Colour Chart

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Introduction

When discussing about colours we always must have in mind:

1. That we cannot remember colours, so we have to describe them, we have to use synonyms or analogies (or nowadays colour-codes like RAL, Pantone, RGB, CMYK). The words chosen in the past are quite a really good hint: brick-red, jonquille-yellow, caput mortum, antwerpen-blue... Some libraries supply colour-guides or colour-atlas with numbered samples and comparatative lists of names used in the past. This is a rare but very good source, probably the second best after the own eye-whitness of real textiles or sample-books in museums.
2. In the second half of the 18th century some new colours appeared, following fashion-trends: bleu-mourant, pale green, pale pink, linzer-yellow - and of course they were chosen for distinguishing between the numerous regiments. Here fashion met practical military sense (this led to some of the most unusual but highly attractive designed colour-combinations).
3. Colouring varies because of the process, the result is the better the earlier in the process the colouring is done. Wool can be coloured as wool, as spinned reels and as woven textile, quality differs in respect to equality of results.
4. It was always a question of price, officers ordered much better textiles than privates because they could afford it. For the mass of soldiers in the 18th century much more cheaper quality textiles were brought. Regiment chief could save a lot of money! On the other hand, regiments tried to fit really good uniforms to their musicians, ensigns, NCOs....
5. Colours vary on different basic-materials: wool, linen, silk, cotton, and leather accept the colours in different ways. This results in differing appearance!
6. Unbleeched textiles (the natural tone) may change its colour after washing and exposure in sunlight. So there must have been differences in the appearance of a regiment with brand new uniforms in comparison to regiments wearing old uniforms in continuous service. This should be taken into account, especially with Austrian or French uniforms.
7. Some colour-groups in our culture are more common than others: we have only one word for the colours around orange but dozens of words describing all kinds of red and blue-tones. This may show how much cultural care was kept on this things in the past.
8. Contemporary dyeing processes did not fix colours very firmly and uniform colours tended to fade rather quickly.

Description

Here is an attempt to create a standardized color chart. Alternative names are noted in foreign languages, where possible. These will be organized by hues: reds, greens, yellows, blues, etc. Names are given in various languages, each language separated by a forward slash. Languages in order are English, then German, French, Spanish, etc.

A note on the color coordinates: these are for their appearance on cloth--usually wool--rather than on idealized web colors. The latter tend to be much too bright compared to real-life equivalents. This is notably the case with scarlet, though other brighter colors here also have this trend. It cannot be emphasized sufficiently that these are approximations. Some are based on actual illustrations--or even surviving uniforms--but these still fall under the issues noted above.

Reds

Colour name	Sample	Red	Green	Blue	Sources	notes
madder red/Krapprot/Garance/Encarnandas or Garanza		182	32	38	C. E. Franklin	Often called "brick red" in reference to British uniforms; a pink-red color. If an army distinguishes between ponceau and "red", this would be the latter. Will fade to a dusty rose color, or brownish-crimson color.
Carmine/Carmoisinrot		180	43	70	Prussian infantry uniforms, 1806; Bavarian Uhlan uniform, 1910	This is what the continenet referred to as Crimson; the British had a different color in mind; this is a deeper and more vivid shade of Madder red. Actual color ranges from this to a deep pink color, depending on time and circumstance.
Light carmine/Hellcarmoisinrot/Couleur de chair		201	75	84	Prussian Infantry uniform, 1806; depiction of IR 41, 1757	Roughly the color of a raw steak; can be slightly more purple or pink in hue.
Crimson/Bordeauxrot(?)		151	26	56	C.E.Franklin	This is the british meaning for crimson.
Amaranth		229	43	80	Wikipedia
Brick red/(Hell)Ziegelrot		227	54	17	-	Not to be confused with British "brick red"; a red-orange color. This is the approximate facing color Baron von Schönaich Cuirassiers
English red		212	61	26	La boite a couleurs	possible color of Russian artillery uniform\
Poppy Red/Poncearot or Mohnrot/Ponceau		192	37	30	pourpre.com	A duller and slightly deeper version of scarlet; apparently most common Prussian facing color. Often fades to an orange color (As shown on surviging uniform of Buddenbrok Cuirassiers).
Dark Red		105	39	41	Austrian uniform guide, 1905
Lobster or Crab Red/Krebsrot		250	93	76	Austrian uniform guide, 1905
Pink/Rosa or Rosenrot		255	108	189	-	depictions of IR 40, from between 1759 and 1806
Ventre de Biche		233	201	177	purpre.com
pale red/Blassrot		254	103	102
Scarlet/Scharlachtrot		209	40	32	Based on Morier's depiction of various british officers and horse	color varied signifigantly over time, and becomes slighty more orange over the course of the 18th century. "mock" or "half" scarlet simply refers to slightly duller and lower quality versions of this color (still brighter than Poppy red)
flame red/Feuerrot		175	43	30	RAL	A color whose hue is between poppy red and scarlet. may possibly be the same as poppy red.

Yellows and Oranges

Colour name	Sample	Red	Green	Blue	Sources	notes
Light Orange/Aurore		255	203	96	Pourpre.com
Bright yellow		249	225	10	http://44thregiment.itgo.com/
Orange		244	104	11
Ochre (yellow)		234	162	33	Wikipedia
Jonquil or Naples Yellow		250	218	94	Wikipedia
light Yellow/ Hellgelb		252	234	93	Prussian infantry uniforms, 1806	possibly the same as pale yellow
Lemon Yellow		250	236	23	RAL, sample of German uniform, 1806 Prussian uniforms	Exact color of a fresh lemon
Pale yellow		251	244	166	-
Yellow		250	200	39	British uniforms
philamot yellow		236	191	30	C.E.Franklin	The painting of the 13th by Morier depicts the unit prior to switching to this color; prior to then, the unit had deep yellow facings.
Deep yellow/Kaisergelb		244	174	29	Karsten, 1759, Hanoverian uniforms	Kaisergelb in English literature can also be translated as Gamboge; comparison between the "golden yellow" of Hanoverian uniforms with British uniforms matches best those regimetns with deep yellow. Later iterations are brighter (See Austrian uniform guide, 1905), but these postdate the period.
Saffron Yellow		244	196	48	Wikipedia	possible the same, or similar to deep yellow
Feuille Morte		153	81	43	pourpre.com	-
Sulfur yellow/Scwefelgelb		235	232	103	Prussian Infatnry units, 1806; Austrian uniform guide, 1905	a greenish yellow color.

Greens

Colour name	Sample	Red	Green	Blue	Sources	notes
Green		34	146	69	C.E.Franklin
Apple green/Apfelgrün		135	145	45	Hanoverian Horse Regiment v. Dachenhausen	color of an unripened apple(?), or similar to a pale verdegris. More research required.
Bottle Green/Flaschegrün		27	77	62	http://www.tx4.us/nbs/nbs-b.htm
Full Green		32	103	153	http://www.tx4.us/nbs/nbs-g.htm, Morier's painting of a grenadier of the 11th regiment, 1750
Pale green (British)		45	113	102	C.E.Franklin
Deep green		0	84	61	Triangulated based on green and very deep green	C.E.Frankling gives a different shade; however, this appears too light and pale to be correct. Admittedly this is a matter of judgement.
Very deep green		0	84	61	C.E.Franklin
Grass Green/Graßgrün		69	132	62	C.E.Franklin
Gosling Green		94	157	68	painting of a Grenadier of the 5th regiment of foot, 1750; C.E. Franklin	initially called "Gooseturd Green"
Russian green?		0	71	31	Joachim Schultz
Sage green		134	158	98	Wiktionary
Sea Green/Meergrün		3	97	103	C.E.Franklin, referenced with depiction of grenadier of 2nd Regiment of foot
Willow Green		55	56	38	C.E.Franklin
Yellowish Green		171	207	55	C.E.Franklin
Olive		128	128	0	Wikipedia
Poppinjay Green/Papageigrün		166	194	57	C.E.Franklin	Also called Pappelgrün (poplar green) in German sources; a bright, yellow-green color.
Dark Green/		91	179	93	depiction of Hanoverian uniform, 1759; C.E.Franklin
Steel Green/Stahlgrün		75	99	75	Austrian uniform guide, 1905	deep grey-green color.

Blues

Colour name	Sample	Red	Green	Blue	Sources	notes
Light blue/Bleumorant oder Blassblau/ Bleumorant		22	116	146	-	Ignaz Schiffermüller describes this color as a medium desaturated blue.
Cobalt Blue/Himmelblau		0	71	171	Wikipedia	widely seen as the color of Prussian Dragoon uniforms; however, depictions of Dragoons from 1759 suggests they had sky blue coats; the cobalt blue coats are likely postwar.
Dark blue or blue-black/Dunkelblau/Bleu de Roi		13	29	52	C.E.Franklin; sample of Civil War Uniform	Not all units described as having dark blue uniforms have this color; Prussian units would have had Prussian blue, as would most units in Germany with this description. It is however, the closest shade to what the Garde Francaises wore. It also is close to the color depicted for the uniform of French generals.
Cornflower or Hungarian blue/Ungarischblau		106	155	211	-	Color of Bavarian coats from this period; earlier coats are a darker shade of blue.
Medium Blue (Swedish)		35	69	202	Sample of the Swedish lifeguard uniform
Medium Blue/Ganzblau oder Mittleblau		27	57	78	Hanoverian infantry, 1759; Ignaz Schiffermüller, 1771
Pale blue(British)/Tuerkisblau/Azul Tarqui		76	95	137	C.E. Franklin
Prussian blue/Dunkelblau		0	49	83	Wikipedia
Royal Blue (French)?		23	77	133	Depiction of Grenadier de France Uniform, 1757	similar to Prussian blue, but brighter. Has also been compared to Steel Blue. This blue is taken from period depictions of the Grenadiers de France; however, this might have been mistaken, based on surviving painting of [1]Broglie, and a few other generals in uniform. These indicate that the color was really a very deep shade of blue, as it was in Britain.
Royal Blue (British)		19	31	71	C.E.Franklin	A deep blue, with slight purplish hue. Might actually be postwar (1765 onward). If so, blue-black is more appropriate for Royal regiments.
Saxon blue		93	127	190	https://encycolorpedia.com/5d7fbe	A deeper, somewhat desaturated sky blue; color of Union army pants.
Sky Blue/Himmelblau		113	176	229	Wikipedia	a bright shade of blue.
Steel blue/Hellblau(?)		70	130	180	Wikipedia	Possible color of Hanoverian artillery coats; might have also been Hechtgrau.
Sapphire blue/Franzblau		30	90	125	Deutschmeister Regiment, Albertina Handschrift, 1762	A deep, somewhat saturated shade of blue. Variations can be very similar to dark blue (Prussian Blue).
Lavender blue		108	119	181	-	Polish guard facing color; similar to pale blue/Azul Tarqui, and may even be the same.

purple

Colour name	Sample	Red	Green	Blue	Sources	notes
Pompadeur purple		84	48	60	sample of cuff of a British officer's uniform	Troupes du Roi, Infanterie française et étrangère, année, illustrates the French Regiment Belzunce with facings of this color.
Pompadeur Rose		163	29	81

Drabs

Colour name	Sample	Red	Green	Blue	Sources	notes
Yellowish-buff		252	248	201	-	Often translated from German to "yellow-Straw" or "straw-yellow"
Pale brown		152	118	84	Wikipedia
Pale buff/Blaßpaille		253	246	228	C.E.Frankling; Prussian uniform depiction from 1806	Often translated from German to "pale straw"; often depicted as a near-white color, or simply left unpainted.
Dark Brown		101	67	33	Wikipedia
Buff/Paille		253	225	178	C.E.Frankling; Author's personal buff crossbelt	the German term literally means "straw", but correspends to English Buff. It and other shades of buff vary considerably.
Fawn		149	128	112	http://www.tx4.us/nbsnotes.htm	-
Chamois		223	199	121	Prussian infantry uniforms, 1806	A shade of buff.

Greyscale

Colour name	Sample	Red	Green	Blue	Sources	notes
Slate Grey		47	79	79	Wikipedia	deep, cyan-grey color.
Pike Grey/Hechtgrau		141	169	197	Austrian Uniform guide, 1905	color of Austrian Jaeger uniform. Can also be considered a shade of blue.
Ash Grey/Aschgrau		182	196	187	Wikipedia	A bright, slightly green shade of grey; color of fully-burned wood ash.
Dark Grey		52	52	51
iron Grey		67	75	77	-	Deep, slightly bluish grey.
light Grey		173	165	162
Medium Grey		101	193	90
Black		33	30	30	-	Pure black as generally understood was very rare prior to industrial dyes.
White (natural)		235	231	219	-	Bleached white wool was expensive, and reserved for the well-off.
Pearl Grey		208	208	201	-	general color of wool; also considered grey-white.

Notes

1. Philemot yellow and Feuille Morte may in fact be one in the same color, or have similar descriptive meanings (i.e. describing the color od dead leaves). If so, the different interpretations of this color may be related to the uneven dying of the period, a difference in shade between continental European and British definitions.
2. Some confusion exists regarding the nature of Bottle, Rifle, and Deep green: They may be one in the same, or three similar shades of green.
3. Strangely, Contemporary depictions of regiments faced in "grass green" (e.g., 36th regiment of foot), reveal color much darker than expected for the term. This is supported by the 1905 Austrian Uniform guide, which also defines the color as a shade of darker green.
4. according to the research of Kochan and Phillips, Popinjay Green and Gosling Green may have been referring to the same color.
5. Regarding "straw"; period depictions of units described as wearing straw--Notably those of Hanoverian units--often show a color similar to the buff leather equipment they may wear.

References

Austrian Uniform guide, http://www.mlorenz.at/Bewaffnete_Macht/Uniformen.htm

C.E. Franklin, 2012, British Army Uniforms from 1751 to 1783, Pen & Sword Books Ltd.

David Morier, 1751, Paintings of Various soldiers for the Duke of Cumberland, http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/search?search=morier

Kochan and Phillips, 2013, http://www.historicaltextiles.com/

Prussian Infantry uniforms of 1806, http://www.napoleon-series.org/military/organization/Prussia/infantry/Schema/c_Schema1.html

Acknowledgments

Ibrahim90 for the initial version of this article and Joachim Schulz for the initial version of the introduction.