Tartan of the Month - August: What do you see?

[Tony]

i thought it was two sides of one piece of cloth too.

Is it a comparison of a modern weave against a really old piece?

[figheadair]

So what have we got so far?

• Two pieces of a similar setting but in different colours.
  
• Both pieces have a herringbone selevdge.
  
• A suggestion that they are from the same era.
  
• The smaller piece is what is now called MacColl

Any more thoughts?

[Morris at Heathfield]

Two very similar tartans. One developed into the MacColl tartan. I have a hypothesis that the other one developed into a different named tartan, but I haven't been able to find evidence to back up my hunch. The closest tartans I have been able to find so far are the Robertson/Donachie tartan and the Culloden plaid, not to be confused with the Culloden (coat) tartan. Or maybe it's a highly irregular MacDonald of Sleat.

[figheadair]

Two very similar tartans. One developed into the MacColl tartan. I have a hypothesis that the other one developed into a different named tartan, but I haven't been able to find evidence to back up my hunch. The closest tartans I have been able to find so far are the Robertson/Donachie tartan and the Culloden plaid, not to be confused with the Culloden (coat) tartan. Or maybe it's a highly irregular MacDonald of Sleat.

Similar yes. So much so in fact that I suspect that they are by the same weaver and off the same loom. Your hypothosis is wrong in that the larger piece remains 'unnamed' and has never been adoptd by anyone/developed into something else.

I won't be writing these up separately as the two pieces form part of a larger paper that I'm writing but it will take some time to finish. Suffice to say at this stage that the smaller of the two is the oldest/original setting of what is now known as MacColl and that as is so often the case, the modern trade pattern is less subtle in both shades and setting.

[xman]

... I suspect that they are by the same weaver and off the same loom. ...

That must be a very exciting revelation as you're holding the two cloths in your hand.

Thanks again, Peter. A fascinating bit of information.