

[Hawkmaster]

this new site is **** i cant resize the scans any smaller . so im gona email um to you griff to post up.
iT IS NOT AND HAS NEVER BEEN THE FORUM SOFTWARE THAT RESIZES THE PICTURES!

[Jackie]

no but before it changed i could resize them and post but since it HAS changed the same pics will not post as they are to large . so although it was never the soft ware doing the resiing my pc has not change or the soft ware on it .
explane it to me more ? its deffo the forum .
anyway dont take it personaly it was not aimed at you or the site realy . just gobbing off is all.

[FlameHairedFalconer]

i think we might have some more stuff about them but not in much more detail than the stuff i sent griff i will have a look and try to post it .BUT my pc will only resize to big for the new forum so it might mean private emails im sorry. see ya

Thanks Jackie - I've got several of Roger Uptons Books, but none that really describe the Mollens and their work in detail.

FHF

[Jackie]

ok . then i think we are stumed

[Falconry Equipment International]

Here we go setting myself up for a big fall here griff, bear in mind I made this 34 years ago without any training, hood blocks or anything, but this was my 1st( & only LOl) effort at making a 'mollen copy' hood or dutch hood of any sort come to thathope it gives all amusement esp you Griff ( shamI cant do smilies as I would do the embarrased one) Funnily enough what I never liked was the beak openingATB SJH

[Moritz]

I think the beak opening is useless and always ask myself why the old falconers used it.

Moritz

[GriffMJ]

Cant see the pic Julian :).......oooooo yes I can....lol..... hey thats a good effort for 30 odd years ago SJ . I have the advantage of having the real thing in my mitts .... so its been a bit easier :)

[Falconry Equipment International]

Here is another view from the back

[GriffMJ]

luv the tooling on it J .....like to know if you still have the fleur de lys tool and did u use gold leaf to emboss the gold into it ?

[Falconry Equipment International]

fraid not to be honest the tooling was added when I was an apprentice saddler prob in 1974 , only tool I DONT have unfortunately is the fleur de lys, at that btime all I had access to was pure gold leaf, ( other hoods you may have seen of mine , I used 'mock gold leaf in a plastic backing) but this was the real thing using egg wash etc .HTH

[GriffMJ]

This will give you a good idea of the actual fit of a Mollen hood close up :)

http://www.m-jhoods.co.uk/images/Mollen/fitted/MFit1.JPG

http://www.m-jhoods.co.uk/images/Mollen/fitted/MFit2.JPG

http://www.m-jhoods.co.uk/images/Mollen/fitted/MFit5.JPG

[GriffMJ]

http://www.m-jhoods.co.uk/images/Mollen/fitted/MFit3.JPG

http://www.m-jhoods.co.uk/images/Mollen/fitted/MFit4.JPG

[Osiris]

Absolutely brilliant Griff! :D
Would love to get into making Hoods but i wouldnt know where to start. My m8 makes hoods but doesnt have much time to do so anymore and certainly doesn't have the time to train etc. Great workmanship you got there Griff!