book: World Tartans by Iain Zaczek

[sirdaniel1975]

Yes, avoid the book. There are loads of mistakes in the book. I had purchased one for the club "Jacobites" back in 2007 or 2008 and later began making corrections. I can't verify what some of the mistakes are being it's in our clubs storage right now, but I can tell you that they pictured the wrong tartan for Glasgow and Pride of Scotland I think (off the top of my head).

I'm actually not impressed with anything by Iain Zaczek.

Your better off traveling around with a laptop computer and a wireless connection to view tartans from the credited sites on tartan. Unless you wish to buy all the swatches.

Compendium of District Tartans is still available ... Good source.
There is a three or four volume set of Tartan books at the Scottish Tartans Museum that I think are worth the money.

[celt72]

Hi, Celt – you mention the Katsushika tartan. I was wondering how many more Japanese tartans the book lists, since by my count there are at least 30.
I have been able to track down only two Chinese tartans (aside from the Chinese Scottish), both relevant to Hong Kong, and one Korean. But there are also artefact tartans from Central Asia – two named Takla Makan, and one called Tokharion.
There is an artefact tartan called Bhutan, and one called Kazakhstan.
From what is now called South Asia you have the Baluch Regiment tartan, one called Rajput, one for the Gurkha Rifles and one for Sri Lanka.
In addition there is a tartan registered by a Sikh long resident in Scotland for the use of all Sikhs, and if memory serves a few others for Scots of Indian or Arabian origin.
Counting Arabia as a whole, I have collected nine tartans (in jpg format) from that region.
How many of those does Zaczek list?
Regards,
Mike

It looks like the Katsushika tartan is the only Asian one listed. The only Arabian tartan it shows is the Sultanate of Oman tartan. The book breaksdown into the following sections, Scottish Tartans, British and Irish, North American and Canadian, Other Countries, and finally Institutions and People. It does have errors, but I is still enjoy browsing the non-Scottish tartans that I've never seen in a book before. Cheers!

[Mike_Oettle]

Hi, Celt – yes, I have noticed that there is a vast number of US and Canadian tartans, whereas Australia has relatively few. New Zealand, a much smaller country, seems much more tartan-dense.
I have noticed a few tartans that are specifically North American, rather than being restricted to either the US or Canada.
The Arabian tartans include one called Royal Bahrain, and there are several connected with Oman. One is named Sultan Qaboos Air Force. One tartan was registered with a Dubai connection, but is now used by an Islamic centre in Britain.
Latin America (in which I included a tartan for a Puerto Rican family) has only four or five. Polynesia has two that I have located (the Hawaiian, and one for a family in American Samoa).
By contrast, tiny Bermuda has four. But for the whole of the Caribbean I have found just one, for Antigua and Barbuda.
I have been fascinated to find tartans for Continental Europe – several from Germany, several from Italy, a few from Russia, a number from Scandinavia, a few from France (excluding Brittany) and about the same for Spain and Portugal (but excluding Galicia).
Of the Celtic peoples besides Scotland there are close on a dozen for the tiny Isle of Man, and dozens for Ireland, but quite a few also for Wales, Cornwall and Brittany.
Galicia has two national/district tartans, and three that seem to be the invention of a single individual.
Regards,
Mike

[macwilkin]

I highly recommend the web site http://www.district-tartans.com for images of many district tartans worldwide.

T.

[gilmore]

It looks like the Katsushika tartan is the only Asian one listed. The only Arabian tartan it shows is the Sultanate of Oman tartan. The book breaksdown into the following sections, Scottish Tartans, British and Irish, North American and Canadian, Other Countries, and finally Institutions and People. It does have errors, but I is still enjoy browsing the non-Scottish tartans that I've never seen in a book before. Cheers!

Oman is no longer in Asia? When did they move it?

[Downunder Kilt]

There are a couple interesting tartans in the book I've not seen elsewhere, the United States (designed by Malcolm Campbell) and the Victoria (Australia) (designed by Betty Johnston). I googled both and didn't find anyone selling these tartans.

OC Richard, the Victoria (Australia) Tartan can be purchased throught the House of Tartan Australia www.tartanhouse.com.au (according to their site). I know the tartan is copyrighted to the State Government and a tartan rug of the design was presented to Her Majesty, the Queen by the Premier of Victoria at Balmoral. I have seen several scarves in the tartan but not a kilt.

[Mac Ghille Sheathanaich]

Greetings all, 25 July, 5:55amMST

I just bought three books from Amazon yesterday:
"Clans & Tartans" by James Mackay

"Scottish Clan & Family Names.......Their Arms, Origins & Tartans" by Roddy Martine

"Tartans" by Brian Wilton

I was almost ready to buy the Zazcek book, but something steered me away from it.

I am gathering materials for a tent display. Myself and three other Kilted Brothers have just formed the "Idaho Tartan Day Society".

http://idahotartanday.org

Tartan day was officially recognized in Idaho by an act of our legislature in '06, and since no one else has stepped up to do anything about it, we did.

Not much at the website yet, but I'm working on that. I'll be writing a periodical newsletter, focusing on the stories of Scots immigration to Idaho.

We're going to make our début at the Boise Games on 18 September, then a delightful event in central Idaho......."The Trailing of the Sheep", which is an annual event in the Ketchum-Hailey area.
Scots were the first to bring sheep to Idaho in the late 1800s.

Preserving our Heritage for our posterity.

Regards aye,

T.

[macwilkin]

Here are a few more suggested titles:

Szasz, Fernec. "Scots in the North American West, 1790-1917". (U. of OK Press, 2000). Contains quite a bit about the Scots in Idaho, including details about Burns Suppers, etc.

Black's "Surnames of Scotland" & Teall & Smith's "District Tartans" are out of print, but worth the effort and price!

"Scottish Clan and Family Encyclopedia" by George Way of Plean & Romilly Squire is also highly recommended. I believe it is still available through Barnes & Noble.

Good luck & good on ya for taking on this worthwhile effort!

Todd