Lumsden Tartans
modern
Before the twentieth century, almost all dyeing used vegetable dyes. The advent of chemical dyes in the mid-1800s introduced the possibility of stronger and brighter shades, which became immediately popular, appealing to Victorian sensibilities with their liking for strong colour schemes. Tartans woven in 'Modern Colours' are characterised by darker and more vivid shades.
ancient
Ancient tartan colours are lighter in tone, as if using natural dyes. In the 1950s weavers began to create lighter toned variants once the novelty of strongly toned 'Modern' dyestuffs was starting to ebb, and a fashion re-emerged for older-looking colours. The lighter tones often make a tartan's sett (pattern) easier to distinguish than in Modern colours.
reproduction
Probably the most historically authentic tartans on the market, authentic in colour and design to those worn in 1745 and before. They have a soft muted effect reminiscent of the days when vegetable sources such as lichen, moss and alder bark provided the dyer's raw materials.
lumsden
modern
ancient
reproduction
lumsden green
modern
ancient
reproduction
Similar, but not identical, to the Lumsden Hunting tartan
lumsden clova
modern
ancient
reproduction
lumsden of boghead
modern
ancient
reproduction
Reconstruction of a double plaid made at Boghead of Kintore in 1797 by Margaret Lumsden.
lumsden hunting
modern
ancient
reproduction
Designed by Peter MacDonald at the request of David Lumsden of Cushnie to provide a hunting tartan for the clan. Designed to provide a day tartan less bright than the other Lumsden tartans.
lumsden waistcoat
modern
ancient
reproduction
This threadcount was taken from a waistcoat which is believed to date from the 1790s and may have belonged to Andrew Lumsden, one of Prince Charles's secretaries.
