Glengarry mourning ribbon?

**OC Richard** · 5th March 18, 05:01 AM

This popped up on Ebay.

Has anyone heard of sewing a "mourning ribbon" on a Glengarry?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Scarce-earl...p2056016.l4276

**figheadair** · 5th March 18, 05:37 AM

It's not something that I've come across even for Royal funerals. Possibly a misunderstanding of the recycling of an older Glengarry. This picture clearly shows the regiment (not been called the 93rd since I'm not sure when) wore a solid black band.

Click image for larger version.

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**OC Richard** · 5th March 18, 04:08 PM

Yes I've not come across it either.

One would think that if the purpose was to disguise a diced Glengarry as a plain one they would sew the ribbon on as flat and inconspicuous as possible. But this ribbon is sewn on in a rippled way. Very strange.

Yes the 91st and 93rd became the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders in 1881, and retained almost entirely the uniform of the 93rd including the 2-colour red & white dicing. (All military Glengarries are an extremely dark blue often mistaken for black.)

All ranks of the Black Watch and Cameron Highlanders wore plain un-diced Glengarries, while the Gordon Highlanders and Seaforth Highlanders wore three-colour red/white/green dicing.

All pipers regardless of the dress of their regiments wore (and wear) plain Glengarries.

This is the only decently sized photo I could find of members of the Argylls showing a piper and non-pipers all wearing Glengarries in the same photo, where the distinctive Argylls dicing and the plain piper's Glengarries can all be seen.

**duke_19_62** · 6th March 18, 05:53 AM

I don't know if everyone looked at all the pictures. The glengarry in the original post is diced with a black ribbon stitched over the dicing. I've included a close up from the ebay posting.

**figheadair** · 6th March 18, 08:45 AM

Originally Posted by duke_19_62

I don't know if everyone looked at all the pictures. The glengarry in the original post is diced with a black ribbon stitched over the dicing.

Yes, para 2 of post #3.

**Baeau** · 6th March 18, 09:47 AM

Richard.....could it be sewn in ripple fashion, to allow the headband to stretch. Once stretched over the wearer's head, it might lay flat. Perhaps, allowing it to have a tidier look?