Two Wheel Medieval Hand Cart

[Raconteur Troubadour]

Rejecting the dog cart and market barrow solutions, and after years of trying, I have finally made a two-wheel hand cart suitable to pull around as a trader at events. It's light enough to negotiate small slopes even when loaded up with all of my trading stuff (weapons, bowls. goblets, jewellery, leatherwork etc) and means I can go where the crowds are rather than being stuck next to the loos at the back end of the trading field. At night I cover it up with a pegged-down canvas and sleep underneath (really getting in to the authentic lifestyle thing).
Now I need the medieval equivalent of a 'stop me and buy one' sign.....any ideas?

[steven pole]

Truly stunning chap! I do something similar with just a basket backpack.

[Raconteur Troubadour]

Hi Stephen, I tried the backpack thing for a while (see photo), and also sell jewellery from a tray at waist height tied over the shoulder (a bit like the choc ice ladies at the cinemas of yesteryear), but it made my neck ache to load the basket too much. My problem now is that people see me as a demonstrator and don't realise i'm actually selling stuff! Perhaps i'm taking 'authentic' a bit far, but i'd like to shift a few things now and again, it makes pulling quarter of a ton of stock around more worthwhile. I'm stumped with the whole 'sign' thing though as most Hawkers and Peddlers would have used carts when going from village to village, but most people couldn't read. I was thinking of a canvas awning, or turning it into a covered wagon (think wild west) but wondered if anyone had any info on 'for sale' signs of the period (I can't find anything).

Steve Payne (Peddler and 'Raconteur Troubadour)

[steven pole]

I have a bell hanging from the stick I walk with, this usually gets attention.

[Strickland]

Excellent I like it a lot!!!

Neil

[Medicus Matt]

I'm stumped with the whole 'sign' thing though as most Hawkers and Peddlers would have used carts when going from village to village, but most people couldn't read. I was thinking of a canvas awning, or turning it into a covered wagon (think wild west) but wondered if anyone had any info on 'for sale' signs of the period (I can't find anything).

Hand bell and shouting.
I think it was a legal requirement in Anglo Saxon law for travellers going off path (through forests, woodland etc) to ring a bell to let others know they were not itinerant footpads (although, as this would just help the real itinerant foorpads to find you, it seems a bit daft to me).

Nice display.

[steven pole]

I'd make a cart like yours but I don't know if Neil would be ok towing it behind his car?

[Strickland]

LOL looks like Im getting a van again!!!

Neil

[Alexander]

I'm stumped with the whole 'sign' thing though as most Hawkers and Peddlers would have used carts when going from village to village, but most people couldn't read. I was thinking of a canvas awning, or turning it into a covered wagon (think wild west) but wondered if anyone had any info on 'for sale' signs of the period (I can't find anything).

Hand bell and shouting.
I think it was a legal requirement in Anglo Saxon law for travellers going off path (through forests, woodland etc) to ring a bell to let others know they were not itinerant footpads (although, as this would just help the real itinerant foorpads to find you, it seems a bit daft to me).

Nice display.

My guess would be that the bell would alert animals as well. So not only you wouldn't be an itenerant footpad, you wouldn't be a poacher either! But that is just my wild guess.

And indeed, nice display.