Being a uniform and flag design service to wargamers and to the imaginary crowned heads of 17th and 18th Century Europe, especially of the Seven Years War period - now By Appointment to the Court of Saxe-Bearstein! (But please note that the uniforms and flags presented here are not fictional - they are genuine 17th and 18th Century uniforms and flags that are as authentic as I can make them from my sources.)
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Thursday, 25 October 2007
Coming soon...
A hussar of Prussian regiment no.2 von Zieten. I know not many people wanted a new hussar (or hussars, as there are great differences in detail amongst SYW hussar uniforms) but I thought I'd please myself for a change (and the very few others who were also interested). :-)
The illustration above from the NYPL Digital Gallery shows the uniform of the 2nd with a hussar on the left and an officer on the right. It's a fiddly uniform to do so will take a while to finish but I now feel somewhat embarrassed by the relative crudeness of the generic hussar I first did so very rapidly. Little did I then suspect that I'd be turning out so many SYW templates in the next few months.
I'm sure the hussar(s) will also be useful to people once they get used to the idea... ;-) They've always been some of my favourite uniforms - so wonderfully theatrical!
Thanks, Ed.. I started editing the old hussar template but eventually realised it was going to be better to start a new one from scratch. It will, hopefully, be much better than the old one - and a new basis for quite a few variations, as luckily most hussar uniforms are just "variations on a theme". :-)
Thanks, Jeff. I'm very pleased that people do find them useful. Without the positive feedback (and yours has always been most encouraging - indeed I'm sure you are the number 1 encourager!) I would have stopped long ago!
David, "I now feel somewhat embarrassed by the relative crudeness of the generic hussar I first did": a very, very relative crudeness, which did not prevent it to be perhaps the most successful / used of yoyr telokates so far!
But please and above all, DO the templates you WISH to draw. When a hobby turns to a work, it loses all interest; and since currently you are doing 'forced work' AND for free...
Thanks, yes; you are probably right about the hussar template being the most used! I hadn't really thought of it quite like that... ;-)
I'm not going to post another poll asking what people might like for a while - so I can let myself do exactly what I want instead. :-)
I've just scrapped the first attempt at a new hussar template as it simply didn't look right. It's particularly tricky with the hussar template to get a pose that reveals as much as possible of the complex uniform details. So - on to the next attempt!
David, As a (refreshing, relaxing) break in the drawing historical uniforms, what about one that, while *not* fictitious, was never worn? «East Riding Militia» (the Bishop of Uber Gruntshuffen) started a thread on the 18th Century Discussion Message Board about the uniform of de Saxe’s ‘daydreamed’ Legion. The information gathered is very scarce, but I found on the web a passage of the book. I quote here the part relevant to uniforms: "Article 2: Of Clothing Troops Our dress is not only expensive, but inconvenient, no part of it being made to answer the end required. The love of appearance prevails over the regard due to health, which is one of the grand points demanding our attention. <> In the field, the hair is a filthy ornament for a soldier, and after once the rainy season is set in, his head can hardly be ever dry. His clothes don't serve to cover his body, and in regard to his feet, they with stockings and shoes rot in a manner together, not having wherewithal to change; and provided he has, it can be of little signification, because presently afterward, he must be in the same condition again; thus, as may be naturally supposed, he is soon sent to the hospital. White garters are only fit for a review, and spoil in washing; they are also inconvenient, hurtful, of no real use, and very expensive. The hat soon loses its shape, is not strong enough to resist the rains and hard usage of a campaign, but presently wears out; and if a man, overpowered perhaps by fatigue, lies down, it falls off his head, so that sleeping with it uncovered and exposed to dews or bad weather, he is the day following in a fever. I would have a soldier wear his hair short, and be furnished with a small wig either grey or black and made of Spanish lambskin, which he should put on in bad weather. This wig will resemble the natural head of hair so well, as to render it almost impossible to distinguish the difference, will fit extremely well, when properly made, cost but about twenty pence, and last during his whole life. It will be also very warm, prevent colds and fluxes, and give quite a good air. Instead of the hat, I would recommend a HELMET made after the Roman model, which will be no heavier, be far from inconvenient, protect the head against the stroke of a saber, and appear extremely ornamental.
In regard to his clothing, he should have a WAISTCOAT somewhat larger than common with a small one under it in the nature of a short doublet and a Turkish cloak with a hood to it. These cloaks cover a man completely and don't contain above two ells and a half of cloth; consequently, are both light and cheap."
Unfortunately, despite a repeated Google, no image of the illustrations of the 1st edition turned out; well, anyway, one cannot be sure that –on a posthumous and perhaps apocryphal book- they really reflected de Saxe’s ‘vision’.
At the level of the torso, there would be some similarity with the early British light infantry in Canada, with the sleeves of the (discarded) [great]coat sewed to the waistcoat –but without the British ‘shoulder wings’. Or to French FIW infantrymen / ‘marines’ in campaign dress (or even Russian foot in waistcoat). Yet the waistcoat would be slightly larger, with the shorter one worn below. At least that's how I visually 'translate' the text. Some troops under hot / tropical climate wore such ‘shortened’ versions of coat + waistcoat, e.g. the officers of the ‘Lapiots de Gorée’.
Now, even more ‘exotic’, what about the uniform initially planned for the Uhlans of ‘Saxe-Volontaires’? The royal ‘ordonnance’ of 1743 described the "Regiment <> constituted of 6 'brigades' of 160 men under a rotmeister, with 64 Volontaires with lance, mailshirt and mace in Tartar dress, and 64 Pacolets also called 'dragons'". Sapin-Ligneres in ‘Les Troupes Legeres de l’Ancien Regime: les Corsaires du Roi de l’Armée de Terre’ quotes (following Lenhart & Humbert) the 1st uniform of the Volontaires as: A simare or long tunic Tartar-fashion, green lined red, with very short slit sleeves edged in red; a red waistcoat; a green baggy trouser with a red scalloped stripe on the side and edged red in the lower extremity; a red belt-sach; hungarian boots; a pointed gren over red cap; a small pouch in natural leather. If L&H –or any other- published an immustration corresponding to this description, I was unable to digg it out…
Good enough units to ‘serve and defend’ Tippelbruder, so well-known for its creativity in all matters related to uniforms?
Cheers, Jean-Louis
PS: now that you have pubmished the Grassin, I *have* to try & color the template in the colors of the Carabiniers de Monte-Cristo: with a green plume! If I lack the competence &/or software, I'll do it as «East Riding Militia» or, more recently Mike Cannon....
Thanks for the interesting idea. Once I've completed the new hussar I'll certainly think hard about trying the Saxe uniforms - they'll indeed be a very speculative attempt! It's a pity, given that I really like to have something visual to work with, that there is no easily available contemporary illustration of what they might possibly have been like. Well, at least, however they turn out, no-one can really criticise their lack of authenticity! ;-)
If you'd like me to modify the Grassin plume so you can colour it green, let me know; it wouldn't be very much work. If you specify the shape of plume you would like if you want something different from what it is now, it would be very helpful.
Hussars, hussars, hussars. . . (pant, pant). Did I tell you I like hussars? ;-) One can never have too many examples of hussar uniform in their archives!
About the 1st uniform (if it was really worn) of the de Saxe-Volontaires, illo 4 p.39 of the Funcken's 'Lace Wars' vol.2 is an attempt of visualization, but the basis of the cap should be red, I'm not certain the upper part would be hanging (though my knowledge of 18th C. Lithuanian Tatar headgear is null, I confess), and chiefly the mailshirt is missing!
Sorry - I managed to miss this last comment of yours. I'll have to blame the chaos caused by the XP meltdown! I'll have a look at that image; thanks for the reference.
Saturday 6th June 2020 I've decided to allow comments from Anonymous Users but I'll still be moderating posts, as I'm sure the spam will probably flood in now! We'll see...
Suit yourself! ;-)
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, you have provided a great service and deserve doing some templates for your own enjoyment.
Thanks, FB! :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm sure the hussar(s) will also be useful to people once they get used to the idea... ;-) They've always been some of my favourite uniforms - so wonderfully theatrical!
David.
They are indeed theatrical. I'm sure your new templates will be wonderful.
ReplyDeleteThanks,
Ed
David, your templates have helped many of us to think about how to uniform our troops . . . and given us lots of fun as we play with colors.
ReplyDeleteAgain, I along with many others, salute your for your excellent contribution to the enjoyment of our hobby.
Thank you!
-- Jeff
Thanks, Ed.. I started editing the old hussar template but eventually realised it was going to be better to start a new one from scratch. It will, hopefully, be much better than the old one - and a new basis for quite a few variations, as luckily most hussar uniforms are just "variations on a theme". :-)
ReplyDeleteDavid.
Thanks, Jeff. I'm very pleased that people do find them useful. Without the positive feedback (and yours has always been most encouraging - indeed I'm sure you are the number 1 encourager!) I would have stopped long ago!
ReplyDeleteDavid.
David,
ReplyDelete"I now feel somewhat embarrassed by the relative crudeness of the generic hussar I first did": a very, very relative crudeness, which did not prevent it to be perhaps the most successful / used of yoyr telokates so far!
But please and above all, DO the templates you WISH to draw. When a hobby turns to a work, it loses all interest; and since currently you are doing 'forced work' AND for free...
Compliments,
Jean-Louis
Hi Jean-Louis,
ReplyDeleteThanks, yes; you are probably right about the hussar template being the most used! I hadn't really thought of it quite like that... ;-)
I'm not going to post another poll asking what people might like for a while - so I can let myself do exactly what I want instead. :-)
I've just scrapped the first attempt at a new hussar template as it simply didn't look right. It's particularly tricky with the hussar template to get a pose that reveals as much as possible of the complex uniform details. So - on to the next attempt!
Thanks again for your encouraging comments.
All the best,
David.
David,
ReplyDeleteAs a (refreshing, relaxing) break in the drawing historical uniforms, what about one that, while *not* fictitious, was never worn?
«East Riding Militia» (the Bishop of Uber Gruntshuffen) started a thread on the 18th Century Discussion Message Board about the uniform of de Saxe’s ‘daydreamed’ Legion. The information gathered is very scarce, but I found on the web a passage of the book. I quote here the part relevant to uniforms:
"Article 2: Of Clothing Troops
Our dress is not only expensive, but inconvenient, no part of it being made to answer the end required. The love of appearance prevails over the regard due to health, which is one of the grand points demanding our attention.
<>
In the field, the hair is a filthy ornament for a soldier, and after once the rainy season is set in, his head can hardly be ever dry. His clothes don't serve to cover his body, and in regard to his feet, they with stockings and shoes rot in a manner together, not having wherewithal to change; and provided he has, it can be of little signification, because presently afterward, he must be in the same condition again; thus, as may be naturally supposed, he is soon sent to the hospital. White garters are only fit for a review, and spoil in washing; they are also inconvenient, hurtful, of no real use, and very expensive. The hat soon loses its shape, is not strong enough to resist the rains and hard usage of a campaign, but presently wears out; and if a man, overpowered perhaps by fatigue, lies down, it falls off his head, so that sleeping with it uncovered and exposed to dews or bad weather, he is the day following in a fever.
I would have a soldier wear his hair short, and be furnished with a small wig either grey or black and made of Spanish lambskin, which he should put on in bad weather. This wig will resemble the natural head of hair so well, as to render it almost impossible to distinguish the difference, will fit extremely well, when properly made, cost but about twenty pence, and last during his whole life. It will be also very warm, prevent colds and fluxes, and give quite a good air.
Instead of the hat, I would recommend a HELMET made after the Roman model, which will be no heavier, be far from inconvenient, protect the head against the stroke of a saber, and appear extremely ornamental.
In regard to his clothing, he should have a WAISTCOAT somewhat larger than common with a small one under it in the nature of a short doublet and a Turkish cloak with a hood to it. These cloaks cover a man completely and don't contain above two ells and a half of cloth; consequently, are both light and cheap."
Unfortunately, despite a repeated Google, no image of the illustrations of the 1st edition turned out; well, anyway, one cannot be sure that –on a posthumous and perhaps apocryphal book- they really reflected de Saxe’s ‘vision’.
At the level of the torso, there would be some similarity with the early British light infantry in Canada, with the sleeves of the (discarded) [great]coat sewed to the waistcoat –but without the British ‘shoulder wings’. Or to French FIW infantrymen / ‘marines’ in campaign dress (or even Russian foot in waistcoat). Yet the waistcoat would be slightly larger, with the shorter one worn below. At least that's how I visually 'translate' the text. Some troops under hot / tropical climate wore such ‘shortened’ versions of coat + waistcoat, e.g. the officers of the ‘Lapiots de Gorée’.
Now, even more ‘exotic’, what about the uniform initially planned for the Uhlans of ‘Saxe-Volontaires’? The royal ‘ordonnance’ of 1743 described the "Regiment <> constituted of 6 'brigades' of 160 men under a rotmeister, with 64 Volontaires with lance, mailshirt and mace in Tartar dress, and 64 Pacolets also called 'dragons'".
Sapin-Ligneres in ‘Les Troupes Legeres de l’Ancien Regime: les Corsaires du Roi de l’Armée de Terre’ quotes (following Lenhart & Humbert) the 1st uniform of the Volontaires as: A simare or long tunic Tartar-fashion, green lined red, with very short slit sleeves edged in red; a red waistcoat; a green baggy trouser with a red scalloped stripe on the side and edged red in the lower extremity; a red belt-sach; hungarian boots; a pointed gren over red cap; a small pouch in natural leather.
If L&H –or any other- published an immustration corresponding to this description, I was unable to digg it out…
Good enough units to ‘serve and defend’ Tippelbruder, so well-known for its creativity in all matters related to uniforms?
Cheers,
Jean-Louis
PS: now that you have pubmished the Grassin, I *have* to try & color the template in the colors of the Carabiniers de Monte-Cristo: with a green plume! If I lack the competence &/or software, I'll do it as «East Riding Militia» or, more recently Mike Cannon....
Hi Jean-Louis,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the interesting idea. Once I've completed the new hussar I'll certainly think hard about trying the Saxe uniforms - they'll indeed be a very speculative attempt! It's a pity, given that I really like to have something visual to work with, that there is no easily available contemporary illustration of what they might possibly have been like. Well, at least, however they turn out, no-one can really criticise their lack of authenticity! ;-)
If you'd like me to modify the Grassin plume so you can colour it green, let me know; it wouldn't be very much work. If you specify the shape of plume you would like if you want something different from what it is now, it would be very helpful.
All the best,
David.
Hello David,
ReplyDeleteHussars, hussars, hussars. . . (pant, pant). Did I tell you I like hussars? ;-) One can never have too many examples of hussar uniform in their archives!
Best Regards,
Stokes
Hi Stokes,
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely - I couldn't agree more! :-)
The new hussar template version 2 is coming along well now - I just (ha!) have to put in all the Prussian Regiment 2 details.
All the best,
David.
About the 1st uniform (if it was really worn) of the de Saxe-Volontaires, illo 4 p.39 of the Funcken's 'Lace Wars' vol.2 is an attempt of visualization, but the basis of the cap should be red, I'm not certain the upper part would be hanging (though my knowledge of 18th C. Lithuanian Tatar headgear is null, I confess), and chiefly the mailshirt is missing!
ReplyDeleteJean-Louis
Hi Jean-Louis,
ReplyDeleteSorry - I managed to miss this last comment of yours. I'll have to blame the chaos caused by the XP meltdown! I'll have a look at that image; thanks for the reference.
All the best,
David.