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20th November 13, 08:39 PM
#1
McIan's Costumes of the Clans of the Scottish Highlands
I have just snagged a copy of this book in the 1899 edition in remarkably good condition. It is written by James Logan with sketches by R. R. Mc Ian and is a reprint of an earlier two volume 1845 edition. The subtitle is: Illustrated By Appropriate Figures, Displaying Their Dress, Tartans, Arms, Armorial Insignia and Social Occupations. It is 373 pages long with 74 colour plates and the list of subscribers is headed by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The fly leaf inscription of the book signifies that this copy was given as a gift for Christmas 1905.
i have just glanced through it but it should make great winter reading. The illustrations are mainly of male kilted figures but there are several showing women with tartan shawls and other pieces of highland dress. The illustration for Clan Donnchaidh or Robertson looks to be 18th century.
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20th November 13, 09:52 PM
#2
That sounds very cool. Congrats on finding it.
Virtus Ad Aethera Tendit
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21st November 13, 12:22 AM
#3
Sounds like a great find. Enjoy the read.
[I][B]Nearly all men can stand adversity. If you really want to test a man’s character,
Give him power.[/B][/I] - [I]Abraham Lincoln[/I]
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21st November 13, 01:47 AM
#4
Your post inspired me to search online and it appears that you can get the digital version for free... for those of us not lucky enough to have found the real thing:
https://archive.org/details/mcianscostumesc00mciagoog
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21st November 13, 06:53 AM
#5
What a great find! I love old books.
This book is well known in tartan history, due to it in all probability being the origin of the asymmetrical Buchanan tartan. In the words of Donald C Stewart, writing in The Setts Of The Scottish Tartans:
"The Buchanan tartan is one of the most popular, and quite the most irregular... is this irregularity due to anything more than an unfortunate slip? The first illustration showing the modern design appears in the McIan-Logan work... Logan's own thread-count of 1831 indicates a design containing the same elements, but perfectly regular..."
It was an example of the weavers following the illustration, rather than the thread-count. The same thing happened with the Vestiarium Scoticum, where the weavers followed the Allen illustrations (which had no pretense of being ancient) rather than the text (which did).
Last edited by OC Richard; 21st November 13 at 06:58 AM.
Proud Mountaineer from the Highlands of West Virginia; son of the Revolution and Civil War; first Europeans on the Guyandotte
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21st November 13, 08:59 AM
#6
Also on Google Books
Though not as charming as the print version, I found this on google books.
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21st November 13, 10:43 AM
#7
Oh no! Wilsons' were weaving the asymmetric sett c1800-20.
 .
 Originally Posted by OC Richard
What a great find! I love old books.
This book is well known in tartan history, due to it in all probability being the origin of the asymmetrical Buchanan tartan. In the words of Donald C Stewart, writing in The Setts Of The Scottish Tartans:
"The Buchanan tartan is one of the most popular, and quite the most irregular... is this irregularity due to anything more than an unfortunate slip? The first illustration showing the modern design appears in the McIan-Logan work... Logan's own thread-count of 1831 indicates a design containing the same elements, but perfectly regular..."
It was an example of the weavers following the illustration, rather than the thread-count. The same thing happened with the Vestiarium Scoticum, where the weavers followed the Allen illustrations (which had no pretense of being ancient) rather than the text (which did).
Last edited by figheadair; 21st November 13 at 10:45 AM.
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