Speaking of Tricorns....

[Gentleman of Fortune]

I had the great hard-drive failure of 2004 right before christmas and lost (never made a back up) all of my jpgs of original paintings etc of pirate stuff that I had gleaned from the net....

But anyway, I am trying to hunt down some info (hopefully photos of originals) on Tricorns for 1690-1720. I know that lots of "vendors" sell their version of a tricorn but most folks that do cater to F&I and Am Rev re-enactors.

So what are the differences between a 1776 tricorn and a 1702 tricorn? This is meant to include triming, feathrers, cockades etc.

Also, the ones that I have come across lately (later 18th C) seem to be made from wool felt not felted wool (there is a difference).

Does anyone have anything to add? (or links to pics?)

Thanks

GoF

PS the difference is

felted wool is a woven wool textile that is felted

wool felt is matted wool (like dreadlocks... kind of)

[crimson corsair]

Check out this site,i hope they have the pics you need.there all in black and white.I referred to there pics on my last tri corn project

http://hatcrafters.com/page5.htm

[blackjohn]

Fwiw, and someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm fairly certain the term Tricorn is a Victorianism, and that during the period they were called either cocked hats or three-cornered hats.

[hurricane]

Here's about as authentic you can get, at least to the 1770s... It's on ebay as is the coat and vest...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...035&item=650982

Coat

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...041&item=650363

Vest & Shirt

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...951&item=496503

I just pulled the photos off for reference work in the future.

-- Hurricane

[Gentleman of Fortune]

Hurricane....

Can you e-mail me those photos... looks like E-bay pulled the listing as it is not accessible anymore.

Thanks for the heads up though!

GoF

[Gentleman of Fortune]

Correct John.... cocked hat!

Thanks for the heads up CC.... but I am really looking for pictures, descriptions of surviving examples.

The cocked hat was around for about 100 years and I am curious as to the desiticntion between early and late.

In the little research I have done, It seems that in the late 17th and early 18th Centuries, people did just about anything to their hats and that there were lots of different styles.....

But as far as the basic "hat" goes. It seems that there was a round crown and a sugar loaf style that they then "cocked". By the AM Rev, it seems that they were offsetting the hole for the head to make the hat shorter in the front (4") and longer in the back (6-7"). I am really curious if this was done earlier as well or ?

The basic hat blank that most companies sell seem to be the round crown that is roughly 5-51/2 " tall. Also, the wool that is used to make them generally seems to be a wool/rayon mix that is felted wool, not wool felt.

the research goes on.....

[hurricane]

They're consolidating the listing under a new number...

Here's the current URL for the jacket...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...6503637674&rd=1

The hat:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...6509822088&rd=1

I will post the photos in a bit in here for all to see.

-- Hurricane

[hurricane]

If all else fails, here's the link to the ebay store:

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZfinearts29mv

He also has a Revolutionary belt and powder horn listed as well as a Dragoon hat.

-- Hurricane

[jessie k.]

Now I'm curious: concerning wool felt, and felted wool, were they both authentic to the same time periods, or was one or the other, only, used during a certain time period?

[Gentleman of Fortune]

Jessie,

I am curious too. That is why I would love to see more original hats from our period.

With felted wool, its a cloth that has gone through the "fulling process". You can do this yourself. Throw a wool blanket in the wash machine on warm with a little soap and viola.

The fulling process (or what makes it felt) is the result of the individual strands of hair embeding themselves in other strands. Each strand of wool/hair is not smooth but has little finger like projections, the soap makes them open up a bit and helps them slide over each other "locking" them in.

With wool felt, you make layers of wool bats.... here is a visiual description of the process

If you start with a wool textille (wool fel, the end result is a more flexible felt. But if you start with chunks of wool or wool batts, the end result is a little stiffer and more suitable for a hat.

The few picutes I have seen would make me believe that the are wool felt, but these have been late 18th C Tricorn/Cocked Hat examples.

[HarborMaster]

Heads up ! I just found a couple of interesting links for nice quality Leather Tricorns., I am thinking about adding 1 of these to my collection.

Pirate Hats

Tricorns

[MadMike]

The correct term is "cocked hat". There are numerous pictures on the Costumer's Manifesto web site (and of course illustrated in Johnson's "Pyrates"- check out the pic's of Teach, Rackham, etc). Also the appropriate "Cries of Paris" "London" etc. should also help.

One difference I've seen is that most early cocked hats had a flat crown. This is easily steamed to shaped over a kettle of boiling water and a coffee can (or other cylindrical object).

Yours, &c.

Mike

[HarborMaster]

I have one from Excaliber and one more on the way. these are good quality if your are ok with leather.

I like it because it lasts and lasts and wont go limp in the rain.

[MadMike]

Harb,

I've never seen a source documenting a leather cocked hat (or tricorn as it's referred to today).

However, I do like how they replicated the style of Teach's hat as depicted in Johnson's history.

Haven't tried it, but for those with wool felt hats they can be stiffened as follows (courtesy of the Najecki Reproductions website)-

"Hat Stiffening

If your existing hat is becoming a bit droopy it can be renewed by:

· Let the brims down and brush out the loose dirt from the felt.

· Make a mixture of 1 part shellac (white or orange 3 lb cut) to 2 parts denatured alcohol.

· Liberally brush the mixture to one side of the felt. It should quickly absorb into the felt

· and not lay on the surface. Allow to dry thoroughly (about 8 hours).

· Repeat to other side of felt. Apply additional coats if desired."

Yours, &c.

Mike

[JoshuaRed]

Yeah, my theory is that whoever made up the idea of leather cocked hats was in fact looking at a picture of a tarred hat and mistook it for leather, thus the myth was born.

But like I said, it's just my halfbaked theory.

[HarborMaster]

Oh there is no mention by me of leather being authentic or not,, I just prefer them and believe they are superior in the sence of the material., I do this for fun. I am not an authentic re-enactor. But I do live in Washington (It rains alot here) and I like to where my hats sometimes daily for no particular reason even without the rest of the clothing for example.

I run my own Plumbing service (I have no boss I am it) therefore I might be seen around town in a carhart coat., a pair of dickies., and a leather tricorn., and I feel comfortable in it.

I get some strange looks., but its not bad doing a drainfield on a backhoe...

Why is it a 150 year old war hat a Civil War Kepi (Again should be wool-Mine however is leather) is accepted by the public and a 300 year old war hat is considered of of place? I dont know but I like it !!

That said most wouldnt know whether or not it is authentic except a re-enactor really or a historical buff .

I am very happy with it. All of mine are leather. I did buy one from Costumes period in Kent Washington which has a hand block leather crown., stretched thin and left the leather sort of brittle., an awesome hat with a not so awesome crown. I dont recommend blocking a leather crown.

[JoshuaRed]

HM that is very cool! Hell if I saw you hard at work wearing a cocked hat, I'd have to come over and give you props. After my last event I lazily left my cocked hat in the car for about a week, and was so tempted to pop it on and waltz into the grocery store with it.

I guess the kepi is more "normal" because in recent decades it's been associated with bikers and such.

[Kalum]

After my last event I lazily left my cocked hat in the car for about a week, and was so tempted to pop it on and waltz into the grocery store with it.

Aww ya should've mate! I try t' wear mine pretty much everywhere. I used t' wear one when I worked for Dominos. The reactions were great...had little kids callin' me the "Pizza Pirate"

[capnwilliam]

Whatever you call 'em and however they're made, they're damn confortable and practical to wear. I had one on all day a couple Saturdays back: shielded me from the sun, never felt heavy on my head, never once blew off or even started to wiggle in the wind!

:)

Capt. William

[Patrick Hand]

OK.... Its not a cocked hat.....

I don't like getting hit on the head by rain drops...... and the trees drip for so long after it stops raining, so I started wearing my tarplin hat. Dang... and because it came out so warm.... my pyrate sea coat.... Well everyone around town knows about "th' local pyrate...."

[lorien_stormfeather]

Handmade felted and treated hats by one of our Orygun Mates, MacKay!!

Captain Jack's Pirate Hats

Look for us in the gallery section cavorting on the Interceptor!