Ghillie brogues - why the dislike and resentment..?

[OC Richard]

Thanks!

I would sure love to see a high-resolution clear image of Lord George Murray's shoes.

They're interesting in two ways, one that he's using red laces, the other that the laces are placed lower than usual.

As we see those 17th and 18th century laced shoes usually fasten right at the top.

With buckled shoes we see some earlier ones with small buckles likewise fastening at the top, but through much of the 18th century they're the classic mid-to-late 18th century style with larger buckles fastening a bit further down, with part of the tongue showing.

I'm still looking for an authentic image of the 16th century moccasin-thing or any image of any pre-Allen Brothers ghillie-thing.

A number of articles/sites that discuss "ancient Highland footwear" show the same Armenian shoe, conveniently failing to mention what it is, implying that it's an old Highland thing.

Another image that crops up was lifted from A Short History of the Scottish Dress by RMD Grange (1967).

It's a fairly crude sketch showing a shoe open down the top, laced, labelled "cuaran".

If any of you have that book, can you share if the author gives the provenance of that sketch?

[figheadair]

Thanks!

I would sure love to see a high-resolution clear image of Lord George Murray's shoes.

They're interesting in two ways, one that he's using red laces, the other that the laces are placed lower than usual.

As we see those 17th and 18th century laced shoes usually fasten right at the top.

With buckled shoes we see some earlier ones with small buckles likewise fastening at the top, but through much of the 18th century they're the classic mid-to-late 18th century style with larger buckles fastening a bit further down, with part of the tongue showing.

I'm still looking for an authentic image of the 16th century moccasin-thing or any image of any pre-Allen Brothers ghillie-thing.

A number of articles/sites that discuss "ancient Highland footwear" show the same Armenian shoe, conveniently failing to mention what it is, implying that it's an old Highland thing.

Another image that crops up was lifted from A Short History of the Scottish Dress by RMD Grange (1967).

It's a fairly crude sketch showing a shoe open down the top, laced, labelled "cuaran".

If any of you have that book, can you share if the author gives the provenance of that sketch?

The Lord George Murray painting is in Blair Castle. I've seen it, it's not that clear.

There is a pair of curran type shoes on display in the NMS, close by the portraits of the Piper and champion to the Laird of Grant, and so worth a look when you are there in the summer. They also have this upper which looks like some of those early ones in portraits.

I don't have a copy of the Grange book. There is no mention of a moccasin type shoe in either McClintock's Old Irish and Highland Dress, not Dunbar's History of Highland Dress.