JoshuaRed

This is an oil painting I've recently finished, depicting Teach at his siege of Charleston. It's first in a series that will hopefully wind up as a calander, card set, etc. I'm working on Ned Low right now.

That's from "The Pirates Own Book", a 19th Century text...circa 1830 I think.

LOL about any other subject I'd say you're probably right...but in this case I doubt it. FWIW National Geographic didn't actually make this movie, they just backed it and are airing it. I think it just falls into the same trap of "we better make these guys look like pirates or people won't watch it!"

Wow so we have our very own genuine UK Posh Spice! 'cept you're clearly not as good lookin' as Ms. Victoria......

Good way to put it Carter! I like that. I still can't believe they left out Stede Bonnet...and completely ignored Teach's "accidental" sinking of the QAR so he could leave his crew holding the bag.

Oh boy LOTS of Jas. Townsend straw cocked hats on Blackbeard last night! Even Israel Hands had one.

The only spot in the show where I really had to start laughing was the "water torture" scene with Spotswood in the "dungeon". You could have fit the entire population of Williamsburg in that mammoth room!

Very good point. I agree completely. Purfoy was terrific. Especially in the early years. It will be weird seeing him do Marc Antony again next season on Rome!

Yeah I enjoyed that more than anything since Heston's Treasure Island I think.

So maybe it belonged to a prostitute, street-rat, pickpocket, etc? Makes sense to me.

Yeah, the CGI was prevalent, but looked really cool...kind of like an old maritime painting come to life.

Good news! Turner Classic Movies will be airing Robert Newton's "Blackbeard the Pirate" next Sunday morning, 3/19. Early, at 6am. So set those VCRs, DVRs, Tivos and whathaveyou. Btw, wanna watch the trailer? Check it out - HERE at the bottom of the page. If you haven't seen this flick, don't miss it...it's a great chance to see Robert Newton doing a raunchier, more adult version of his Long John Silver.

It was awesome. Not as accurate as National Geographic would have us believe, but still awesome. I'm just thankful that at last...AT LONG LAST we have scenes of pirates actually committing piracy. The actors did a helluva good job, especially Israel Hands' stoic wisdom. The guy doing Charles Vane in the beginning was great too. Here's my nitpicks: 1. I don't think they could have picked a location that looks LESS like North Carolina than Malta....what were they thinking there? Also noticed 90% of the land scenes were shot in the same stone tunnel. And I've been inside the Williamsburg gaol....consisting of small above ground wooden cells, nothing remotely like the cavernous dungeon on the show. 2. Would have been nice to show the infamous "sinking" of the QAR, or Teach lighting the stinkpots in the hold. And Stede Bonnet was noticeably absent. I know they only had 2 hours, but those are some pretty major details to leave out of "the most accurate dramatization of Blackbeard ever seen on television". 3. Did they REALLY have to give Israel the Jack Sparrow "baubles, bangles and beads" look in his hair? 4. Wish they hadn't tried to stuff the extra pirate lore in there, with the "code" stuff, the French girl in disguise, the earrings, etc. Overall I give them massive kudos for what is certainly the coolest pirate footage/show/reenactment I've ever seen on big or small screen. 4 Skulls!! Btw, is it just me or did they use the same sloop for all the sloops featured, then just splice 'em together digitally? I tivoed it so I'll have to recheck. Heck I'll be watching this alot, so much of it is so beautiful!

Maybe it was just a noisemaker?

Out yer tompions, prime yer tivos and vcrs....woohoo!!

"ROD...TOD....THIS IS GOD....." Hey I think Kidd and Avery, Israel Hands, etc... would all tell us that trying to look like a pirate while going ashore might not be the best idea.

The word toutpie is an early forerunner of the word toupee. And it must be a style, though just what that style is has me stumped. I'm picturing some bizarre comb-over...

I got one just like that at Disneyworld when I was a kid. Except back then they were better as the stocks were real wood with a nice stained finish. They also weren't required to put those ghastly orange cappers on the barrel either. Ahhh they don't make 'em like they used ta! Still, I give them props for still making them. That's cool!

Here's a great place to start: Gentlemen of Fortune Granted it's not a commercial site with stuff to purchase, but if you study these pages you'll know what not to buy if you really are after an authentic kit. From there, a good place to get started buying some stuff would be Jas. Townsend or Godwin. Those sites are generally geared toward the French & Indian wars and Revolution, but there IS some stuff on there appropriate for the GAOP. Ultimately your best bet will be to make your own stuff from period correct patterns with period correct materials. Best of luck to ya!

Heck, it's always play time in the pub! I see no one poking fun at anybody...I see no one intimidating anybody. Nobody is saying "this is what you have to wear". The thought that ANYONE could decree what is "acceptable and what's not" is laughable. Do you really see anyone here cutting such a wide swath as that? On the contrary, I think the fine posters here on both sides of the various issues have gone out their way to state the obvious: If you like wearing something in particular, wear it. You don't have to justify it or make excuses for it. It's all about fun. For some folks that means having a good time at the faire and accuracy be damned, for others the good time comes from that quest for accuracy. Did I miss the meeting that said we had to choose just one and stick with it forever? Who's to say you couldn't go to a true re-enactor event one weekend, then strap on the boots, bandana & four foot sash and hit the faire the following weekend? One thing I can tell you, is that you'll probably spend more $$ putting together that fantasy kit vs. the less glamourous and more accurate kit. If reading some information forces you to rethink what you wanted to believe about history, what's so bad about that? And just because an item may not ever have actually been used, worn or coveted by pirates doesn't mean it's no longer "Acceptable" for faire-wear. It sounds like that's what you're getting at. All I can say is just have fun, do what feels right for you.

Great news! Can't wait for it.

The more I think about it, the more I think that the whole "pirates wore bucket boots" thing must have started with the popularity of pirate-themed plays in the 19th century. Because at that time, sailors WERE wearing boots of various types, and somehow it found it's way on stage and into pop culture forever. Howard Pyle probably saw some of these shows, which no doubt influenced his work later on, which got handed down to Schoonover and Wyeth, and has been passed on ever since.

Maybe some kind of glue-like substance? Almost a shellac?

I wonder if it was merely a flat brimmed basic hat, cut from this glazed leather. I haven't really come across this description anywhere else. The elders that gave the author this info were mainly relating stuff from 1730 right thru the Revolution.

Many thanks Sam!