MacMillan modern black tartan

[James MacMillan]

Okay foul!!

Searching by name for MacMillan the STA only coughs up the hunting and the dress.

Going to the alphabetical dropdown there are five or six MacMillan tartans, including a very black one that is listed as a mill tartan #3494.

The MacMillan ancient # 6302 looks like what Marton Mills makes...and so that looks okay as a clan tartan. And there are some other nice looking variations.

Dang ferret was holding out. Probably best to do my STA searches with the alphabet drop down now, just in case.

Still hung up on the red and yellow dress tartan #1723.

Ron

Several times, when I discuss my dislike for the "official" clan tartan, I have been directed to the "black" MacMillan....... -and it looked like Ron had found one, but when I try to find #3494, I don't get a black tartan, I get a grey one......

What gives?

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Remember, gang, that the tartans listed on the STA site (the International Tartan Index) are going to be fairly comprehensive, and include fashion tartans and personal tartans, as well as the officially recognized clan tartans.

For instance, 3494 is a fashion MacMillan, woven by West Coast Woolen Mills in Canada; who produced a wide variety of fashion designs. Most likely this tartan has no connection with the MacMillan clan at all, except that it seems to be a color change of the MacMillan hunting.

But my point is that the presence or absence of a tartan in the ITI shouldn't be taken to imply anything at all about that tartan's official status with the clan. The STA provides this index as an information source. It is the clan chief who determines what the clan tartans are.

[fluter]

Searching by name for MacMillan the STA only coughs up the hunting and the dress... Dang ferret was holding out.

That's what I get (2 tartans) if I search from the surname field. If I enter MacMillan in the tartan name field, I get all 6.

For whatever it's worth.

[Riverkilt]

Hey Jay,

Have you seen the MacMillan (1946) on the STA site? #3496?

Ron

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

According to our Chief there are, at present, three recognized MacMillan tartans: Dress MacMillan; Ancient MacMillan; Hunting MacMillan.

Any of these can (and have been) woven in modern, weathered, and old or "ancient" colours. While individuals are free to wear whatever they please only the above tartans are considered as representative of clan membership.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Here is what I found doing a search for MacMillian Black Tartan:

Back in, I believe, 1898 the Clan MacMillan Society of Glasgow designed a tartan for the members of the Society based on the MacMillan Ancient tartan. This was done because the majority of the membership was unhappy with the off-set sett of the Ancient tartan. The colours were not changed, and with the exception of the black background (and possibly the white stripe), it looked virtually the same as the "Modern Black MacMillan" tartan.

[James MacMillan]

Hey Jay,

Have you seen the MacMillan (1946) on the STA site? #3496?

Ron

Yea - the 1947 is different than the 3439. -and still not what I think has been referred to me.

And just to muddy the water further - The "House of Tartan" web-site lists:
1723 MacMillan Dress
667 MacMillan Hunting
668 MacMillan Hunting
2025 MacMillan Old

And none of these look very close to the tartans listed at MacMillanClan.org ..here..

I think the "black" one that was referred to me by a "cousin" may be what is listed as "Modern Hunting MacMillan"

I think if I am to get a MacMillan tartan now I would choose the "modern" hunting version.

Also remember that you found ..this.. site that shows even more slight variations.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Jay-- for what it's worth I agree that the modern Hunting MacMillan is the best of the bunch. Kilted or in trews it just looks sharp. Our Chief prefers Hunting, Old Colours, but to me it looks sort like RAF tartan... Anyhow, I'll look forward to seeing you in the "Huntin' Mac" tartan at the Clan gathering in Los Angeles this summer.

[James MacMillan]

Jay-- for what it's worth I agree that the modern Hunting MacMillan is the best of the bunch. Kilted or in trews it just looks sharp. Our Chief prefers Hunting, Old Colours, but to met it looks sort like RAF tartan... Anyhow, I'll look forward to seeing you in the "Huntin' Mac" tartan at the Clan gathering in Los Angeles this summer.

Yea - me too. Since I have not ordered the kilt yet, I better get cracking.

[BoldHighlander]

That is what Marton Mills sells as MacMillan; it's simply a fashion variation. I don't know if they designed it themselves, or not, but apparantly whoever did so concieved of it without the cheif's blessing.

This happens all the time, really. A tartan is popular, and so a mill will introduce some variation of it with a new twist. No big deal, so long as no one attempts to pass it off as a "clan tartan" when the cheif says otherwise.

The same thing has more or less happened with the newer Dress Mackay tartan:
http://www.clanmackayusa.org/NewTartan/NewTartan.htm
it was designed by the US branch of the Mackay clan, who have attempted to get our Chief, the Lord Reay, to recognize it but have yet to get any response from him, so it was registered with the STA as an unofficial and a corporate tartan of the Clan Mackay Society, USA.