Audio tour 5. How did the Blackheads dress?

So, we end our tour of the House of Blackheads. We get an idea of ​​how they lived, but what did they look like? The Russian poet Sluchevsky, in his book “Across the North-West of Russia,” published at the end of the 19th century (and he traveled in 1884-1888), wrote: “black tailcoats with black boots. A folding cocked hat under the armpit and a sword in a steel frame at the hip - clothes, generally reminiscent of the wigs of the salon gentlemen of the time, round figs and black flies. There are currently 25 of them, necessarily single and not nobles.” This means that the Blackheads wore black clothes and black boots or shoes. You were supposed to wear a sword. The headdress is a cocked hat or, as it is also called, a tricorn. The three-cornered hat was very popular not only among military personnel, but also among civilians. It was small in size and could be folded without any problems, if necessary, according to etiquette, placed under the arm and used (i.e. waved) while bowing to representatives of the upper class. Apart from the nobles, only the Blackheads were allowed to carry a sword (and later a sword) in the city, not only at night on guard, but also during the day, and members of the Brotherhood were highly respected in society, being on the social ladder only one step below the merchants of the Great Guild. When Blackhead got married, he left the brotherhood, but all his life he could provide financial support to his former home, give advice, and make deals at a discount. In their lifestyle, they were to a certain extent reminiscent of the military, since by traveling and delivering exotic overseas goods, they were able to protect their ships and caravans from pirates and robbers. They earned a lot, dressed well, organized colorful holidays in the city, participated in tournaments, filled the churches of Riga with expensive altars and luxurious shops, and also decorated their feasts with expensive silverware. It was thanks to this public way of life that they found their special place in the very extensive Riga society. After receiving the rights of a burgher and starting a family, members of the Brotherhood of Blackheads became part of the elite of Riga's patricians, members of the Town Hall and the Great Guild, as well as respectable members of the city community. And in 1895, the Blackheads Society ceased its activities as an estate corporation and became a German merchant club.