Thanks for all the info chaps - fascinating stuff!
I think I'll stick with the white
cravate for the regiment I'm doing (d'Humiere's) unless anybody knows differently. I'll try and add one to the Colonel's colour as well - at the minute I've only painted up the
Ordonnance colour.
I'm tempted to do the tassels ( which have ended up quite short any how) in maybe the lace colours for the musicians suggested in Mark Allen's article, for this regiment - black and white. Admittedly he does say that these colours are drawn by inference from references to a Cavalry regiment of d'Humieres, but I've painted up the drummer already with this lace, in the suggested yellow livery.
Interesting about the GdF references and the idea that the cords were used from the early 17th c. In my role of Elder Sergeant in the ECW re-enactment regiment I'm in, I'm often near the colours whilst on parade or on the march. One of our Ensigns was discussing with me the other month the idea of getting cords for his Colours. He was going to check his sources, so if we find anything for mid 17thc (ie 1642-1651), I'll let people know - obviously not a direct reference to specific regiment, but it could be a suggestion of common or general practice for 17th c colours.
On a practical note, it might be the case that the cords were wrapped up or - out the way whilst the colours were being flown fully and this is what is being shown on any illustrations. Our own ensigns often flourish their colours with counter-balanced short flagpoles (authentic for the period), and some more experienced practitioners can even throw the colours in the air and catch them again. Maybe the cords got in the way if they were let out to their full length? It's bad enough standing on the battlefield with your view obscured by the material of the colours covering your face ( and it would be disrespectful if anyone other than the Ensigns moved it away
), but to have cords or tassels flapping around during salutes, or when flourishing flags, might be even worse!!
Re-enactment sometimes gets a bad press, but it does give a clue to the practicalities of doing various period military activities that historians sometimes might not have insight to!
Once again - cheers! I'll try and get a finished picture of the colours on the blog soon.
Andy
http://haveacare.blogspot.co.uk/