We're finally getting kilted!

[Geoff Withnell]

I have had an email conversation with Dave Chagnon, who is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Clan Davidson Association, USA. He tells me that our current Chief has not "given the nod" to any tartan as the "official" clan tartan or tartans. If you search in the Scottish Register of Tartans for Davidson, there are 6 tartans listed as clan/family tartans, the wedding tartan, which is listed as a personal tartan, and 2 associated with the Harley Davidson Motorcycle Co. Of the Clan Tartans, "Davidson", and "Davidson of Tulloch" are available in wool in various shades from several mills; and Davidson is available in PV from Marton Mills.

[Geoff Withnell]

Oh, and I meant to add that per Mr Chagnon, the Clan Association policy in the USA at least is "Wear what you like. If you wear it proudly, we won't throw you out of the clan tent!"

[Downunder Kilt]

Thanks for going to the effort to clear that up Geoff. I would imagine that sometime in the clans history that at least one tartan was given the nod by a clan chief. Perhaps Thistledown has some information on the matter. I note that this same conversation is similiar to that in another thread. Similarly, my concern is that the OP doesn't buy a tartan under the impression that it is a clan tartan, only to find out otherwise

Cheers and thanks

[ThistleDown]

You called, Mike? .

There are two tartans attached to the clan Davidson. The earlier (in the collection of the 1822 Highland Society of London and in the Wilsons sample book at Moy Hall) is now called the Davidson of Tulloch (W2 G12 K6 B12 R2) and is probably derived from the government tartan. Henry 3rd of Tulloch accepted it as his own although he had no knowledge of its origin and there is no known illustration of him wearing it.

The tartan generally recognised as Clan Davidson (R2 B12 G2 B2 G12 K2 G12 K2 G2 K12 R2) is illustrated by McIan. This tartan seems to have been worn first by Davidson of Cantray and is also in the Wilson sample book. Duncan 6th of Tulloch is known to have worn this one so I suppose that's adequate recognition.

Wilsons also played with a Double Davidson, laying two white overchecks on the green and two red on the blue. This one didn't gain popularity, has never been recognised by a Davidson chief and is just one more design with a surname attached. More recently there are others: the late-90s very personal 'Wedding', a 'Half-Davidson' fashion version, at least two corporate 'Harley Davidsons' and several based on the clan Davidson but not bearing that name.

[Downunder Kilt]

Thankyou Rex, I have just emailed the secretary of the New Zealand arm of the Clan Davidson Society (trying to get as close to the Chief as possible) to see what information can be obtained. As you stated in the other thread, it would be a shame to order a tartan, in this case the wedding tartan, on the basis that it is an official clan tartan tartan, when in turns out to be but a personal tartan. Cheers

[ThistleDown]

I've no idea why the US society would include in its list two colour renditions of the Davidson tartan, two of the Tulloch, the so-called 'Double', the 'Bride' and the 'Half', but not the 'Harley-D' . Ah well. Better research required, perhaps.

[Flavia]

Oh, and I meant to add that per Mr Chagnon, the Clan Association policy in the USA at least is "Wear what you like. If you wear it proudly, we won't throw you out of the clan tent!"

That's what it says on the website!

It was lovely of you to take the time to write to him.

[Geoff Withnell]

I suspect because they are "corporate" tartans that haven't been specifically made generally available.

I've no idea why the US society would include in its list two colour renditions of the Davidson tartan, two of the Tulloch, the so-called 'Double', the 'Bride' and the 'Half', but not the 'Harley-D' . Ah well. Better research required, perhaps.

[Flavia]

The Saga Continues!

We got my son's Prince Charlie coatee & vest - they are lovely! & he looks so cute! My only hope is that his shoulders don't grow, even if he does, at least until after September.

We also got sporrans. The Son agreed to cowhide, because he acknowledges that we eat them, & this way "the fur doesn't go to waste." But there was NO WAY I could get him anywhere near "bunny fur". The Husband got what could be called "half dress" after a consultation with both the groom & the piper/best man: we all agreed that a white fut sporran would probably be too glaring against the dark tartan, & I knew I was trespassing enough on my husband's good will. So I got him a nicely tooled black leather with raised designs and a silver cantle. He also went with the ubiquitous bargain basement sgian dhub. That he might not end up using, because I was impulsive.

The groom is rather set on my son also having one; I'm not too worked up about it one way or the other. I'm betting 15 minutes after the ceremony it's going into the sporran. But I digress. My son fell in love with a very ornamental knife: open-work Celtic knotwork handle, green "stone (I'm sure it's plastic!)" at the end, & it was cheap, so I bought it for him. Then it arrived. Over 8" long and heavy as all get-out. Sigh. He was such a good sport when he realized that it was impossible for him to put it in his hose; I think it helped when I told him that it was his knife, & that he would get it one day, anyway. But when I confessed to the Husband that I hadn't been careful enough in ordering it, he looked it over & said that he might use it. He got the cocked eyebrow from me, which, of course, only reinforced the idea with him. Yeah, well, we'll see. It would be great, but I'm not holding my breath. But, in the meantime, I have to find something a lot smaller for my son. Even the standard one is a little big for him. Tell me, is it amusing or tacky for him to have a miniature Uzi knife in his hose...?

Now, for the jacket.

Deep breath.

Remember how I said that WorldWide Tuxedos was being sold? Well, it's been over a week, & Tom is not answering my phone calls.

Sigh.

BUT - & I don't believe in coincidences! - right that week on eBay was a short-waited tux jacket in his size. Ok, for his shoulders; I just have to take in the waist a bit. Maybe more than a bit (He's secretly a lot more chuffed about that than he's letting on!). Since The Husband is not in the wedding party, I may not bother switching the buttons. Unless I find something I really like :-)

Now I can finally relax, & start sewing my daughter's gown.

After I get the belts...