Watercolor of kilted gent, 1890s-1920s. Any thoughts? Peter Jeffrey Mackie?

[deervin77]

This watercolor portrait hung in my grandmother's powder room for decades. Any thoughts as to who it might depict? My guess is Sir Jeffrey Mackie, whisky distiller of Lagavulin and White Horse.


The picture from my grandmother's:



From Wikipedia/ Vanity Fair 1908

[davidlpope]

Not based on the tartan depicted....

[OC Richard]

Wearing a different outfit, but it does look to be the same face, doesn't it? The shape of the nose, eyebrows and ear, the way the mustache is turned up at the corners.

The top image appears to show the military Seaforth MacKenzie tartan. It's a very nice drawing. I just wish I could have seen his sporran front-on.

His bonnet Clan badge possibly has a stags-head motif.

I found this book he wrote, you can see a photo of him, quite dapper, and he's wearing the same kilt pin seen in the lower watercolour above. https://www.amazon.com/Keepers-Book-.../dp/B004V0A1UY

[Jock Scot]

I dont know where these came from, perhaps from the same series? Cigarette cards? From about the same era, I think.

[figheadair]

I dont know where these came from, perhaps from the same series? Cigarette cards? From about the same era, I think.

They are from this book which has been reprinted many times since the 1930s.

[OC Richard]

They are from this book which has been reprinted many times since the 1930s.

What's interesting, and I've mentioned it before, is the book in near-identical format published by Rentons LTD 32-38 Princes Street Edinburgh. A quick Googling found no other books published by them. The book states:

Tartan Specialists-Silk Mercers-General Drapers & Home Furnishers.

I believe the book was actually published by W & A K Johnston Edinburgh. The cover is identical, except for the firm listed bottom right, to this one I found online, by the Philadelphia Blanket Company!



The illustrations in my copy are decidedly old-fashioned. Men are mostly shown in the doublets with full lace (braid) trim which had a fairly brief popularity around 1900, and long hair sporrans, even with Day Dress tweed.

In other words the illustrations capture civilian Highland Dress immediately prior to its major transformation.

The illustrations all say Copyright W&AK Johnston Ltd Edinr. This firm, from what I read, was known mostly for maps. Evidently the firm became Johnston and Bacon c1960.

As far as my book's date, an approximate date can be established by references to the "present" heads of the various Clans.

It cannot be earlier than 1916 because it makes reference to Sir Ian Colquohoun DSO, which award he received that year.

It cannot be later than 1921 because it mentions Sir Donald James MacKay as "present" and he died in that year.

I see online references to the W & A K Johnston book dating to c1910 which explains the old-fashioned illustrations.

Here's an example of tweed Day Dress

[Tobus]

I happen to own a copy of that book (photo below of it on my laptop). According to the publishing notes inside, here are the dates it was printed:

Second Revised Edition 1945
Reprinted six times
Third Revised and Enlarged Edition 1961
Fourth Edition 1963
Revised and Reprinted 1966
Reprinted 1969
Reprinted 1970
Reprinted 1973
Reprinted 1975
Reprinted 1978

(There could be later reprints, but mine is likely from the 1978 reprinting.)

[OC Richard]

EDIT: Looked over more photos of copies on sale on Ebay, there's a copy with the exact data that Tobus' book has.

The first edition, unknown original date, is found with various covers, red or green.



Mine, from internal evidence, dates to around the end of the Great War.

Second Revised Edition 1945, reprinted 46, 49, 51, 53, 55, 57.

It's usually seen with a dust-cover, black, showing a gent in a Regulation Doublet and a woman curling.



Third Revised and Enlarged Edition 1961/Fourth Edition 1963/Revised and Reprinted 1966; Reprinted 69, 70, 73

These are seen with a dust-cover showing a gent in yellow MacLeod kilt and a tan check tweed jacket.



Starting with the 1975 reprint the cover depicts a piper (at least from the ones I've seen on Ebay).

[Blaidd]

Thank you Gentlemen. I have just procured a copy following your discussion. It will help occupy the lock down hours!