Comments on: Pearly King Jack and Queen Meg

By: Ness

Ness — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 13:49:32 +0000

It’s a dying thing here really and like Kate says it’s just a cockney London thing. There is nothing stopping our American cousins setting themselves up for charity events though as that’s what the spirit of Pearly kings and queens is all about
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearly_Kings_and_Queens

By: Kirsty

Kirsty — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 19:24:00 +0000

You can see pearly kings and queens every now and again as we found http://www.flickr.com/photos/kirstywh/56924413/in/photostream/ showing some friends around London town. Gotta love whoever sewed on all those buttons!

By: Brandy

Brandy — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 20:41:32 +0000

If you want more inspiration on the artist/garbage front, I highly recommend Agnes Varda’s film The Gleaners and I. best, B.

By: Kate

Kate — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 07:54:44 +0000

Just a quick note from England about pearly kings and queens. It’s a kind of east end of London thing, more of a tiny community, passed through the (very few) families. Even when I was a child it was considered quaint and old-fashioned! A bit like London fog, it’s pretty much all gone. (Of course, there may be a secret revival, just to make me a liar, but I’ve not heard of it!)

By: bitterbetty

bitterbetty — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 00:25:22 +0000

Reminds me of the band in the Animated part of Mary Poppins… How silly is that reference?

By: Ann

Ann — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 16:37:20 +0000

The White Stripes are endlessly inspiring to me. The looseness of it all–the way they make a record in three weeks–reminds me that being creative doesn’t have to be obsessive. And the way they pull from so many musical traditions and styles is exactly what I want to do, in my world of knitting, whenever possible.

Gah, that sounds dorky. But it’s true! If I could knit the way Jack White plays the guitar, wowee.

By: Anne

Anne — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 10:47:19 +0000

I think there are two inspirations at play here: the Pearly King and Queen, which you’ve identified, is one, and the other is the Button Blankets made by the First Nations on the Northwest coast of British Columbia.

“The button blanket is eye-catching, prestigious and treasured — one of the most spectacular embellishments to the Indian culture of the Northwest Coast and a unique form of graphic and narrative art. The traditional crest-style robe is the sister of the totem pole and, like the pole, proclaims hereditary rights, obligations and powers.”

Meg’s hat is also very reminiscent in shape of the bark hats from the region. I wonder if this is a subtle nod to Canadian culture, given their tour of small-town Canada that’s associated with the new album?

By: Bonnie

Bonnie — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 06:02:53 +0000

there’s more about pearly kings and queens here too:
http://www.pearlysociety.co.uk/history.htm

I love this! We need to bring this kind of thing to the States! ;-)