Cockades For A Tricorn

[Captain Midnight]

They appear to be cockades, to me, mate. Most especially the one in the second picture. Can't really make out the exact form of the first one, though.

[blackjohn]

Damn my eyes... is that thing on the 1696 picture a cockade? It kind of looks like a plume (or something that is attached on the crown and dripping over?)

And the 1710 pic. Are you sure he's not coming back from a late night party with some sorty of 18th C lampshade on his head?

I've spent most of my free time in the last couple days looking at period illustrations of guys in hats (I have ten books sitting in front of me as I write this), going back to, the 1660s I believe, and ending about mid-17teens. Most of the period illustrations were from or about "the War."

The first cockade is a very fancy/loopy ribbon. It is worth noting that this image is of a musketeer from the Gardes Francaises. They were issued a new uniform in 1685, a uniform with lots of ribbons. My sources say the uniform was basically unchanged until the end of Loius XIV's reign.

The second figure sports what I believe to be a little more typical. Instead of a "bow-tie" type of cockade, he wears a rosette. Not too outlandish. I've seen at least one more illustration of French soldiers with rosette cockades.

While researching, there are two things I've noticed that I don't believe I noticed before. The cockade, whatever form it takes, sits pretty far up on the hat, I'd give a rough estimate of at least 3/4 of the way up, if not higher. Also, when a hat has a button, the norm seems to be one, on the left (makes sense, if military drill is anything like RevWar). I don't believe I've seen a hat in a period illo with two buttons, or just one on the right. Yet.

[julius27]

Me wife an' I each 'ave a cockade on our cocked hats. Hers is what I refer to as a "rosette" or rose cockade. Mine is a bow. The rosette cin be made jes' by takin' a bit o' ribbon (couple o' inches should be plenty) an' stitchin' along one edge an' pullin' the ends o' the stitch so's it turns in a circle. Then ye cin put a button er some such through it. The bow's a bit more trouble.

[Gentleman of Fortune]

Thanks John... don't you just love these little "tasks" you get form the pub (or other pirate forums)?

To me the second picture's hat almost looks upside down... maybe its the picture or (again, damn my eyes) the angle but... sheesh.

I guess I am the kind of person that only sees the vase and not the two people kissing in the picture....

Anyway, good work.

Now, any pictures of hats on civilian/sailors (not military soldiers in uniform?) from 1690-1720?

GoF

[blackjohn]

Thanks John... don't you just love these little "tasks" you get form the pub (or other pirate forums)?

Actually, yes, I do. I like to think that I can help someone. Maybe multiple someones. And maybe, if I'm lucky, I can learn something at the same time.

To me the second picture's hat almost looks upside down... maybe its the picture or (again, damn my eyes) the angle but...  sheesh.

Funny. It does look a bit queer. Having a copy of it in a book might make a difference. I believe my copy is a little more clear. But just a little.

Now, any pictures of hats on civilian/sailors (not military soldiers in uniform?) from 1690-1720?

Actually, I've seen more than a few, going both up and down the social scale. It's funny how many versions of "shapeless hat" are out there. And how many sailors just seem to be wearing some sort of stocking cap. But I don't think that is saying anything new.

[Rumba Rue]

I did loop type cockades for the sides of my hat (yes I know I 'spruced' them up and they aren't 'period' per say).

There's pearl headed pins inside the loops holding it in place on the hat.

[Captain Midnight]

Many thanks for your research, John. It looks as though the rosette cockade (which is what I truly favored first) is a safe addition to my hat.

Rumba, that is an awesome hat, very nice work! :)

[Rumba Rue]

Rumba, that is an awesome hat, very nice work!  :) 

Thank you!

I found that hat at a Thrift Store for $2.00. I found a belt (way cheap) that virtually matched it at another, and put it around as a band which works to tighen it so it fits my head.

[portagee]

OK this night the back is not so ill feeling from being to long hunched over the keyboard and squinting at the monator to see just what if anything is on that guys hat.

This is what I have come to think and curious as to what ye think.

The first picture you posted Black John looked like a plume to me as well ,spilling out over the brim. Then the more I squinted the more it looked to be a knot, as you pointed out very high up, maybe on the brim and perhaps tassels?

The cockade as we are thinking of it (should it have existed in another time that I am not aware of) didn't come about till late 1600's when the hat brim got floppy in a 3 muskiteerish way. The cockade was mainly ribbon it seems in a bow, knot or combonation of the two.

Then from the paintings and drawings I have seen, something I was not expecting. I am under the impression the cockade went out of fashion

**this is not to say it was not used by any means** they were, but for the time period of say 1703 to 1715-20 maybe, It looks like a simple button would do. if anything was used at all.

And here I agree with you Black John, I wondered myself why so many of the guys I was seeing were painted from the right when the cockade was on the left. One painting was of a concert , there were troops in the foreground (and if I recall correctly the only ones with hats on (this also surprised me)) only one was faceing to his left and he had a very rev war looking bow. This made me think that perhaps it is because a cockade was of no particular fashion interest to the painter. Just my thought.

The hat would often be turned up on its own in a formed that way fashion. They seem to be often turned up in the front also. Is this the applepastie I have heard of? I have never seen a picture to go with the term. This would seem to make sense in my opinion since the brim shrunk back down in size. The NEED for a cockade was not really there ... so why have that big droopy bow hanging off yer hat?

This was a time when civilian fashion followed the military style of the day was it not? But as I said this is not to say cockades were not used. I mean Blackbeard was fond of tieing bows in his beard and hair was he not? So not at all surprising if he chose to put one on his hat.

It seems clear by the 1730's the cockade was back in style be that military political or what have you.

[blackjohn]

While combing through that stack of books (which eventually became 17 total... mostly Osprey... since they often have period pics) I found a guy dated circa 1588 wearing one of those very tall hats, cocked to the... front, or side, I forget which. It had a jeweled hat pin holding it up. The whole thing was very reminiscent of a later period cocked hat held up with a button. However, I know next to nothing about the Armada period, so all I can say is, I've seen a pic of a guy from the London Trayned Band wearing a very tall sort of cocked hat.

With that, to me there seems to be a "natural" progression in hat decorations from the broad-brimmed with a band and some sort of flourish to a cocked hat with some sort of ribbon or cockade.

How often pirates wore these, if ever, is... a matter of speculation.

[Swashbuckler 1700]

For period cockades I have few pics

These are not real cockades but someting quite like it or are they?....

and good old England from 1725