Quote Originally Posted by prattw
My own clan, Grant, is one of the few where any hint exists of there being any specified tartan for the clan prior to the 19th century. In 1704 the Chief specified that his men were to wear "red and green broad sprigged" when serving him. In 1714 two portraits were painted of his "Champion" (i.e. body guard) and his piper wearing it, and it bears no resemblance at all to the present Grant sett. Reconstructed thread counts from the portraits vary slightly, and the reconstructed setts are known as "Grant Champion" and "Grant Piper".
I got a copy of So You're Going To Wear The Kilt for my latest anniversary and in it, the author states that clans were more likely to be wearing some sort of foliage in their balmoral's pin that would designate their clan than a particular tartan. Could the term "sprigged" actually refer to a sprig of some plant?