Tartan Challenge

[figheadair]

Peter, based on your comments above (that the initials are feminine and the piece is a remnant of a larger plaid) and based on the cloth's size, I'm going to guess that the piece was presented as a woman's tartan screen (or shawl), since the 1780's is probably too late for it to have been worn as an airisaid. Another guess would be that the piece could have been a bed-hanging.

Given the amount of red, and the general quality of the dyeing, this was a quality piece. Like so many pieces of this age we don't know what its original purpose was, if indeed there was just one. It could have been a screen but the weight is a little heavy, possibly a man's upper plaid, although the joined nature makes this unlikely IMO. I'm sceptical too about the whole arisaid concept, especially post-1700. More likely I think was intended for some form of domestic use such as bed hangings or possibly a bed cover.

I know that this has been handed down in a Perthshire family but the identity of the initials is currently unknown. When I have time there will be a full paper on the piece.

[Orvis]

Given the amount of red, and the general quality of the dyeing, this was a quality piece. Like so many pieces of this age we don't know what its original purpose was, if indeed there was just one. It could have been a screen but the weight is a little heavy, possibly a man's upper plaid, although the joined nature makes this unlikely IMO. I'm sceptical too about the whole arisaid concept, especially post-1700. More likely I think was intended for some form of domestic use such as bed hangings or possibly a bed cover.

I know that this has been handed down in a Perthshire family but the identity of the initials is currently unknown. When I have time there will be a full paper on the piece.

Peter, I will certainly look forward to your paper regarding this piece. I think your guess as to its possibly being a man's upper plaid is interesting. Belted plaids were still being worn in the days just after the Disarming Acts were repealed, as were philabegs. Men who wore philabegs out in the open (herders and the like) would probably have needed an upper plaid to keep warm/dry. I seem to remember that you once noted that tartan which was woven off-set and had selvedge marks/herringbone selvedge was meant for plaids. Due to the diminutive width of this joined cloth (40 inches), I think you are right in supposing it to have not been for a man's belted plaid, but I think it would have (before its length was cut down) worked perfectly as an upper plaid, in addition to the later feminine/household uses we have also ascribed to it.

Of course, I have no way of proving any of this, so these are just some thoughts.