Looking for a tartan

[Jock Scot]

What's interesting is that neither the Bute range or the Rothesay tartans have much to do with the island apart from the name. The former are the work of Houstons in Paisley, the latter the Allan Brothers via Wilsons.



Yes, it's an Allen Brothers' VS special. Variations on a theme, not unlike the Bute range but with more differences between the individual setts in terms of colour.

Which raises the question Peter, where does the Rothesay tartan that the Duke of Rothesay sometimes wears fit in with all this?

[OC Richard]

What's interesting is that neither the Bute range or the Rothesay tartans have much to do with the island apart from the name.

That seems to happen all the time with tartans.

Two English brothers drew up a load of tartans on their drawing boards and gave them Scottish clan names, a Scottish weaver invented 32 tartans and gave them the names of Irish counties, and so it goes.

[figheadair]

Which raises the question Peter, where does the Rothesay tartan that the Duke of Rothesay sometimes wears fit in with all this?

If you mean this one Jock, then it's a bit of a mystery.



It is the Hunting Rothesay, first record c1940-50, it's a simplified version of the tartan that appeared in W&AK Johnston's The tartans of the clans and septs of Scotland. under the same name. The hunting tartan is a colour change (red and green reversed) of the early 19th century tartan designed (probably) by the Sobieski Stuarts aka the Allen Brothers and woven at the time by Wilsons'

[lschwartz]

I contacted Ken at Houston Kiltmakers to ask for a swatch of the Clan Gregor tartan and also the Hamilton Red. Ken actually called me in Maryland from Scotland to talk about what I wanted and to get my CC information so I wouldn't have to send it in an email.

They have the tartans in 19 oz fabric, which is a bit heavy I think for a woman's skirt, but he also said that they could do a special run of the tartan in a lighter fabric, but it would have to be a minimum of 11 meters, which I don't think is too bad. We could get a skirt for my wife and at least one kilt for me out of that length.

I wanted to post all of this because I think it shows great customer service (I mean he called me from Scotland!!!) and wanted to let everyone know about it.

Larry

[Jock Scot]

If you mean this one Jock, then it's a bit of a mystery.



It is the Hunting Rothesay, first record c1940-50, it's a simplified version of the tartan that appeared in W&AK Johnston's The tartans of the clans and septs of Scotland. under the same name. The hunting tartan is a colour change (red and green reversed) of the early 19th century tartan designed (probably) by the Sobieski Stuarts aka the Allen Brothers and woven at the time by Wilsons'

Yes thats the one Peter. Thank you for that, I have often wondered.

[OC Richard]

Looks like the Muted Range from House Of Edgar.

[RockyR]

It's nice-looking though.

That list has some oddities, doesn't it? (Offtopic)

SNIP

And Bute tartans. Loads of Bute tartans. Who knew?

Their BUTE tartans listed on Houston's site are their own range of fashion tartans, which are woven at the mill ON Bute. http://www.butefabrics.com/ The gent who owns the mill (if memory serves from my discussion with the mills' past director) is either the chief of Stuart of Bute or has some other official title and owns the mill and keeps a good % of the island employed at the mill.

The mill itself stocks 12 versions of the Stuart of Bute tartan in 13 oz fabric. They can be seen on the mill's website.