eBay mystery

[Guthrumironhead]

Hi all,
This kilt is currently on eBay. The seller states it is an unknown tartan. I see MacKenzie, but with odd colors. This reminds me of some WWI kilts I have seen that we’re exposed to chlorine gas, but it doesn’t appear to have the age nor the construction of a kilt of that vintage. Is it one of the muted or weathered pallets? On those tartans that I have seen the blue is a blue grey, and the green a kharkee or olive. Could this be very old military cloth made up into a civilian kilt, or perhaps a special weave? The cloth seems to have the blanket-like look of vintage military cloth. I like it a lot and wish it fit me. I would have already bid on it. Any thoughts?

[figheadair]

Yes, it's MacKenzie (Seaforth Highlanders).

[OC Richard]

It's a faded military kilt, seems to me.

As Peter says, a Seaforth Highlanders kilt.

I've posted the photo before here, let me try to find it now, of a badly faded Seaforth Highlanders kilt. That photo is very instructive as to how different colours are affected by fading, because half of the kilt's front panel was exposed to light, half of it wasn't.

Edit: here it is!

[Guthrumironhead]

That was my first thought as well, but the black rather than green tape around the top and the fringe on the apron threw me. It also has non-military buckles, only two, and belt loops, but I did not save any pics.

[OC Richard]

Thing is, officers privately purchased their uniforms and one does see some variation.

The most obvious place this shows up is in group photos Argyll & Sutherland officers, where no two kilts have quite the same colour and style of embroidery and ribbons, suggesting they were made by different tailors.

Also I've seen many old army kilts that have had the binding replaced at some point, sometimes not with the military style grass green herringbone binding.