Quote Originally Posted by Diamondback View Post
Worth noting that IIRC Chapelle says that was "the norm" but individual ships may have varied. My suggestion would be start with Chapelle as a base and then consult period paintings and text accounts of the specific ship in question. If the specific conflicts with the general, go with the specific.
Exactly so. I don't recall seeing a period painting with black lower masts for example. Of note the French practice was to change mast colours depending on where the ship was stationed. I think Dobbs is safe with the white masts and black spars! I also think that you began to see white stripes much earlier. Of course for the Constitution there is always the contemporary model made by the crew for Captain Hull:

https://ussconstitutionmuseum.org/20.../a-model-ship/

White lower masts, green bulwarks and white stripe just as she is painted now.