Another "paper prop" I'd like to add to my collection at some point.

The envelope itself looks like your standard C6 envelope (which measures 114 mm x 162 mm - or 4.5 x 6.4 inches)

The address on the front of the envelope reads -
Clara Oswald
30 Oak Street
Chiswick

- what I'm not sure about, however, is that other text in the top right-hand corner. I can just about make out the first two words - By hand, with what appears to be a little dash after it - but the rest is a mystery.







To me, the letter doesn't look double sided, like it first appears. The reason I say this is because you can clearly see the writing, almost as if there was writing on the back, but it's all backwards, meaning the writing we see, supposedly on the back of the letter, is actually just the writing on the front bleeding through. Thoughts?
If I am correct, this means they must have used pretty thin paper in order for the ink to show through that clearly, but to me it's the only explanation.



Finally, here's a copy of the text on the letter:

My dearest Clara...

The Doctor entrusted me with your contact details, in the event of an emergency, and I fear one has now arisen. Assuming this letter will have reached you, as planned, on April 10th 2013, please find and light the enclosed candle.

It will release a soporific which will induce a trance state, enabling direct communication across the years. However, as I realise you have no reason to trust this letter, I have taken the liberty of embedding the same soporific into the fabric of the paper you are now holding. Speak soon!


If I get a spare moment or two at some point, I'd like to try my hand at making a printout for this prop, and then after that I might work on Queen Elizabeth I's letter from The Day of the Doctor.

Kind regards, The14thDr

Quote from: The14thDr on Jun 10, 2017, 06:52 am
Another "paper prop" I'd like to add to my collection at some point.

The envelope itself looks like your standard C6 envelope (which measures 114 mm x 162 mm - or 4.5 x 6.4 inches)

The address on the front of the envelope reads -
Clara Oswald
30 Oak Street
Chiswick

- what I'm not sure about, however, is that other text in the top right-hand corner. I can just about make out the first two words - By hand, with what appears to be a little dash after it - but the rest is a mystery.

It says, I believe --

By hand - April Twelfth
Twenty Thousand & Twelve

Excellent! Thank you deck5.

My only improvement would be "April Tenth" rather than the twelfth, since that matches the date given by Vastra in the letter itself, and I'd say the bottom line appears to read "Twenty Thousand & Thirteen" (again - purely because that's when the episode is set.)

But I wouldn't have been able to work that out without your help, so thank you.

You're welcome!  Upon further examination, I agree with your changes.

Quote from: The14thDr on Jun 10, 2017, 07:20 am
My only improvement would be "April Tenth" rather than the twelfth, since that matches the date given by Vastra in the letter itself

I would agree with that after looking very closely at those lines again.

Quote from: The14thDr on Jun 10, 2017, 07:20 am
and I'd say the bottom line appears to read "Twenty Thousand & Thirteen" (again - purely because that's when the episode is set.)

Again looking closer at the second line I think it says Twenty Hundred & Thirteen. (Twenty Thousand & Thirteen, put into number form, would be 20013 - about 18 millennia off from when Clara is supposed to get it, I think.)

Dino.

Quote from: galacticprobe on Jun 10, 2017, 07:26 am
Again looking closer at the second line I think it says Twenty Hundred & Thirteen. (Twenty Thousand & Thirteen, put into number form, would be 20013 - about 18 millennia off from when Clara is supposed to get it, I think.)

Quite so.

Looking back, I think you're onto something there Dino. Now you mention it, that definitely looks more like "Hundred" than "Thousand".


EDIT: Look what I just found in my images folder! Looks like deck5 was right all along; it does say "Twenty Thousand" (although I agree with Dino's logic on that one: 200013?! I think the props department just got their centuries mixed up a bit )

Oops! Someone really should have caught that error! After all, they know by now that fans will be watching frame-by-frame in HD for these things!
Looks like you have a choice when making your version, do you a) Replicate it as seen, including the mistake. or b) Make the date correct (either Two Thousand and... or Twenty Hundred and...)?
I'd say the latter, as the "Thousand" is less legible than the "Twenty"

I think with my version I'll go with the "Twenty Hundred &...." (I don't think I could put up with the mathematical inaccuracy! )
However, I'll also produce a printout for the other version, in case anyone wants a completely accurate version.

Another thing to remember is that in Madam Vastra's time they would be using A quill & ink pots, blotters thin "ladies" paper, etc. so that is why the writing would appear through the paper.

Chris.

Quote from: The14thDr on Jun 10, 2017, 07:32 am
I think the props department just got their centuries mixed up a bit )

And now we know the real reason why the TARDIS never ends up in the right place at the desired time... those same props guys built the TARDIS!

(And if you open 14th's image in a new window you can see just how high-res it it! )

Dino.

Quote from: galacticprobe on Jun 11, 2017, 07:18 am
...
(And if you open 14th's image in a new window you can see just how high-res it it! )

Dino.

And even then I had to make it smaller just to fit on the forum, so the actually image is even bigger!

I actually have quite a few images like that of various props (mostly classic era); I really must get round to posting them sometime.

Quote from: The14thDr on Jun 11, 2017, 07:25 am
I actually have quite a few images like that of various props (mostly classic era); I really must get round to posting them sometime.

Well then, as the saying goes...





Dino.

Everyone keep say "when they get "A Round To It" ", ssssoooooo ... here is "A Round Tuit" so no-one has any excuses any more for not doing it. LOL.