Sprens, the original Perth tartan?

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The Perth tartan, top colour strip, appears in Wilsons' 1819 Key Pattern Book where the setting suggests that it was one of their Old Superfine tartans of the late 18th century. Below that is the so-called Spens tartan which is taken from a kilt dated c1800. The similarity between the two is clear.



One of Wilsons' Account Book, that for March 1775, includes an entry for a half piece 'New Perth sett' from which we may infer that there was an Old Perth. We don't know what that looked like but it was generally their practise to enliven or brighten older patterns and call these updated designs 'New' this or that.

The evidence for calling the second of the designs Spens is tenuous, and is not found amongst Wilsons' records. It's entirely possible that Wilsons called this pattern something completely different and its simpler form of the Perth tartan offers the intriguing possibility that this was their original or Old Perth.