Brief Introduction

**sgian** · 27th March 24, 10:06 AM

Good Afternoon from a very wet Edinburgh where I live.
I started life more years ago than I care to remember as a highland dancer and though I say it myself I had a lot of success both competitively and doing cabaret.
My interest apart from tartan is the Balmoral Highlanders and I collect Sgian Dubhs. I probably have the largest collection in the country and have written a book on them.
I would be most interested to hear from anyone who has any related Balmoral Highlanders uniforms or Sgian Dubhs which they consider to be rare. As a matter of interest i have three Balmoral Highlanders S/D`s made by William Robb one of which is Ivory. I have yet to ascertain who the ivory piece was made for as there appears to be no records available. Can anyone help?

**Father Bill** · 27th March 24, 12:30 PM

Welcome to the "Great Rabble"!

**Kiltedjohn** · 27th March 24, 02:34 PM

Welcome from a Scotsman living in middle England. Had a couple of short breaks in Scotland last year, including a day in Edinburgh. I love the place.

**Liam** · 28th March 24, 03:06 AM

Welcome to the forum from Western Canada!

**kilted redleg** · 28th March 24, 08:02 AM

Welcome from the highlands of New York

**rdjmchris** · 28th March 24, 06:21 PM

Welcome from central Oklahoma!

**Troglodyte** · 29th March 24, 12:52 AM

Originally Posted by sgian

Good Afternoon from a very wet Edinburgh where I live.
I started life more years ago than I care to remember as a highland dancer and though I say it myself I had a lot of success both competitively and doing cabaret.
My interest apart from tartan is the Balmoral Highlanders and I collect Sgian Dubhs. I probably have the largest collection in the country and have written a book on them.
I would be most interested to hear from anyone who has any related Balmoral Highlanders uniforms or Sgian Dubhs which they consider to be rare. As a matter of interest i have three Balmoral Highlanders S/D`s made by William Robb one of which is Ivory. I have yet to ascertain who the ivory piece was made for as there appears to be no records available. Can anyone help?

Welcome, brother..!

From the clues you have given I suspect your initials are M.F-L. and that you are, professionally speaking, rather partial to a cuppa. And you very kindly sent me a copy of your superb book.

Am I wrong?

My guess about records for identifying the recipient of the ivory sgian would most likely now be at Balmoral or perhaps Windsor. If a Victorian item, it could well be that clues can be found in the Queen's own journals - I have come across vague and incidental notes she made of this kind, along the lines of 'Went driving with Lady Churchill to Glen Muick, Brown and Grant on the box. It rained. Grant's brother was given a new knife...'

If only she had gone into greater detail, so many historians' work now would be much easier!

Incidentally, we all go incognito here, hiding behind our noms-de-plume, but mine is a play on my name which you should work out easily..!