Tartan of the Month - January 12: what do you see?

[figheadair]

Is it a piece of a uniform or history unknown?

Possibly and no in that order.

Since I'm up at 1am with nothing to do, I can't resist this thread..

Is that a kilting selvedge on the right? Yes

The threads look thick, would this be a heavy weight tartan? Yes

The weaving also looks uneven. The red bands run thicker and thinner in places. The vertical red stripes on the left almost look separated within the 3 count. So, possibly woven on a home or primitive loom? Very good

And, don't go 'And so?' with me...I have no clue. ;)

Now we're. You're actually looking at the piece which is truly the object of the exercise.

Given the answers in bold the and so questions are the further deductions or questions to ask to flesh out those ideas.

[Nick the DSM]

Possible scrap of a kilt? Either Feileadh Mor or Feileadh Beag?

[figheadair]

Possible scrap of a kilt? Either Feileadh Mor or Feileadh Beag?

Quite possibly. As it's only a scrap without any folds or sttitching it's impossible to say how it may have been used.

[creagdhubh]

Queen's Own Highlanders...Seaforth and Camerons. Cameron of Erracht tartan, Crimea War time-frame.

[figheadair]

Queen's Own Highlanders...Seaforth and Camerons. Cameron of Erracht tartan, Crimea War time-frame.

Apparently not. Look closely at the threads. What do you see and what does that tell you?

[Dixiecat]

Apparently not. Look closely at the threads. What do you see and what does that tell you?

Well, continuing with the home or primitive loom idea, I'd say that the threads themselves may have been homespun. The threads don't seem to have retained any or even much twist.

The red threads seem very bright. I don't know time frames for the types of dyes or their availability so I can't give an opinion on this other than the colour hasn't faded.

I'm gonna go all romantic and tragic by saying that a loving mother/sister/sweetheart wove a length of tartan for their husband/son/brother/sweetheart who died and was buried in the tartan with the mother/sister/sweetheart carefully keeping a swatch to remember them by.

[figheadair]

Well, continuing with the home or primitive loom idea, I'd say that the threads themselves may have been homespun. The threads don't seem to have retained any or even much twist.

You're on the right lines here. I'm not sure about the home spun/primitive loom per se but look again at the threads. There's something else about them which helps date the piece.

The red threads seem very bright. I don't know time frames for the types of dyes or their availability so I can't give an opinion on this other than the colour hasn't faded.

The red is a true scarlet. I think most comments have defacto implied a pre-analine (1856) date which would be right. Scarlet was produced by cochineal which was being used in Scotland by the early 1600s.

I'm gonna go all romantic and tragic by saying that a loving mother/sister/sweetheart wove a length of tartan for their husband/son/brother/sweetheart who died and was buried in the tartan with the mother/sister/sweetheart carefully keeping a swatch to remember them by.

see post #13.

[Dixiecat]

I'm kinda running at the limit here and can't see what you're trying to point me towards.

The last things I can add are that the threads seem shiny and that the background colour is actually two colours, one darker than the other.

As for Post #13. While nothing can be determined positively, I can dream.

[figheadair]

I'm kinda running at the limit here and can't see what you're trying to point me towards.

The last things I can add are that the threads seem shiny and that the background colour is actually two colours, one darker than the other.

Anyone else? It's quite an important historical feature that helps date tartan.

[creagdhubh]

As always with the Tartan of the Month series...I'm stumped! LOL! It's a lot of fun though, Peter!

Cheers,