Some interesting pictures.

[LookingGlass]

I, too, have been unable to date the "smoking ears" Black Beard. It seems to have followed the James Basire "rastafarian" Black Beard woodcut of 1736 that is often wrongly attributed to its original printer, Thomas Nichols. Of course, the first image of Black Beard in GHP, described by some historian/authors as "a portrait, was sculpted by the Oxford surveyor, mapmaker, and bookbinder Benjamin Cole. Funny thing about the Cole woodcut--author Robert Lee admitted using it to guess Black Beard's age and birth year, 38-years-old and born about 1780, which has been accepted by more recent biographers and Wikipedia. Cole carved the image from a block of wood 6 years after Black Beard was killed, and 3,000 miles away. And even though it's fairly certain the "smoking ears" Black Beard was sculpted by an artist who never laid eyes on his subject, that image has influenced generations of impersonators and actors, including Robert Newton. No where in the sources does it say that Black Beard had bulging eyes.

[Brit.Privateer]

Here I thought Johnson's chapter on Blackbeard originated that claim of age. So Lee originally made that claim - and he based it on a illustration? It's almost as if he threw historical context out the window for that. Wouldn't happen to have a page reference for all this in his book would you?
Related point - the concept that he was in his late 30s in 1718 is a concept so engrained and passed on that the recent historical reference-heavy game Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag mentioned it in conversation between Blackbeard (which, by the way the game uses Thatch most of the time and references Teach only once for Blackbeard's name - which surprised me) and the player's character.

Also - you might want to edit your post LookingGlass, I'm pretty sure you meant 1680 and not 1780 for Thatch's birth date.

Edited November 9, 2013 by Brit.Privateer

[LookingGlass]

Don't have Lee's book with me at the moment to give you the page number but the following statement can be found in Lee's opening chapter titled, "Early Life of Blackbeard: “It is commonly believed, however, that at the time of his death Blackbeard was a man somewhere between thirty-five and forty years of age. This would place his birth at some time around the year 1680.”

Then, when you go the endnote on p.176 this is what you'll find: “This is based upon pictures found in books published in England shortly after his death and deductions from general accounts of his activities.”

One historian writing about pirates of North Carolina even described the woodcut as a "portrait."

Amazingly, 20 pages after Lee claimed Blackbeard was born in 1680, on page 25 he confessed: “All the pictures of him were painted by artists who never saw him.”

I've been unable to find any author prior to Lee to make a statement as to Blackbeard's age, including Johnson. Nevertheless, practically everyone since Lee has repeated his fallacious 1680 birthdate (excluding your truly).

As for Lee throwing out historical context for Blackbeard's age, he didn't stop there.

[Mission]

Kevin, do you know of any period books that contain that image? (I'm guessing not, or you could at least date it to that, but I'm still curious.)

[Swashbuckler 1700]

I have not found anything about that Blackbeard image... unfortunately. I have been wondering the same thing

but here is some pictures again

Juan Fernandez island 1682 From a book of sailing directions of 110ff: 'The South Sea Waggoner shewing the making & bearing of all the coasts from California to the Streights of Le Maire done from the Spanish originall by Basil Ringrose'.

A smuggling [pirate?] lugger chased by a naval brig circa 1825

"The Wapping Landlady" shows a Inn scene with sailors recently come ashore circa 1743

Destruction of Chuiapoo's pirate fleet, 30 September 1849 painting made in the 19th century

Mr. Garrick in the Character of a Drunken Sailor circa 1750-1785

"Kartagena, een stedeken in Zuidamerika, in de Provintie Zuinbaya, niet verre van de rivier Canca" I think it means just Cartagena. A Dutch print circa 1702

Portrait of Jean Baptiste du Casse (1646- 1715), late buccaneer, admiral and the French governor of Saint-Domingue circa 1700

Some Dutch ships by Willem van de Velde the elder around 1660s

Edited November 21, 2013 by Swashbuckler 1700

[Swashbuckler 1700]

Something interesting

http://imageevent.com/bluboi/early;jsessionid=5xvwnbja45.frog_s?p=0&n=1&m=-1&c=3&l=0&w=1&s=0&z=2

Incredible gold slide, circa 1640, enameled in black and white, the front with symbols of mortality and reverse with symbols of immortality. The front features symbols of death - a skull and crossbones. an hour glass [tempus fugit] the lamp of the last supper a serpent-entwined staff [death and evil] and 4 instances of a 'double phi' which would have stood for the deceased person's initials, i.e., PP.

Reminds later pirate flags.... However it is hardly surprising for 17th century Memento mori object I think

And while we have no good evidence that Bonnet had this flag (below) the layout of the popular Bonnet's flag is very similar (I mean that whoever invented it did some research).

Edited December 10, 2013 by Swashbuckler 1700

[Swashbuckler 1700]

After a long while here is something:

A Pirate figure in "The Florida Pirate, or, An account of a cruise on the schooner Esparanza". New York: [William Borradaile], 1823.

[Swashbuckler 1700]

A few more pictures.

I have linked this before, but there is a long while of it

This is a "scene of naval warfare in which the crews of two ships drawn up alongside one another fight."

Pirates attack ship circa 1732. The image is not by all means accurate (the ships looks bad etc.) but nearly Gaop illustration anyway. (And the cocked hats are curiously common, but that doesn't mean anything really)

http://jcb.lunaimaging.com/luna/servlet/detail/JCB~1~1~3654~5740010:-Pirates-attack-a-ship-?sort=IMAGE_DATE%2Csubject_groups&qvq=q:pirates;sort:IMAGE_DATE%2Csubject_groups;lc:JCB~1~1&mi=52&trs=74

And this is interesting while not Gaop period (1820)

It is an edited version of buccaneers hunting picture with added female pirates Bonny and Read

http://jcb.lunaimaging.com/luna/servlet/detail/JCB~1~1~500350~100000256:-Pirates-of-the-Caribbean-?sort=IMAGE_DATE%2Csubject_groups&qvq=q:pirates;sort:IMAGE_DATE%2Csubject_groups;lc:JCB~1~1&mi=4&trs=74

Edited June 30, 2014 by Swashbuckler 1700

[Mission]

I started out wanting to use that first image for my article on hats as proof of tricorn-style cocked hats on regular sailors, but it's out of period. As I started looking at more images, I realized three cornered hats start showing up on regular sailors in the early/mid 1730s, but not really before.

[Swashbuckler 1700]

I started out wanting to use that first image for my article on hats as proof of tricorn-style cocked hats on regular sailors, but it's out of period. As I started looking at more images, I realized three cornered hats start showing up on regular sailors in the early/mid 1730s, but not really before.

It is probably true that they weren't popular before 1730s among sailors, but if you exclude all Dutch stuff (Dutch mariners it appears didn't use tricorns much even later at least accordingly to many pictures while the English did at least from 1730s), Johnson's book's captains and paintings (since they are never too clear. Only some are and they are few) how many pictures of English mariners we have of the period 1700-1729 for example? Just something good to notice.

But there is no doubt that tricorn was first and foremost a gentleman and officer hat in Gaop.

And some pictures

This is late if we think of Gaop, but an excellent collection of the late 18th century flags

http://jcb.lunaimaging.com/luna/servlet/detail/JCB~1~1~4596~7260002:Tableau-de-tous-les-pavillons-que-l?sort=IMAGE_DATE%2Csubject_groups&qvq=q:battle;sort:IMAGE_DATE%2Csubject_groups;lc:JCB~1~1&mi=8&trs=179

Here is a 1680s picture of a buccaneer. In his site Benerson Little says: Flibustier fully equiped for a raid on a Spanish town. Note the cartouche box on the left side, the pistol on the right, lock toward the body, for a left-hand draw. This and similar 1680s eyewitness illustrations are discussed in The Mariner's Mirror 98/3, by Benerson Little.(BNF)

Also this is of the same series

This picture I have linked before in this thread, but this is a bigger version of it so:

It was also in the Beneron Litte's page and he said about the picture: "Illustration circa 1701 to 1702 of corsaire Jean Bart...."

I have said this once in this thread (page 4) but I must say it again: the sailor looks like this guy

http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b8407615r/f1.highres

A painting of La Reale (probably done in 1690s)(hmm by the way one of the officers with tan coat appears to be wearing a tricorn hat, but it is probably just my imagination. But he is clearly officers so it is no wonder even if it is. In any case it remind me of this)

Edited July 3, 2014 by Swashbuckler 1700

[Mission]

There are period images showing officers wearing what appear to be tricorns, so he could be wearing one. Officers in the navies would have higher social status, more money and would likely be more fashion conscious.

[Swashbuckler 1700]

Indeed. And I found out that picture of La Reale Galley is at least accordingly to Wikipedia made in 1690s (this is just because I hate when I don't know dates) A réale galley belonging to the Mediterranean fleet of Louis XIV, the largest galley force of the late 17th century; oil on canvas, c. 1694

And here is more interesting old pictures

Battle of The Battle of 'La Hogue', 23 May 1692

Jean Bernard Desjean (1645-1711) Baron de Pointis who led the French attack in Cartagena in 1697 with Jean Du Casse. The attack was the last major assault of buccaneers and they where accompanied by a large force of French Soldiers.

Accordingly to this site the picture was made by Bonnart, Henri (1642-1711) so it is made certainly before 1711. (yes it has a watermark...)

Wheel Torture by Jean-Baptiste Henri Bonnart (1678-1726) (accordingly to this site) (odd I wonder if the maker is actually the same man than with the previous picture and the other has the dates wrong. In any case the maker died certainly in 1726 so the pictures are certainly Gaop ones.) This picture probably depicts execution of Cartouche, 1721

I am surprised because finding interesting old pictures on web is much easier than some might anticipate. Finding these doesn't take more than some minutes if you remember or know what you are looking for. And even if one doesn't know it ain't that hard necessarily.

Edited July 5, 2014 by Swashbuckler 1700

[Mission]

This is a good thread and you've added a lot of interesting material to it. It was very helpful when I was writing the hat article last month.

[Fox]

I'll second that. I don't comment very often but I regularly look at this thread to see what's new.

[Swashbuckler 1700]

Thanks.

I am pretty sure that I have not posted these before. Eve if I have posted some it won't hurt I think.

There are many paintings like this one here, but I think this particular one is not here yet.

An English man-of-war and yachts in a calm (circa 1720)

A Man-of-War Firing a Gun at Sundown (early 18th C) Interestingly this appears to be a new generation man of war compared to the first one above (galleries are different for example and decoration different too. Though the latter of the men of wars is smaller...)

A ship boar by Samuel Scott, ca. 1702-1772 (probably the mid 18th Century) (does one of those hats have X in them?)

A Galley and a Man-of-War Mid - Late 17th century (A Dutch Galley. Interesting)

Edited July 31, 2014 by Swashbuckler 1700

[swashbuckler1714]

Pretty new to all this but Ive loved pirates since I was a kid and in the course of doing research for my anthropology project on pirates and Ive come across a treasure trove of public domain images. They all depict pirates and buccaneers in contemporary. You can check out em all out on my website http://www.caribbeanpiracy.com.

Honestly if you guys have any suggestion on content / additions I should add to my site let me know Im trying to build a historical database of pirates pretty much. Trying to figure out the real truth behind it all... eventually want to try and do some archeology possibly I always loved this time period and its the most interesting.

Bartholomew Roberts Death

Boarding a Ship

Captain Morgan Sailing

Havana Harbor - 1639 Dutch Engraving

\\\

Swivel Guns

Ill keep updating more as I find em

[Capt. Bo of the WTF co.]

That last one of the breech-loading swivels-imaginary drawing? There is no way the cartridges and shot would be left open on the ground like that in reality is there? I would think the life expectancy of one of the gunners would be one-shot!

Bo

[Swashbuckler 1700]

After a long pause here are some old maps :)

Apparently North upwards was not a norm yet in 1600s

A map of North American coast near Virginia 1635

Europe circa 1640

This is so large that I put just a link. It will take long to load

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/AGAD_Guilielmo_Blaeuw_Europa.png

Peru 1640s

Edited December 2, 2014 by Swashbuckler 1700

[Swashbuckler 1700]

A Dutch East-Indiaman off Hoorn

a Castro, Lorenzo (Active c. 1664 - died c.1700?)

Painted Before 1686

[Swashbuckler 1700]

This ship has interesting net system. I think is is far from typical, because at least other pictures don't generally show these full boarding nets (I don't know if it is the correct term though).

Shipping off Dover

1738

Samuel Scott

Sir John Leake

Admiral and politician (a weird looking portrait)

c.1710

Samuel Scott

Departure from England of Francis, Duke of Lorraine, 1731

Painted 1732

Edited December 11, 2014 by Swashbuckler 1700

[Swashbuckler 1700]

Here a print. Engraving of William Dampier's encounter with the storm off Aceh, by Caspar Luyken. Wiki commons say that the original picture was made in 1690s, but is scanned from an 1815 reproduction

[Swashbuckler 1700]

Study of an Early 18th C. Warship
J.B. Homann, Nuremberg: c. 1730

Johann Baptist Homann (1664-1724)













More about this here http://www.georgeglazer.com/prints/sporting/maritime/homannship.html

Edited January 5, 2015 by Swashbuckler 1700

[Swashbuckler 1700]

After a while here are some old pictures.

(click to get them larger)

The Eendracht and a Dutch Fleet of Men-of-War before the Wind by Ludolph Backhuysen (Ludolf Backhuizen), ca. 1670-75

Now more period/ nearly related stuff than seafaring

The Apothecary by Frans Van Mieris(II) 1714

Here William Hogarth's ( 1697- 1764)

A Midnight Modern Conversation

Shows gentlemen and (priests I think) carousing. (I think those little things on a table with a clock are peels of lemons used for the drink).

circa 1732

Edited April 13, 2015 by Swashbuckler 1700

[Mission]

Ah, splendid. Drinking pictures are always useful. Interestingly, there was a similar Hogarth piece by the same title from around 1730:

[Swashbuckler 1700]

Again after a while

(and as a late reply: You're welcome, Mission)

Dutch whalers near Svalbard, 1690 (in the Arctic ocean.)

A Gentleman Taking Leave of His Family Peter Monamy (1681- 1749) I wonder who is the gentleman in question. He seems to be connected to seafaring and may be officer or he might be just a passenger leaving on ship.

Edited August 19, 2015 by Swashbuckler 1700