Why don't more people wear old non-clan tartans?

[artificer]

I think it would be fantastic if someone were to resurrect some of the pre-ban tartans and have them woven for sale, or at least have them displayed on their site for small batch custom ala Dalgliesh.

As I have no family tartan myself, and being a bit of a history geek, I'd be inclined to head toward one of this historic tartans, ESPECIALLY if I were going to do a box-pleat like Matt did.

I'd wear it with a big shaggy goat/sheep hair sporran during the day too

[Woodsheal]

Matt has an article on Pre-Culloden Tartans (without pictures, alas!):

http://albanach.org/oldtartans.html

I myself have a kilt in the so-called Ulster tartan, ca. 1600....

[Jock Scot]

Thanks Brian, that's a new one for me. I will see if I can lay my hands on a copy.

[Highlander31]

Just suppose that I was in the market for a new kilt and I fancy the idea of something different(its alright chaps the old boy is not going senile----I hope-----yet) to what we all know. I think I know all my clan tartans---but is there something lurking in the "old" tartan file? Is there a district tartan that I might like, lurking somewhere?Is there an un-named tartan that might take my fancy? How do I find names, samples, or better still, pictures of these masterpieces?

Jock,

Peter MacDonald has listed 100 of the original tartans in his book, "The 1819 Key Pattern Book." He also weaves short run tartan using the old colors.

http://www.scottishtartans.co.uk/index.htm


Islay Woolen Mill is another company specializing in small run work. Islay is a family run business using looms dating back to the Victorian age.

http://www.islaywoollenmill.co.uk/

[Jock Scot]

What a fascinating thread, it just goes to show that we(me) are never too old to learn. Thanks for all the leads chaps and it looks like I have a spot of reading to do during the coming dark winter evenings.

[longhuntr74]

If one of our tartan scholars on here wanted to put together a list and associated pictures, I'd be very interested to see it. As a reenactor I'm interested in a kilt of the pre-ban era...maybe even pre-culloden, though I don't reenact anything prior to 1750s.

[Tartan Hiker]

Here's a list of "Old and Rare" tartans that might be one place to start such a perusal. There is a pop-up window for each tartan so it's relatively easy to view the pattern. If you enlarge the pop-up window you'll see the date and source for each tartan.

Some of these are just palettes ("ancient", etc.) but most are genuinely rare patterns.

http://houseoftartan.com/scottish/it...&Subsecid=1499

[figheadair]

Jock,

Peter MacDonald has listed 100 of the original tartans in his book, "The 1819 Key Pattern Book." He also weaves short run tartan using the old colors.

http://www.scottishtartans.co.uk/index.htm

Thanks for the recommendation.

The 1819 KPB is of course a bit late for this thread as it deals with the early pattern of Messrs Wilsons of Bannockburn.

It's interesting watching this thread develop and the reasons appear to be much as I thought. There have been a number of references to exisiting publications and websites which are fine so far as they go but in every case they rely on earlier reference works many of which are faulty.

It's the dusty museums, private houses and collections that hold the key. In more than 30 years of research I've only scratched the surface of what survives but it's amaing how often the specimens have been misrecorded. The Culloden tartan is a prime example. As these pieces are in essance our historic tartan gene pool we, the nation, ought to be preserving them in a way that they are available to future generations. Unfortunately this isn't happening and it always seems to be left to charities and individuals to try and preserve what should be a national asset. But I digress.

I suppose the bottom line is if the information is not available then people cannot make a choice. A little winter project perhaps.

[artificer]

...As these pieces are in essance our historic tartan gene pool we, the nation, ought to be preserving them in a way that they are available to future generations. Unfortunately this isn't happening and it always seems to be left to charities and individuals to try and preserve what should be a national asset. But I digress.

I suppose the bottom line is if the information is not available then people cannot make a choice. A little winter project perhaps.

I'll wager it will be a BIG winter project, but invaluable, should it be done.

[xman]

I'll wager it will be a BIG winter project, but invaluable, should it be done.

Seconded.