Gentleman of Fortune

Thanks for the kind words guys.... I am on the mend, but now in the middle of a house move..... I haven't given up on the shoes just yet.... I will let everyone know what i find. greg

THAT IS IT EXACTLY!!!! I "think" that I am fairly decent and seeing details, and even "pattern drafting" in a sense that I can see the original garment, and get a fairly decent interpretation of the cut/design. Where I fall flat on my face, however, is that I don't even think like a 21st century tailor as I am not a tailor at all.... So I use my best guess, with some historical stitches, to get to the end product. If you look at the pictorial record, you will see LOTS of different "styles" of short jacket or "common man's" coat. So, in theory there could be several different authentic "patterns" for this coat and others, BUT, The construction method should be the same. gof

Thanks Kass But my main concerns are my construction methods. It may look ok, but what I am looking for is seeing your pattern and discovering all those "aha!" moments. As in Aha!, that is how it was supposed to go together. I have very limited stitches in my arsenal, and I am sure that the ones I chosed to use in particular places are not necessarily the ones 1710 tailors would have used. I basically costructed the short jacket as two garments.... That wasn't the prpblem, it was figuring out the best way to join those two garments that gave me the problem. Sooooo..... I can't wait to see your patterns and all the cool bonus stuff on extant garments that seems to be the signature for Reconstructing Histories Patterns. Thanks Greg aka GoF

I started this project back in November. As an Olympic quality procrastinator, I am surprised I got it done so fast . Of course, 5 days in the hospital really helped as I had nothing to do but watch German soap operas.... at least the nurses were hot.... Anyway, I took my sewing project and actually finnished it. I was inspired by this and these I thought that the no pocket option was pretty interesting. Some short jackets seem to have buttons all the way down, others don't. I got tired of sewing button holes. Speaking of sewing. I have sewn a pair of petticoat trousers.... and that is about it. I made the pattern myself from original artwork, and hand sewd the hole bloody thing (even the lining). Its one of those cases where, "if I can do it, so can you!". But I would suggest skipping a 5 day hospital stay. I just so happen to have a pile of original GAoP buttons, so on they went! I really got to practice those button holes... I took a closeup of the best one. I have bought Kass's Common mans coat, and I am really interested to see how close my interpretation is to her pattern. More pictures of short jackets here http://www.gentlemenoffortune.com/sailor-coat.htm GoF aka Greg

Could you just give us a hint at the titles of what these are going to be??????? Thanks Greg

You got the house? Congratulations man! I'll dig around for some pictures that I might have. Foxe might be able to help here as most of the "original" bars that I frequented in the UK had undergone lots of modifications since they were used 300 years ago. But I would suspect that this picture of a coffee house would be similar to a bar... I'll check for more though Greg

ouch.... I am back.... sort of.... with leg in cast for the forseable future, after 5 days in hospital. I am truly sorry that I have not been able to contact every individual or even post on every list, but, as has been said in my stead, I have had a nasty series of events unfold recently, and to be honest, the shoe project hasn't been my top priority. So lets, recap shall we? As a rule, there are not many folks "in the hobby" with correct shoes. So I thought I would help them out by finding someone to do it for us. There exists in the world, however, a shoe that was worn by a pirate on an actual pirate ship. This is reenacting mana from heaven to a starving pirate world, and I sought out the necessary information to have that shoe copied. My original intent was to find a current shoe maker that would just take the information, make a shoe and add it to their catalog. So when somebody needed a pair of correct shoes, I could just say, check out Tom Mattimore at Civil War boots, and buy "the Whydah shoe". This didn't work out, as most of the shoe makers couldn't or wouldn't take on the project. R Land shoes of Canada said they could do it, but here was the catch. He is a wholesaler and manufacturer/supplier, and not and individual shoe seller. But If I could get an order of 30 pairs of shoes, he would do it. He claimed he needed the 30 orders because he had to buy 50 shoe lasts and the tooling to make the shoes on a grand scale (sizes 7-14 including half sizes in D and EEE widths). So to cover his start-up costs, 30 pairs of shoes was the magic number. Now, here is the funny part. I already got a pair of shoes. Straight lasted, Butt stitched, veg tan leather, 2cm last, the works! I really don't need a pair. I probably should have just dropped the frickin thing on its ass right there.... But noooo.... I thought I would try to help the pirate community by puting together a "group buy" so that everyone could benefit. This, by the way was an "at cost" thingy. I wasn't adding $10 each pair for phone calls and wasted time either. Hell, I wasn't even handling the money, I was working it so you could paypal the guy half up front and half at delivery. There are probably thousands of people in the states and world wide that are affiliated with pirate re-enacting... Hell, the Pyracy Pub ALONE has almost 3000 members..... surely just .01% of them would want correct shoes????? Well I cut my pirate teeth as a member of the Pirate Brethren that are based out of DE/MD/VA. They have a group of about 100 members and affiliates on their yahoo group and on their forum. So I am pretty sure I posted it their first or at least on the first day. So if you really want to know who is involved with this project, I will tell you so you don' feel left out. The Pirate Brethren Yahoo Group The Pirate Brethren Forum The ukpiratebrotherhood TraditionalBuccaneers potccostuming NavMarAmRev here... the Pyracy Pub And ANYONE ELSE I THOUGHT WAS REMOTELY INTERESTED IN AUTHENTIC PYRACY!!!!! and you know how many positive responses I got. Probably about 17-20. That is, lets say, 20 out of over 4000 people contacted! And that is 20 "RE_ENACTORS" who say "yes" now, which translates into, at best, 12 folks that will actually do it. I had even thought that I would personally front the money for the balance of shoes (thats over $1300) so that this deal could happen for people like you. Well, as people have asked questions on this and other boards, I have answered them. If I don't know I say so. If I have been told "its in the mail" than I tell you its in the mail. When people have pm'd me over the last few months to say, "is this going to happen by xyz date" than I have given them my honest opinion. I ain't holding anything back or hiding anything from anyone. So I apologize for not getting two dixie cups and stringing them together between me and you so you could have a shoe project hot line. I called R Land at the end of April and he said it was going to be in the mail May 15th. Becuase I work for the DoD overesas in Germany, It can take a while to get to me via the US army postal system.... So the post, May 29th, that you are quoting from reflects my frustration in not reciving something that was promised (and Promised, and promised), and the realization that,"if this is what he is like dealing with NOW, than it can only spell trouble later", and persoanlly, I didn't want to put folks like you through that. So in between moving a house, breaking an ankle, surgury for said ankle, and dealing with a wife and 2 kids who already think daddy spends too much time on pirate stuff, I have been calling and e-mailing every other shoe maker I can find so that the appreciative folks like Capt. Sawney Beane, can get a pair of freakin shoes. I was not running off to Jamaica with your deposit as there was no deposit. I wasn't hiding any info, as there wasn't any to hide. For all I know, there is a shoe waiting for me in my post office box in Kitzingen Germany... but I don't know that because I have been on crutches for the last 2 weeks....... AGGGHHHGHGHGHGH!!!! But I was waiting to hopefully have some good news to deliver with the bad. SO here goes. This shoe project is dead. I don't have the energy to continue. I had been working dilligently behind the scenes, even creating web pages so that prospective shoe makers can see what the f#$@K I am talking about.... http://www.gentlemenoffortune.com/shoeproject.htm but I am done now. As of yet, no one has stepped up to the plate BUT Tom Mattimore of Civil War boots Cand do it and will give it a try WHEN HE COMPLETES HIS MOVE TO A NEW SHOP. I don't know when that will be, ask him yourself. Or just buy a pair of rev war shoes or combat boots or what every else you want to do because I am done. Greg aka GoF

Done! paypal is great! can't wait! greg

More Photos Please!!!! Anyone else???? Greg

Origian "pieces" for just a few thousand dollars...... http://www.ktaylor-lotus.com/european4.html Greg

Take a look... 1708 Mantua Mantua, ca. 1708 English Bizarre silk in salmon-pink damask with floral and foliate pattern brocaded with polychrome silk and gold metallic file Greg

Sounds like a commercial for deadman tell...... They actually have NONE of the type of flags Enigma is looking for by the way. Greg aka GOF

Captain Sterling... I doff my floppy hat to you. WoW!!!! Is all can say. No wait, I can say more! Since we have already sung the pattern's (and pattern maker's) praises... let me sing yours. You did a great job and have at least one good eye for detail! The doreset buttons were an interesting choice, and I Applaud your selection of fabrics (the striped coat is way cool too... I was thinking about some breeches in a striped silk pattern myself) You have seriously raised the bar here..... Back to the drawing board for me. I see you went with the early mens justaucorps. Have you tried the 1700 pattern yet? I have both, but think I am going to do the early one first (so I can bug you AND Kass for tips!) Greg

I think it works so well, (Pirate re-enacting that is) because we really are dependent on each other. As I said before, 99% of what we do is festival style events. I slave away in my re-enacting laboratory trying to figure out how to make my kit as authentic as I can. (you can usually tell us authentic types right away from our pasty white skin that never sees the sun.) But when I am at a festival, the last thing on earth I want to do is give a dog and pony show to the "public". Enter Eric group.... Now here is a group that simply THRIVES on doing the stuff that I can't stand to do! And he probably feels the same way about me and my group! "look, those guys have great authentic kit!... too bad they can't juggle!" So it all works out in the end to be good for us all. The kids and parents get to be entertained and hopefully educated all at the same time. But, I imagine that those "pirates" that fall somewhere in the middle (that is, they are not entertainers and not "authentic") come to the event too and add "atmosphere" and then gravitate towards whichever side interests them the most. Plus..... the entertainer/fantasy pirates always bring the hot babes that the authentic guys get to drool all over. Greg aka GoF

If you haven't seen this site yet.... WOW! http://www.thm-online.dk/tidsperioder/peri...ioden1670-1699/ Greg

Thanks for the heads up! If anyone else has an after action report.... please post it! Greg

I too would love to see the source and more of the french captive's quote. I'll check Johnson... give me a minute...... I just did a quick survey of Johnson, and there is no mention there of French Captives testimony. But he does give us the impression that the lived, dressed, and acted as men aboard ship. As a matter of fact, he tells us that Rackam was jealous of their relationship and he would "cut the throat" of his lovers new interest. Anne Boney also falls in love with another pirate and lets him in on "the secret" which makes us believe that the only ones who knew the true identity were Bonney, Read, Rackam and Boney's lover. The only witness testimony that I could find (quickly) is Dorothy Thomas, and she testified that they dressed and acted like men. So it seems wierd that sources claim that their identities were hidden to only them and their lovers, and then some French witness' claim that they dressed as women when not in battle. Please, share the source! Greg

I agree with the follow on posts... I get a lot of fun and satisfaction out of researching my own stuff and trying to make it as authentic as I can. Since there are very few events, if any, that exclusively call for historically accurate pirate impressions... maybe its a moot point. But for me, having Patrick, Ed, Black John, etc give me an accompliment on my kit means more to me than anything. There is plenty of room under the pirate tent for everyone. Greg

What size and what materials do you want them made out of? Greg aka GOF

I guess having lot o' guns in a little counter productive on a pirate ship, where the point is to take the vessel in question (and her booty) not blow her out of the water. I remember reading in a book about pirates what the commn size ship and number of guns was.... I can't remember, but I bet it was small. Maybe 4-8 guns? Anyone care to help out with my bad memory here? Greg aka GoF

Navigation ain't my bag... but isn't an Octant GAoP? Greg

You might check with Black John of this Forum. His group did the same gig for the Volvo folks in Maryland a few weeks back. He may be able to give you a heads up with what worked for them, and how to make it better. Just a thought. Greg

Pat, you make a great pirate re-enactor. I am always impressed with your wit wisdom, and dedication. Would like to meet you in person someday..... Greg aka GOF

You are buying a house...??? Congratulations and good luck! Greg

What a great question. Never thought of it, and I am glad you asked! Greg