Kilted Soldier Print

[ccga3359]

Gee Sara, are we a bad influence on you or what?

[BoldHighlander]

Here's a couple of links related to
Tom McNeely:

http://tommcneely.com/Tom_McNeely.html

http://www.unicover.com/JAAAAAJ2.htm

[Rogerson785]

What a fantastic print! You must be a lucky person like me.

[Highland Logan]

From what I understand the print is a dipection of a Highland solider from the 78th Fraser Highlanders during the Seven Years War.

Frank

[BoldHighlander]

From what I understand the print is a dipection of a Highland solider from the 78th Fraser Highlanders during the Seven Years War.

Frank

Yes, I kept going back to my books on the Highlanders of this period (including the excellent two part series "Sons of the Mountains" by Ian Macpherson McCulloch) and while I'd agree that every thing else about the uniform is correct, that the lace upon the regimental coat looks wrong, if the lace is in fact not rectangular (as the 78th wore).
It could be a distortion of the photo but I'd almost swear it looks pointed on the end, like that of the 42nd & 77th of the period. However I could be wrong, and will wait for a better quality picture.

Here's a site of the recreated 78th who have carefully researched & recreated the uniform from documented materials:
http://www.thefraserhighlanders.com/index.html

As an aside there has been an ongoing debate as to rather or not the tartan the 78th wore was red based (as shown) or reddish-brown.

All in all it's a wonderful print, and it's one that I'd be proud to own

[Sheep In Wolf's Clothing]

Gee Sara, are we a bad influence on you or what?

Ya think?

Thank you BoldHighlander, Highland Logan, and MacMillan of Rathdown
for the info. I have been doing a little more poking around on the artist end. My sister has a rather large Marilyn Monroe collection, and I think she may have a copy of his portrait of her. Small world.
I am going to have it reframed. When I do, I am going to attach a history of the artist and a little about the subject on the back of the frame. The websites will be a great resource, thanks again.
Sara
Who will stop by her town's library tomorrow to dig some more on her way to lunch, instead of gawking in the flea market window!

[BoldHighlander]

Ya think?

Thank you BoldHighlander, Highland Logan, and MacMillan of Rathdown
for the info. I have been doing a little more poking around on the artist end. My sister has a rather large Marilyn Monroe collection, and I think she may have a copy of his portrait of her. Small world.
I am going to have it reframed. When I do, I am going to attach a history of the artist and a little about the subject on the back of the frame. The websites will be a great resource, thanks again.
Sara
Who will stop by her town's library tomorrow to dig some more on her way to lunch, instead of gawking in the flea market window!

Very cool Sara!

And be sure to post another picture of your soldier so we can see him better!

[Highland Logan]

Yes, I kept going back to my books on the Highlanders of this period (including the excellent two part series "Sons of the Mountains" by Ian Macpherson McCulloch) and while I'd agree that every thing else about the uniform is correct, that the lace upon the regimental coat looks wrong, if the lace is in fact not rectangular (as the 78th wore).
It could be a distortion of the photo but I'd almost swear it looks pointed on the end, like that of the 42nd & 77th of the period. However I could be wrong, and will wait for a better quality picture.

Here is a link with some photos on the 78th Frasers. I agree that the photo may not pass muster on the "real" 78th, but artists sometimes add flair to their work, as I have added below.

That really is an excellent print. It is reminiscent of the Dewars White Label prints done by Schenley's in the late 1930s and early 40s as a promotional item. These prints depicted officers from various regiments of HM's forces in full or walking out dress. There were five sets of prints, each depicting six different regiments. In 1942 you could have ordered all five sets for the princely sum of $1.25! And that included postage. I hope you have a nice place to hang you highlander.

We have had similar prints done in Canada for our Highland regts, and they are as fanciful as the McIan prints, and just as accurate.



"In the 1950s, the Hiram Walker & Sons Distillery in Ontario produced a series of colour plates depicting officers of Canadian Highland Regiments. The prints are today collector's items, and are notable in some cases for being more fanciful than truthful. The print depicting an officer of The Calgary Highlanders, however, does give an interpretation of what the most advanced state of Ceremonial Dress for the Regiment would be if it decided to make such uniforms a priority. The scarlet jacket (or "redcoat") was the standard field dress of the British Army from the late 1600s to the early days of the 20th Century, and continues to be the idealized ceremonial dress uniform of Commonwealth infantry regiments (excepting Rifle Regiments). Many items depicted in the Hiram Walker prints are actually worn today by officers, including the sword ("claymore"), kilt, badger head sporran, red/white hose, sword belt, officers' shoulder sash, tartan plaid, and brooch. Scarlet jackets and feather bonnets, however, are only worn by drummers of The Calgary Highlanders, and the fullest expression of ceremonial dress has never been achieved. The reintroduction of distinctive Service Dress uniforms (the Distinctive Environment Uniform, or DEU) in the late 1980s has provided the Canadian Forces with a distinctive "Army" uniform that is both practical and economical, while still allowing the major components of "Highland Dress" to be worn with pride." - From the Calgary Highlander website


Frank

[BoldHighlander]

Here is a link with some photos on the 78th Frasers. I agree that the photo may not pass muster on the "real" 78th, but artists sometimes add flair to their work, as I have added below.

I've seen the one of the "Highland Officer" before but at the moment the background on who it is escapes me (I'll check my records later & see if I can find him). It is post-American Revolution (I believe). The Kilmarnock/Hummel style bonnet was was not generally adopted by the Scottish regiments until 1779, though the 42nd & 71st did adopt it late in the war. Other units serving wore the old style "flat" bonnet (solid blue in color).
That and as mentioned the 78th wore buff, not green facings (the regimental coat in the painting is correct for late 18th century, but not the period of the F&I War).

The one entitled "General Wolfe's army scales the Heights of Abraham in the attack on Quebec" unfortunately also suffers from improper headgear (diced band bonnets). The flat bonnet worn by the Highland regts during the Seven Years War & Rev War were primarily solid blue or had a red band around the base, though the diced balmorals was starting to appear by 1760, but it took sometime for change to take place, especially with units serving in North America. Also their coats were basically plain in back, without all the lacing.

I'm not ready to say the print is not correct, some of the lace appears correct, some however doesn't. It the blurred condition of the photo.
Once a better one is posted we'll better be able to tell.

[Highland Logan]

You are correct on some of the odditys you caught. And yes, no green facings, this was for Regt with Royal designation. I think the mix up is the word "Fraser". The 78th Fraser's were during the Seven Year's War (what you Americian's call the French and Indian War), and the 71st Fraser's were during the Americian Revolution. My 5th Great grandfather was a solider with the 71st. The link I gave was to history which the 78th took part in, but someone there screwed up and posted a picture of the other "Fraser's" the 71st. Here is a better link of a member of the 78th Fraser's. The tartan however is wrong, as the 78th wore Fraser, and a generation latter the 71st wore Goverement Issue (Black Watch). So in reguard to tartan in the print SWC picked up would be correct for the 78th.



Frank