Diluted tartan?

[Downunder Kilt]

Not quite true. The sett was one of the Wilsons' Numbered Patterns, in this case No232, which they sold as Regent during the popular Regency era. That ended in 1820 when the Prince Regent became George IV. The tartan was recycled by Wilsons and became MacLaren by which name it is still known. Further details are in my little book on Wilsons' 1819 Key Pattern Book.

I have no doubt that what you say is true as I have read many versions of the same. I don't know if you have read the STA and STR entries which seem to imply that it was originally taken from another tartan. I have also seen the purple based tartan referred to as the MacLaren 1819 Variant.

[figheadair]

I have no doubt that what you say is true as I have read many versions of the same. I don't know if you have read the STA and STR entries which seem to imply that it was originally taken from another tartan. I have also seen the purple based tartan referred to as the MacLaren 1819 Variant.

I'm familiar with both databases. Their inference is that the sett was previously called Regent rather than being taken from another pattern.

In essance blue and purple were interchangeable shades of blue. Wilsons of Bannockburn often used their purple (a very dark blue similar to French Blue) in their early dark patterns as opposed to using a pure indigo blue which was more expensive and which they used to call Officers' Blue. Wilsons worked with several shades of blue from purple, the darkest to sextian or light blue, the lightest. Their use of purple as their default blue shade for such designs ceased around 1830 by which time a straight indigo blue was the norm.

[Downunder Kilt]

I'm familiar with both databases. Their inference is that the sett was previously called Regent rather than being taken from another pattern.

In essance blue and purple were interchangeable shades of blue. Wilsons of Bannockburn often used their purple (a very dark blue similar to French Blue) in their early dark patterns as opposed to using a pure indigo blue which was more expensive and which they used to call Officers' Blue. Wilsons worked with several shades of blue from purple, the darkest to sextian or light blue, the lightest. Their use of purple as their default blue shade for such designs ceased around 1830 by which time a straight indigo blue was the norm.

Thanks for all that information, that's why this place is so great, you can learn new things everdayday, much obliged to you figheadair. Apologies to the OP if I highjacked the thread a bit.