Oldest MacDonald sett?

[David Dubh]

I'm hoping to hear from our resident experts on this.
But what MacDonald tartan has the oldest known pedigree associated with the clan. And to what year can it be reliably dated
Thanks David

[figheadair]

I'm hoping to hear from our resident experts on this.
But what MacDonald tartan has the oldest known pedigree associated with the clan. And to what year can it be reliably dated
Thanks David

Clan Donald is fortunate in having a number, probably more than any other clan, of tartans that pre-date 1800.

Both these tartans are proven to date to 1746 and unlike tartans in portraits, the settings can be verified from surviving specimens.

MacDonald of Borrodale

MacDonald of Kingsburgh

The original MacDonald of Glenaladale plaid was taken to PEI in 1773 but is thought to have been worn at Culloden.

The MacDonald of Keppoch tartan is also taken from a specimen of an 18h century plaid, likely to be pre-1760. And then there is the c1750 portrait of the MacDonald Boys in which the younger wears what we now call the Lord of the Isles (Red).

[David Dubh]

Thanks Peter
It is always fascinating to hear of actual pieces of fabric that can be dated to almost 300 years ago living rough so to speak not stored in a hermaphicly sealed case somewhere.
Do you know when the main clan Donald tartan was established?
Regards David

[figheadair]

Thanks Peter
It is always fascinating to hear of actual pieces of fabric that can be dated to almost 300 years ago living rough so to speak not stored in a hermaphicly sealed case somewhere.
Do you know when the main clan Donald tartan was established?
Regards David

There is no evidence to date the Clan Donald before c1790-1800.

[David Dubh]

There is no evidence to date the Clan Donald before c1790-1800.

So it would have been set shortly after the Act of Proscription was repealed?
How many clan tartans were established in this time frame? How many date pre proscription?
Thanks David

[figheadair]

So it would have been set shortly after the Act of Proscription was repealed?
How many clan tartans were established in this time frame? How many date pre proscription?
Thanks David

David,

The pre-Proscription tartans still in use has been discussed before, see here.

The Act of Proscription was Repealed in 1782 so the Clan Donald is likely to be 15-20 years after that, which puts it in the mid-Highland Revival period. It's possible that it was originally a Fencible tartan, we know that the Glengarry was used for the Glengarries Fencibles in c1815. To understand what was going on at the time vis-à-vis new tartans it’s worth reading up on Wilsons of Bannockburn and their designs.

[OC Richard]

Here are some which appear in paintings:

Sir Alexander MacDonald.



The MacDonald Children. Note that there are four different tartans, three being worn by one person. The tartan on the jacket on the left is used for kilts nowadays.

[Damion]

The MacDonald Children. Note that there are four different tartans, three being worn by one person. The tartan on the jacket on the left is used for kilts nowadays.

Five different tartans if you count the sleeves of the older boy though the artist may have simply forgotten to add the horizontal stripes though the sett seems smaller too.
Might be coincidence, but maybe the older boy has two stripes either side of the wide band with his brother having one because he's the more senior.
The painting is from 1749 apparently.

[figheadair]

Five different tartans if you count the sleeves of the older boy though the artist may have simply forgotten to add the horizontal stripes though the sett seems smaller too.
Might be coincidence, but maybe the older boy has two stripes either side of the wide band with his brother having one because he's the more senior.
The painting is from 1749 apparently.

Four setts excluding the diced hose.

• Younger - coat.
• Elder - coat (the apparent difference in the sleeves is due to artistic licence, nothing more.
• Elder - waistcoat.
• Elder - kilt.

[Damion]

Four setts excluding the diced hose.

• Younger - coat.
• Elder - coat (the apparent difference in the sleeves is due to artistic licence, nothing more.
• Elder - waistcoat.
• Elder - kilt.

How do we know what is and isn't artistic licence when so little extant material survives? It's certainly possible that a wealthy lord could have a specific cloth made for sleeves. The child in question is around eight years old and it's possible that the sett used for the jacket wouldn't look as good on the sleeves. The younger boy shows the same sett for torso and sleeves so why would the artist make a mistake (or even just make up) in rendering the sleeves of the older and presumably more important/senior boy?