BILLY BONES

I don't blame "Hollywood" for not putting on the topmasts. They knew that they'd be adding them later. It's the manufacturers of the model I blame.

Why does everyone who builds a Black Pearl model, refuse to make the masts their full functional heighth? They seem to always copy the Pearl built for the film WHICH PURPOSELY HAD NO TOP MASTS ---those were put in later with CGI. You would think that if you were going to tool up for something you wanted to charge that much for, you'd do a little research.

Don't forget about BUFF leather as well. It was certainly around during the 17th and 18th centuries.

I think I have you all beat. I have a period correct neck cloth made in France from original 18th century patterns that I bought in 1978. If someone has one older, it would almost be original! Unfortunately, I am considerably older than most of you too.

It's been a few weeks since I read it. Liked it for the most part, but didn't much enjoy his fictional character. And you're right, the odd reference to Blackbeard in the middle of a book about bucaniers threw me a bit. I guess he figured people would relate better, but it seems to add misconception onto misconception.

It's also interesting that all the leatherwork appears to be buff, and that the blanket on the left has a veritable panoply of the fabled stainless steel pirate katana Pat is yearning for. Proof once again, of Pat's uncanny research skills.

Other than being much taller than this painting would indicate, it's also interesting that his holsters appear to have flaps to protect the cocks, rather than the standard extended and flared holster.

I worked in a gunshop in California for 13 years, and sold nothing but flintlocks and caplocks. This was years ago, but you still had to be 21 and wait 15 days for a handgun whether it was flint or not. As far as the tip, that is mainly referring to Airsoft guns ( same size, action, and sometimes weight, as the real ones).

If you can't pay a lot, use Haentze ? Hat Crafters somewhere in PA. I know this place was mentioned somewhere here before. They have a cheap "pilgrim" hat (English Civil War) that works well if tarred or stiffened in some way. We're not talkin' great quality, but with some work, they can look pretty good.

Thanks darlin' Bess. Skull Pyrate Carter found it on a photo site.

As with any dragoon or cavalry troops in the 18th and 19th centuries, the right hand was always for the sword or saber. The left for the pistol or revolver. Of course, in the 18th and early 19th, only pommel holsters were used. Not that pirates necessarily gave a crap. Now having been an armorer on 2 & 3, I can tell you that the actors probably drew with the left out of conveniance at the time, although Barbossa liked to wear his pistol for a lefty draw. I believe Johnny wore his glove so that the audience would ask just such questions as you're asking. It gives a small history or backstory,-- oh--- and it looks cool.

14. 3 Chinese, 3 Islamic, 8 European

One of the most sought after bits of plunder from most Spanish ships was their Waggoner, as it had a wealth of info on coastlines, careening spots, etc., and the Brethren sought them out when boarding a Spanish vessel.

I wouldn't read too much into the flags. I drew a few "known" ensigns, and a few made-up ones, and Gore picked the ones he liked. Those were the ones I made. In the original script, Blackbeard, Roberts, etc. were all to be pirate lords, but since the script was being hashed out as we filmed, this all changed. In reality, while researching descriptions from first hand accounts, it has become clear that some of the flags I.D.ed as certain pirate's ensigns by the Maritime Museum weren't necessarily so. It also appears that several pirates borrowed designs from each other. If Gore wanted a flag for a certain ship, that's the one we used. The Lords were more composites than anything.

The "sparrow" isn't quite right on the large ensign. I drew the original, and the sparrow was copied from Johnny's tatoo. I'm sure you can find a good pic of that.

Saw it last nite in a kind of pre-screening. Pretty cool! I can't say much now though.

I've made several of these in a pinch. A large caliber lead ball can be hammered into shape on a vice or anvil. They work just fine!

The 2 pistols made from Johnny's were excellent, especially when aged to match the finish of the original. Unfortunately, when I was packing the pistols to leave the Bahamas and return to L.A., one of the copies fell, and broke along the grain of the grip. By the way, at least through the Bahamas, Johnny never shot the copies, only the original. I'm sure that changed for the last part of the film. I wasn't there for that.

From what I remember, the trinkets weren't anything too hard to come up with. I don't want to tell what they are, but most are common everyday pirate items.

Yikes! and other piratical expressions. I was born on the California coast, and every weekend, my dad would take his lavish yacht (16' CrisCraft) to Catalina, with me hanging on watching pilot whales bump the boat. When we weren't going there, I was hangin' at the Long Beach Marina feeling ill from the fishy smell combined with gas fumes. Ah, the good life. I was fortunate to live where we did, because I got to be one of the first kids to ride Pirates of the Caribbean. Hell, I was always playing pirate anyway. As I recall, I must have gone on that ride 5 times a month. I could do all the voices and knew all the lines. I can remember three Halloweens when I wasn't a pirate (in my life, and I'm 54). One of those years, I was Poseidon or Neptune, depending on your orientation. Then, I discovered rum, and I don't remember much else. Working at a flintlock store for 13 years, the movie industry for 30, Knott's Berry Farm (I actually created the first Halloween Haunt), working on POTC, and a bunch of pirate related stuff in there about sums it up.

Just out of curiousity, why, with the huge pirate population in the northwest, has Disney not scheduled such an event in the northwest anywhere? Portland, Seattle, SOMEWHERE? BB

Sweet Merry, What a beautiful child! I could think of nothing less, with you as Gramma. I know you've got to be proud! Congratulations, Madam Death

I have 2 period sea chests made along the same lines as the slant-sided chest in the earlier painting. Unfortunately, I still haven't figured out how to post pics. Both are painted with blue milkpaint, dovetailed, and have becket attachments, but no beckets. Both have a flat top, not only for stacking, but for a work space. Both have dings and wear on their lids from use as a "table". The wonderful thing about one of them, is that it has paintings on the sides of various types of fish and sea mammals painted in a delicate 18th century style. They're hard to make out in some cases, but really well done. I'm assuming that no decorative painting was ever on the top, because it would wear off from use. Both also have decided salt-water damage on their bottoms, and about two inches up the sides. I found both in odd places-- one in Santa Fe, N.M., and one in an antique store in Salem, Oregon --- being used to hold dried flowers.

This is somewhat off subject, and it's already benn stated, but this all reminds me of a western I was working on. I walked by a Sheriff's office on set, and the on-set painter was aging down all the reward posters I'd just put up. "Why are you doing that?" I asked. "Because this is taking place in the old west" was his reply. "It's not the old west now". Why are you aging a musical instrument again?

OK, Mr. Tar, much better!