Abbotsford -Closer look at Sir Walter Scott's desk -Scotiana 2006

When you think that I visited twice his home in Abbotsford, and yourself maybe three or four times already, and this detail escaped our attention!

Well..well..well..better late than never, right?

The tartan holds a very important place in Scotland’s clan symbols, amidst clan motto and clan’s heraldic icons. It’s basically a unique pattern, called a “sett”, in a structured series of coloured threads and traditionally, each Scottish clan has its own tartan.

We can see some great examples in the video we took of Scottish tartans through ages at the Tartan Weaving Mill & Exhibition, on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh.

Scottish Clan Tartans Limited Edition Cards

I recently bought on Ebay a boxed set of 25 cards depicting a pictorial history of the clans and their famous chiefs who together formed such an important part of Scotland’s past along with their respective tartans.

Scottish Clan - Map - Glenfiddich Card Set

The cards contained inside this wallet have been faithfully reproduced from part of a set that was first published in 1927.

They provide a fascinating and informative insight into the heritage of Scotland and the main characters who helped shape the course of Scottish history.

It was published by Glenfiddich ( Pure Malt Whisky ) in Limited Edition. Here’s the list of the Scottish Clan Tartans pictured on these cards:

Buchanan
Campbell of Breadalbane
Cameron of Lochiel
Duncan
Farquharson
Ferguson
Gordon
Grant

Kennedy
MacDuff
MacFie
MacIvor
MacGregor
Mackenzie
Macleod
Macmillan
Macneill
Macpherson
MacRae
Matheson
Ogilvie
Ross
Scott
Sinclair
Prince Charles Edward Stewart

Under the swelling folds of the chiefly banner clansmen in kilt and trews, and the daughters of the clan in plaid and arisaid, still gather around their Chief and Ban-tigherna as the parents of the race.

The historic titles of the Scots peerage perpetuate the tribal provinces of the Celtic Kings ( being honours “shared by the whole race and surname” of each) , and thus give a striking “clan-significance” to these Scottish honours.

In the governance of Britain, the King still represents the Ard-Righ -”head of the kindred” viz. the High-Chief, and his Lord Lyon King of Arms of Scotland represents the High-Sennachie; s0 that the ascending bond of kinship, symbolized by “The Tartan” is still an actual and legalised feature of the Realm of Scotland, linking those of Scottish blood, the world over, both with one another and with the arts, the poetry and the romance of Celtic Scotland.

Source: The Scottish Tartans, with the Chiefs’ Arms Histories & Badges of the Clans.W. & A. K. Johnston & G. W. Bacon Lyd, Edinburgh,Scotland. 1959

I will keep my eyes open for the 1927 original card set as I would be delighted to add in our collection.

Talk soon.

Janice