Gentleman of Fortune

For those of you following the progress of my web page dedicated to Golden Age Pirate Re-enacting.... I have just updated the site with a page on Justaucorps details. Not too much text but a lot of pictures of the one I had made from extant garments in the V &A and a 1700s coat pattern. Here is the link to the Justaucorps page

Try Tuckahoe Trading Company http://www.tuckahoetradingco.com/accouterments.html They make some of the items that you mention. They are about as period correct as you could want.

I heard his real last name was Ezeakial Theackowitz. He was a Sephardic jew who fled the old contry because of religious persecusion. He change his name and turned his back on religion and the rest is history. OK I AM KIDDING alright!

Does anyone else/outside of the SCA call it "Garb"? It the scant 20+ years I have been re-enacting/living history the only time I have heard it called Garb is by SCA types. Maybe its a medieval term for high synthetic content? I usually hear the term "Kit" used..... meaning clothes and equipment. Like... "I need to get my kit together for the event this weekend." GOF

Have you seen all the build up for Pirates of the Burning Sea? I think its going to be a online multi player game. But seems to be stuck in the doldrums of programming. Should be cool though GOF

dyed wit blood.... he he he. The question of how pirate flags were made and what they were made of probably comes up on every discussion board/e-mail list. I think that the best answer for the question was that they were made out of any material that they had available to them. If the pirates "took" over a 8 gun sloop, what kinds of things were available to them? Sail cloth, linen, other flags (probably wool), paint, needles, thread, tar. A good indication would be to try to find period examples of other naval flags. Here is one that was captured by the British(9 January 1806) "Even for an era of enormous flags (British ensigns of the period would be 20 feet wide) this one is huge being about 33 feet wide and 45 feet long (9.8 x 14.4 metres). "The Spanish ensign is made from a red and yellow wool fabric, often referred to as 'bunting’, narrow widths of the fabric are hand sewn together and a linen hoist strip is attached. The Spanish emblem is painted or stencilled onto both sides of the flag." This is the only Real Pirate flag in existance. This flag, however, is not from the Golden Age. It is dated 19th Century. There is a picture in David Cordingly's book pirates. The description is "A rare example of an orginial 19th Century pirate flag brought back from North Africa by Finnish seafarers and is now in the collection of the maritime museum at Mariehamn" To me it looks like tarred sailcloth with a painted and sewn on skull and bones (the book has a close up on the cover). Considering that most ships would have several different flags in their stores for signaling or identification, I would assume that the pirate would try to make a flag like the ones that he was already familiar with. Their are no gromets, but the edge has a rope sewn into a folded edge for support. Sometimes a linen strip was sewn into this edge (that has the hoisting rope) for additional support. Gromets (as we know them) are not seen on flags till around the civil war. They did have "sewn" grommets. kind of like button holes. Other things to consider are size. Flags were big in this period because you had to be able to see them from a considerable distance. Also, I wouldn't worry to much about using natural fibres to make a reproduction, (unless you need to fly it on a real ship for long periods of time). Natural materials shoul hold up nicely for living history. Here is flag construction and a quick quote from the site "In the 18th and 19th century, flags were usually made of one of three fabrics, although a home-made flag could be made out of most anything at hand. These fabrics are: wool, linen and silk. Later, more or less during and after the Civil War, cotton became available in weights and finishes suitable for flags. Woolen bunting, usually imported from England in the early days, is a light-weight, thin fabric prized for nautical use because of its flyability and resistance to rot from exposure to seawater. Linen was often used for the header and stars on such flags. Linen was also used for some "service" flags because of its inexpensive (at the time due to being the most common home-spun) nature. Silk was expensive and used for military and ceremonial flags. Thsese often bore complicated, allegorical or heraldic images painted on by master artists, often with different designs on each side" I think that pirates probably started off with what ever was available and then worked their way up to a nicer flag. One of my books says that there was some lady that sewed pirate flags in exchange for rum. ANd I think UNDER THE BLACK FLAG book has an account of the pre trial procession of some pirtes that says they "had their black silk flag carried before them." Egad... that is enough

I probably should have searched the archives but for this first but, too late I already hit the new post button. I was in the computer games section of my BX/PX and saw several Pirate themed PC games.... before I take the plunge, does anyone have a game they reccomend? They had Tropico, Port Royale, Pirate Hunter and maybe a few more. All in the $18 range. Suggestions?

The crew at Pirate Brethren are making their gear ready for the 2005 season. We welcome any of you who are interested in the Authentic Portrayl of the Golden Age Piracy to stop by the Yahoo Group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/piratebrethren/ Cheers!

Make sure you check in at the forum for Pirate Crew under the European section! Alas... when I lived in the UK there was not much organized pirate re-enacting... now I am in Germany and trying to find some here! GOF

I have a re-enacting shoe fetish.... so to speak. I really feel that shoes are the achilles heal of re-enacting because they are not flashy or sexy like a sword, coat, or pistol and are often overlooked by the re-enactor. I always seem to judge a living historian by the shoes that they wear, because it usually is an indicator (for me) as to that persons' attention to detail. That being said, has anyone bought or seen first hand, Jarnigans early 18th Century shoe? http://www.jarnaginco.com/FIcatframe.html

I am impressed that the management has moved so swiftly on this! Good luck new mods! G of F

Thanks to you both! Doing the test I believe them to be Cotton velvet. I have a growing collection now of materials to be made into things... Any idea when cotton velvet came into fashion (or should I say is it appropriate for 1690-1720)? G of F Never Mind... I googled it and found out that the first cotton mill was built in 1736 Cotton first used for velevet.... 1756 Cotton velvet is first woven in Bolton, Lancashire, England. Soooo..... Back to the drawing board

I checked the realized price and it was only $450. Which, in my opinion is a bargain if it really is a 17th Century Hanger. I would imagine that Old Dominion Forgecould make a reproduction of it but it would probably cost in the $450 range as well. Here is a sample of his work

It just came today and its too cool for words! 14 meters x 1.3 meters. Apparently, the person I bought it from was an interior designer in the UK and had a project for a middle eastern shiek about 10 years ago... the price tag on it is 150 pounds sterling which would make it about $300 per yard with todays exchange rate. Hurray!

uhhhmmmm.... thanks for the suggestions, but I live in Germany so a trip to Jo-Anns is not doable. I was hoping for some web links to some tried and true sources... I have googled it but I would rather have some hand holding if I could. Thanks though

I was browsing through the ol links and was checking out this site. The group is from the UK and has pretty high standards... I think they have a really neat display.... http://www.ches.me.uk/18th_century_maritime.htm (was not sure where to post this so here it be)

I want to do some hand sewing and need silk and linen thread. I have googled the topic but, being a novice tailor, I have no idea what the different types of thread are. Embroidery, 50wt, 60/2 it all greek to me. Any help?

Depend on what you want (doesn't it always! ) If you want an "authentic" read historically accurate tricorne.. Clearwater Hats Kitty Hatsmade mine a few years ago (A source in the UK) you can also GOOGLE felt hat blank and make one yourself...

Saw this site... for those obsessed with POTC and Sparrow... Costume in POTC Nicole has done some great work in historical costuming and info.

I found a stash of Old curtains at an Antique flea market last weekend and was wondering how I could figure out wether they were silk or cotton. I know they burn differently than synthetic but anyone got an idea how to tell the two organic materials apart? Thanks

Wow! I wish folks would put that amount of detail and time into trying to look like a historical pirate from the Golden Age of Piracy. Hate to think how much time, effort and money are going into looking like a Hollywood pirate when an authentic one is just as cool... but to each his own!

Sorry Silver and Royaliste.... I stand corrected. I added a post in the Pub Management section though about the need for more moderators.... I think that there is too much work to do for just 3. I also shamelessly put forward Royaliste and Hawkyns name for moderating..... at least a few of the sub forums like Twill and Plunder. Nobody has to be Gestapoesque about it just keep the decks clear.

I have been thinking about this topic for the last few days so I am glad that Silver actually posted it. I think part of the problem is that off topic ( or unappropriate) stuff is not being moved to the appropriate forums. Maybe there should be an expansion of the moderator corps with folks west coast and east coast (to cover different time zones) so that there will always be an "adult" present to keep the decks clear. There only seems to be 3 main moderators that cover 11 categories.... I think that we are asking too much considering the stats for this site Our members have made a total of 67359 posts We have 1768 registered members Most users ever online was 168 on Sep 19 2003, 11:00 AM I am not saying they have to be forum nazis or anything... help with the management.

Apparently, the RUSSIANS of all people started building a replica of Peter the Great's Flagship…. Too cool for words! In 1698 Peter the Great sailed from St Petersburg, Russia to Deptford, England with his Great Embassy to learn how to organize their navy and build warships. In 1703 he built the 30 metre frigate Shtandart. A charitable trust has been set up to construct a replica of Shtandart in St Petersburg which will be sailed to Deptford on the 300th anniversary of the Great Embassy in July 1999. The construction is providing employment for Russian carpenters and an opportunity to learn boat building skills and the frigate will be used for sail training, cultural exchange activity and promotion of Anglo-Russian relations. Construction is entirely reliant on voluntary donations." Here is some links to the construction process http://www.cruising.org.uk/shtand_1.htm And here is the current site for the ship http://www.shtandart.com/mission.htm#

A while back, I was scouring the net and found a company that reproduced cannons out of Naval Bronze. I thought I had stuck them in my favorites for use later (you know *after * i win the lottery) but I can find it now (nor have I won the lottery). Anyway.... Does anyone have a link to that company, or know of another that makes full scale Navy Bronze cannons? Thanks