An rare 18th century tartan date 1748 but is it.........

[figheadair]

Last year the STA was loaned a plaid initialled plaid dated 1748 - discussed here.

[Tarheel]

The article states there is little fading (possible storage for dowry in a cedar chest?). Is there any indication of smoke or dust/lint build-up on the creases or folds of the cloth? My thoughts are, the fabric may have been kept in a room seldom used or for special occasions. I also wonder (since following your papers more closely) that some dating (using chemical analysis) to determine the fuel common to the household where the cloth existed longest may show up in the thread fibers. Would peat, coal or wood have been the main source of fuel, and since each leave a different residue, indicate the geographical area when woven.
Mine are just the ramblings of a mind lost in the spinning of large handmade wheels, the rhythmic clack of pedals and the smack of shuttles darting across the loom.

I do appreciate the work that you provide.

[figheadair]

The article states there is little fading (possible storage for dowry in a cedar chest?). Is there any indication of smoke or dust/lint build-up on the creases or folds of the cloth? My thoughts are, the fabric may have been kept in a room seldom used or for special occasions. I also wonder (since following your papers more closely) that some dating (using chemical analysis) to determine the fuel common to the household where the cloth existed longest may show up in the thread fibers. Would peat, coal or wood have been the main source of fuel, and since each leave a different residue, indicate the geographical area when woven.
Mine are just the ramblings of a mind lost in the spinning of large handmade wheels, the rhythmic clack of pedals and the smack of shuttles darting across the loom.

I do appreciate the work that you provide.

This particular plaid is in remarkable condition. There is no evidence smoke or dust/lint build-up on the creases or folds and unless there was heavy smoke contamnation then I very much doubt that a chemical analysis would be able to determine the fuel source used in the house 200+ years ago. That said, I don't think peat was widely used in Aberdeen and the surrounding area at the time.

[Tarheel]

I see your point clearly about fuel soot contamination. Being that Aberdeen is a costal community, I would think whale or fish oils would have been used as well as wood.
Moving on, would the different dye varieties been more available in a coastal trade environment than to a weaver much further inland?

[figheadair]

Moving on, would the different dye varieties been more available in a coastal trade environment than to a weaver much further inland?

It needs to appreciated that there were two sources of dyestuffs in pre-mass production Scotland; local dyes and imported ones. The latter were certainly available widely by about 1700, a century earlier for indigo, and what was used for dyeing tartan yarn would have depended on the depth of an individual's pocket. Those better off would have favoured imported red dyes because they gave more and better shades that were more light and wash fast. Gaelic poetry of the time praises red plaid above all other colours showing the penetration throughout the Highlands.

If one looks at surviving pieces of early tartan there is no evidence to show that distance from the coast had any effect of the ability to get access to imported dyestuffs. The raw materials were dried and light weight for the volume required some would have been easily transported and traded.

[derosa]

Such a pretty piece, hard to believe it didn't get more use, someone must have put it somewhere safe and forgot where safe was. Be a nice one to reproduce.

[OC Richard]

Gaelic poetry of the time praises red plaid above all other colours

This astounds me.

It's clear, from watching Outlander, that plaids back then were all brown and grey.

[cessna152towser]

I've just seen for the first time the article which you linked.
Figure 2, I will be having nightmares about this! Surely the author would not de-construct a plaid which had survived intact for over 250 years. Please tell me the damaged section is either from a different piece of fabric or from a part of the original which was already damaged.
http://www.scottishtartans.co.uk/1748_Dated_Plaid.pdf

[figheadair]

It is a very small area of damage on the original fabric. The wonders of hi res photography.

[Me cousin Jack]

Thanks for posting, enjoyed reading that, didn't know they used the cochineal bug for dying.