Thursday, September 18, 2014

McCall 5040 - Man's Pirate Costume



Early 1930s.  Another nice color illustration from McCall, very likely by the same illustrator who did our deadly handsome Spanish Gentleman.

Pirate movies seem to have been popular from the dawn of the film age - D.W. Griffith made one in 1909.  I'm not as knowledgeable about pirate movies of the 1920s and 1930s as I perhaps ought to be, so I can't tell if this gentleman is drawn from anybody specific.  Victor Fleming directed an adaptation of Treasure Island in 1934, about when this pattern was issued.

However, I think that McCall's pirate is close kin to Howard Pyle's elegant pirates in his Book of Pirates.  I suspect many gentlemen of the 1930s (forced by their wives to attend charity costume balls) would have known and loved Pyle's book when they were small boys swinging through the rigging of apple trees in their back yards.  (I highly recommend visiting the Project Gutenberg edition so that you can see all of Pyle's wonderful work.)


This printed pattern does not appear to have been used.  Note that the pattern includes pieces for not only the trousers, shirt, and vest, but also for the sash, kerchief, and splendidly floppy hat.

Happy Talk Like A Pirate Day, everybody!

4 comments:

Rozy Lass said...

Wonderful pattern! Much better looking than today's. Thanks for sharing, are you going to make it up for Halloween?

andrea.at.the.blue.door said...

I don't think I'll make this up for Hallowe'en, though that silly hat is very tempting.

Little Black Car said...

I love old costume patterns--always such an odd mix of "historical" and contemporary (for the decade in which they were published). 1929 Dutch girl costume . . . with dropped waist. I might make this some day--who knows?

Unknown said...

andrea, here is Irina from Moscow.
Thanks a lot for your blog! One of the best, as vintage sewing is concerned, tо my mind.
You are truely generous. So much of rare information, vintage patterns, your thoughts and your works - everything extremely interesting.
All the best to you and you family, waiting for your new works, considerations and... patterns, of course:)
Irina