An interesting early 19th century tartan coat

[figheadair]

Found this fine early-mid C19th tartan coat quite by chance.

The style of the coat is c1830. Notwithstanding the family tradition, I very much doubt that this was made by the original owner; the cloth certainly wasn't. The material is well dyed with evidence of high quality cochineal dyeing which suggests that it was produced on the mainland. Given the date it's possible that this is WoB material, or perhaps one of the smaller weaving forms working in the Borders at around the same time.

Although unique, the tartan is very similar to that from a narrow plaid I've examined and which is now in the textile collection of Herriot-Watt University in Galashiels. However, elements of that cloth, such as a herringbone selvedge mean that it is likely to be mid-late C18th.