How to take proper care of scrolls or charters

Congratulations! As an award recipient, you are now also the recipient of a scroll or charter. Whether you have received an original scroll or a hand illuminated charter, you should know that the piece of art you hold in your hands has been hand crafted to honour and document your achievement and honours in the SCA and is something we hope you proudly display. But how do you care for this fine piece of work?

First you will need to get it home in one piece. DO NOT roll your scroll or award, the wax seals, gilding or paint will crack and fall off. Be sure your award is stowed flat and ensure nothing comes in contact with the wax seal – they are very brittle! If you receive your award in the summer, DO NOT place your scroll in the back window of your vehicle. The heat is enough to ruin the wax seal. A scroll or charter is very vulnerable to heat, moisture and crushing – pack carefully.

Once you have made it home safe and sound, it is recommended that you frame your award as soon as possible to avoid any incidents. If this is not possible, scrolls and charters should be stored flat in a cool, dry place where they will not be crushed or otherwise damaged. If you want to show off your award before it is framed, be sure that it is handled gently with clean dry hands. Dirt, oil and moisture can easily spoil your new artwork so great care is encouraged.

For this reason framing is recommended for all scrolls. Ready-made frames are available in 11 x 14 and 11 x 17 suitable for accommodating the size of charters crafted in Avacal and An Tir. Original scrolls can vary in size and may require custom framing. If you are unsure of the materials used in making your award, please contact the College for clarification. If you are going to incur the cost of custom framing, be sure to request that acid-free, archival quality materials be used. As well be sure to advise the framer of how very fragile the wax seals are and ask them to use spacers of some sort to ensure the seal is not pressing against the glass. Once framed, award scrolls should not be hung in full sunlight as the ink and paint can fade. IMPORTANT! Please note that if you have received a scroll crafted on real vellum/parchment or using medieval pigments, archival framing is strongly recommended.