tartan register...

[macwilkin]

How would this affect such a project? Interesting thought, eh?

Not to start any rows again, but I don't think it would. I have played around with the tartan weaver program on the STA's site, and have not been required to register my designs, unless I chose to do so.

It's a great concept, the tartan design software program!

Cheers,

T.

[Casey]

Todd,

A good heartfelt discussion is very stimulating row and again.

Casey

[M. A. C. Newsome]

I just came across this thread and thought I'd give my two cents. Someone has already posted a link to my article, which appeared in the Dec. Scottish Banner.

Someone here asked the very good question, "There are already three tartan registers. Why do we need another one?"

There are, in fact, three completely unofficial tartan registers. And the multiplicity of unofficial registers is, in fact, one of the driving forces behind the move to create a single official one. The general idea being that once an official register is established, much of the conflict and confusion created by having three registers would be avoided.

To give a practicle example, when I was researching the various district tartans for my Compendium of District Tartans I came across several instances where the STA, the STS, and the STWR would each have a different thread count recorded for the same tartan. What is right, what is wrong, and what is mere clerical error? Without an official source to go to, I'm left scratching my head.

Also, when someone designs a new tartan currently, and they want the world to know about it, they are faced with the question of which of the three current registers to record it with. All three? Talk about costs.... This way there would only be one body to worry about.

To those who scoff at the registration fees, keep in mind how modest they really are. For one, groups like the STS and STA endeavor to record any tartan that has been woven, simply so that they can have a complete record. I've had several tartans recorded (not of my own design) that I have seen from historic samples of cloth. I haven't paid a dime, but they get recorded for posterity's sake.

Now if you want to record a tartan that you designed, especially if you want to have a certificate or other pretty parchment to hang on your wall, what's wrong with paying those good people tho go through the trouble to record your tartan a little money? They need income from somewhere if they are to operate, and I think all of us here can agree that they provide an invaluable service.

I don't think any of us will have to worry about an "official register" meaning that the clan chiefs will suddenly restrict the use of their tartan. Industry would never allow it, for one, and no official registry is going to get off the ground without the support of the industry. Number two, the clan chiefs wouldn't hardly have a leg to stand on if they were to try such a stunt. The great majority of the "clan tartans" were the designs of someone in the tartan industry (albeit 150 years ago) that the clans "adopted."

What an official register would be good for is this. Say I want to know what the Clan MacHaggis tartan is, and I see this vendor selling this tartan, and another vendor selling a different tartan, and yet another MacHaggis tartan on the clan web site. Which is correct? I could contact an official register, which would, in theory, have the references to tell me that the chief of the clan has approved such-and-such tartan, but three other variants of it have been woven in the past by these certain weavers, etc. In other words, it would be able to serve as a point of information.

Right now bodies like the STA, STS, and STWR are doing this sort of thing, but not in conjunction with eachother. The establishement of a national register could, if done well, make this work go much smoother.

(If done poorly... well, that's another post, but I think those involved are taking great care to ensure that it is done well, or not at all).

Aye,
Matt Newsome

[phil h]

what about the 3 of them getting together to form a co-op or union? keep the govmnt out of it.they seem to be doing ok as it is, just get together in a common goal.

[Turloch]

from a lawyers and designers perspective:

a registry can protect a tartan design.

most of the current tartans have no ownership protection from commercial use.
the black watch seems to be everywhere.

but new tartan designs or commercial tartan designs could be registered and protected. The 3M company and LL Bean come to mind with new unique designs.

the owner of the design can charge for it's use but i don't think a tartan registry will prevent me from wearing my Anderson tartan

turloch

[macwilkin]

a registry can protect a tartan design.

most of the current tartans have no ownership protection from commercial use.
the black watch seems to be everywhere.

but new tartan designs or commercial tartan designs could be registered and protected. The 3M company and LL Bean come to mind with new unique designs.

the owner of the design can charge for it's use but i don't think a tartan registry will prevent me from wearing my Anderson tartan

See Matt's posting above. The register will not prevent anyone from wearing their tartan. Again, think of the register as a "Tartan census".

Ironically, the Black Watch Tartan is technically a "Government" tartan (that's the official name), because it was (and still is) used by Government troops in the British Armed Forces -- It is also a "Universal" sett in that at one time, it was used by a number of Scottish regiments, but certainly not all of them.

Cheers,

Todd