Scottish Wildcat pin?

[Willie T]

I absolutely love the Scottish Wildcat Tartan and was wondering if anyone had thought of creating a nice Scottish Wildcat pin that people could proudly wear as a kilt pin. It could be another item to help raise more funds for the conservation effort. I have Mackintosh blood and I know the Mackintoshes and the other clans in the Clan Chattan federation, otherwise known as the cat clans, would love to have that option and would love to support this wonderful cause. I think a beautifully designed wildcat pin would also appeal to a lot of people who are not part of Clan Chattan and also care about the issue. I've seen a Scottish Wildcat pin but it's rather cartoonish and not something you'd want to wear with Highland attire. It would be great if the design was heraldic in nature and reflected the distinct physical characteristics of the Scottish Wildcat.

[DragonsTooth]

It sounds like a great idea!

It could be carved up and cast in bronze using the lost wax. I would be happy to do my part in helping to promote these when they are done.
These of course would have to be priced up in such a way that it covered costs - would outlets take a small commission on these or would it be all for the conservation efforts?

http://bayleyheritagecastings.co.uk/ does great carving work and casts in lost wax - I would highly recommend that you get in touch with him about a potential design. This could even be crowdfunded depending on which direction it goes in.

Just a few ideas that spring to mind. I do however, think it would be a very popular pin to own.

[Alan H]

That's a lovely idea. I think a bronze wildcat kilt pin would be excellent, and I'm sure that WildCat Haven would love this project if you want to get it off the ground.

I have to say, though, that aside from my local couple who convene the Clan MacIntosh tent, I'm not aware of the MacKintosh Clan caring two hoots about this tartan. My locals have a swatch and a whole display about it, which is great. I don't believe that any other MacKintosh convener has expressed any interest whatsoever. I know that the Clan does contribute to a fund that helps care for some wildcat hybrid kittens in the Edinburgh zoo.

When I presented the tartan and information about it to the Northern California Clans Chattan and the Southern California Clans Chattan at two separate Games in 2014, I was faced with such bored looks and utter disinterest that I cut myself short and just left. At the Pleasanton Games, the women in the Clans Chattan tent literally could not be bothered to stop fussing with laying out t-shirts for sale to spend five minutes to learn about the tartan. In Southern California, I walked into the tent with a swatch of the tartan and the row of six people sitting in the tent barely moved. They literally said nothing, and stared at me. The implicit message was that I was blocking their view of the thoroughfare in front of the tent. I'm sorry, but that's the truth. It was actually a very eerie experience. So I would suggest not putting too much hope in a strong Clan reaction to the kilt pin project.

All of this said, if you know a way to turn the glacier of disinterest around, I think it would be absolutely great. I had hoped to garner support from the Clans and it was a real shock to receive such a turn-off.

[GrainReaper]

I love the idea of the pin, but as stated, too often people just give you what I refer to as the "paint chip stare" and just tune out what you are saying if it's outside their focus for the moment.

[Father Bill]

Actually, if it's small enough and not overly expensive, it could be something I'd like.

If you do get to that point, set up a non-Xmarks contact point and I'd be in touch. I think it's a neat idea.

[argyle24]

I'll be making my father a kilt out of the Wildcat tartan and have a piece for a straight skirt for myself - if you got the project off the ground, I'd be interested in purchased one or two.

[Willie T]

That's a lovely idea. I think a bronze wildcat kilt pin would be excellent, and I'm sure that WildCat Haven would love this project if you want to get it off the ground.

I have to say, though, that aside from my local couple who convene the Clan MacIntosh tent, I'm not aware of the MacKintosh Clan caring two hoots about this tartan. My locals have a swatch and a whole display about it, which is great. I don't believe that any other MacKintosh convener has expressed any interest whatsoever. I know that the Clan does contribute to a fund that helps care for some wildcat hybrid kittens in the Edinburgh zoo.

When I presented the tartan and information about it to the Northern California Clans Chattan and the Southern California Clans Chattan at two separate Games in 2014, I was faced with such bored looks and utter disinterest that I cut myself short and just left. At the Pleasanton Games, the women in the Clans Chattan tent literally could not be bothered to stop fussing with laying out t-shirts for sale to spend five minutes to learn about the tartan. In Southern California, I walked into the tent with a swatch of the tartan and the row of six people sitting in the tent barely moved. They literally said nothing, and stared at me. The implicit message was that I was blocking their view of the thoroughfare in front of the tent. I'm sorry, but that's the truth. It was actually a very eerie experience. So I would suggest not putting too much hope in a strong Clan reaction to the kilt pin project.

All of this said, if you know a way to turn the glacier of disinterest around, I think it would be absolutely great. I had hoped to garner support from the Clans and it was a real shock to receive such a turn-off.

Wow! I'm shocked by that behavior. It's such a beautiful tartan and such a great cause. I don't know about the Clan Chattan conveners, but I am aware that Clan Mackintosh has lost a lot of conveners over the last few years for various reasons and the clan is currently not represented in 20 U.S. states. So perhaps out of desperation, they're are just grateful for anyone who volunteers to set up the booth and some of those people may know very little about the plight of the wildcats. On the Clan Mackintosh of North America Facebook page, the Scottish Wildcat is discussed frequently and there are a lot of clan members who care deeply about the wildcat. I would hope that those clan members would show more interest in the tartan but I could be wrong. I'll see what I can do to drum up more interest among the clan members.

[Willie T]

Thanks, everyone, for your sharing your thoughts. I love the idea of the Scottish Wildcat kilt pin being cast in bronze and I can see that looking great with the Scottish Wildcat Tartan and many other tartans. I must confess that I don't have many contacts or knowledge about the manufacturing and design of kilt pins, so if anyone wants to take this idea and run with it, please go ahead. Maybe those xmarksthescot members who are artistically inclined and care about this issue could sketch some ideas and share them in this thread or in a new thread and everyone else could discuss those designs? I'm just brainstorming here and would rather have someone more knowledgable than me take the lead on this. If anyone has any more ideas, please share them.

[DragonsTooth]

I will put a call out to the BAMSS (Blade and Metallurgical Society Scotland - with a few more details in place to get the interest going) as there are a few woodworkers within the group that may be inclined to help the cause.. I would be more than happy to get a few heads together on this matter and help progress it further still - hopefully to make it a reality.

Feel free to PM me and we can do what we can to make something workable

[ThistleDown]

I have to say, though, that aside from my local couple who convene the Clan MacIntosh tent, I'm not aware of the MacKintosh Clan caring two hoots about this tartan. My locals have a swatch and a whole display about it, which is great. I don't believe that any other MacKintosh convener has expressed any interest whatsoever. I know that the Clan does contribute to a fund that helps care for some wildcat hybrid kittens in the Edinburgh zoo.

Someone has misled you in this, Alan. The Clan Chattan and the Clan Macpherson have for years been financial supporters of Central Highlands wildcat conservation in such august company as Dualchas Nadair na h'Alba, Cairngorms Park Authority, Forestry Commission Scotland, National Museums, the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Scottish Gamekeepers Association, Highland Council, John Muir Trust, Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, RSPB and Scottish Land & Estates. There are thought to be five wildcat populations in the Highlands. The one the Clan Chattan supports is Central Highlands; you are fund-raising for a group on the West Coast.

The wildcat tartan is a beautiful one but the Clan Chattan already has so many beautiful tartans to choose from.