A Tale Of Two Kilties

[OC Richard]

Taken individually these are ordinary vintage photos which wouldn't get my attention.

Taken together they are very interesting indeed.

[sailortats]

Would you mind telling us why, together, they are so interesting?

[Ordway]

They appear to be wearing the same glengarry, plaid broach, cross belt and waist belt hardware.

[California Highlander]

And, interestingly, different jackets and sporrans. Hmm...

[RSHAW]

Aren't they the same man, perhaps at different ages? Or brothers?

[OC Richard]

They appear to be wearing the same glengarry, plaid brooch, crossbelt and waistbelt hardware.

Yes indeed! And note the odd stick-pin sort of kilt pin in both photos. And it could perhaps be the same kilt & plaid.

I think that these fellows might be dressed in kit provided by the photographers. Odd that there are two different studio names! One might have taken over the business (and props) of the other.

A bit unexpected is for the kit to be worn so well and to fit so well. I have seen obvious "dress-up" photos where the kit fits the subjects quite perfectly, though sometimes certain items are worn incorrectly (such as hose-tops being backwards). Also "dress-up" photos usually have exaggerated poses and expressions, while the top subject especially seems comfortable and at ease in his clothes.

Another odd thing are the 18th century style shoe-buckles which have been somehow affixed on the shoes, the shoes lacking the leather flaps such buckles require to function.

[Micric]

My first thought was studio get-up, with the similarities.
If the photos had come from the same studio, such a thought Would have been compelling!

The lower photo may be utilising studio apparel, and as the shoes look like regular brogues, I wonder if the buckles are merely sat in place??

[DotDLL]

The thing that immediately stood out for me was the doublet in the first/top picture, which featured castellated epaulets. I don't recall ever having seen those before. They look neat, to me at least. :-)

The matching bits are interesting as well. If not the same pieces, perhaps moulded from the same patterns?

[OC Richard]

The thing that immediately stood out for me was the doublet in the first/top picture, which featured castellated epaulets.

Yes that's been the pattern worn by the pipers of the Scots Guards for a very long time, with castellated 'shells' or 'wings'. (The epaulettes are the shoulder straps.)

Here's a Scots Guards doublet, the same pattern was worn from the mid-19th century to today. It's unique in several ways as compared to the doublets worn in the rest of the army. The doublet in the top photo above is the same, except the buttons have been switched out with civilian buttons. The doublet below has the proper Scots Guards buttons. Note the one distended epaulette, due to wearing the extra bulky plaid (the Scots Guards wear a full-width plaid, unlike the other army pipers who wear half-width plaids).



Here is the doublet in situ