Is anyone familiar with tobacco silks?

[oldtrousers]

Hi fellas,
I just recieved a wonderful gift of a set of five framed depictions of what I believe are British soldiers. These pictures are printed on "silk" and I'm guessing they are "tobacco silks' from the early 20th century. I have attached images below. They were framed in Virginia, but there is no mention of the regiments the soldiers belonged to. While I have a bit of British Victorian uniform reference, I'm not very familiar with Edwardian uniforms. The hussar appears to be possibly Yeomanry, and the kilts of the Highlanders look lIke they have quite a bit of blue in the tartan. I had another thought while putting them up tonight that they may even be Canadian? If anyone can shed some light on these I would greatly appreciate it.
Scott

 

[sd0324]

Those are very cool!


Steve

 

[billyturnip]

They're very nice.
I would hazard a guess at the Yeomanry/hussar figure is Royal North Devon Hussars.

 

[Nap]

They are really great , what a possession

Keep them out the light to stop the beautiful colours fading

First might be a Volunteer Artillery or Engineers

Agree about the Hussar , the scots officers looks like it has a sphinx outline on the collar .

Nap

 

[mick3272]

Hi Scott. Re the Highlanders.
I would say :-
Top one. Blue facings , Red & Black Hose = Black watch.
Middle. Can only be Argyll & Sutherland Highlander.
Bottom . Gordon Highlander. Yellow facings, White Sporron with two black tails & Black & Red Hose.

Mick.

 

[peedee]

My dad had loads of these, but I have no idea what became of them

 

[peedee]

Hi Scott. Re the Highlanders.
I would say :-
Top one. Blue facings , Red & Blake Hose = Black watch.
Middle. Can only be Argyll & Sutherland Highlander.
Bottom . Gordon Highlander. Yellow facings, White Sporron with two black tails & Black & Red Hose.

Mick.

Sorry Mick it's not gonna be an Argyle without a badgers head sporran and with a red overstripe in the plaid Buddy.
if it's not Seaforth's of Canada I will let you know later what it is, I am in work.

 

[billyturnip]

if it's not Seaforth's of Canada I will let you know later what it is, I am in work.

Funnily enough it did cross my mind that they could all be Canadian regiments as they originate in North America.

 

[mick3272]

Sorry Mick it's not gonna be an Argyle without a badgers head sporran and with a red overstripe in the plaid Buddy.
if it's not Seaforth's of Canada I will let you know later what it is, I am in work.

Paul
I take your point you are right. I was putting it down to artistic licence. Good point about Canadian, didn't give them a thought.
Mick

 

[oldtrousers]

Wow, thank you gentlemen for the responses! Billyturnip certainly cleared up the Hussar as the Royal North Devon Yeomary. Those uniform details are a match. I think Nap is on to something with the first fellow being either an Engineer or an Artillery volunteer. I've been looking through a few reference books and I can't find when the pith helmet changed from white to blue, though. I was also comparing the Highlander prints to "Queen Victoria's Higlanders" from Osprey and the first, seated soldier, has to be Black Watch as stated by Mick.

Funnily enough it did cross my mind that they could all be Canadian regiments as they originate in North America.​

Yup, as I said in my first post, I had the same thought when I was putting them up last night........

Back to the books, and thanks again everyone for the information!
Scott

 

[billyturnip]

There must be people who collect these, I'll do some some searching as it might shed some more light on them.

 

[peedee]

Hi Chaps.

It is quite difficult in some cases to identify any substantial differences between Canadian and Scottish regiments of the same name without seeing close up details of the badges worn.
For example in this case, if he is Seaforth Highlanders of Canada Officer the badge with carry a scrolled letter L between the antlers points and the crown as in this example; which although embroidered, is in the 'old' facing colour of rhat period ie1900-14.
The Canadian Regiment based in Vancouver was raised in 1910, and I am sure the Officers would have worn this uniform on some occasions.
So... here's some prints of the seaforths officers 1900-1914 in full dress and you will see the silk does match, a lovely pic of the correct sporran and a Cigarette card of the period too.







I am of the opinion that if you collected the silks, you probably smoked the same brand every time. That, alongside the wonderful Yorkshire Hussars and the field dress figure leads me to suppose the set on issue from the tobacco factory would be a theme of maybe the territorial force of Great Britain, a popular theme with cig cards.
Logically then; I think this would be somethding most like 4th Seaforths or similar, but Scottish not Canadian.
I do hope this is of some help.

I wish they were mine !

Paul.

 

[mick3272]

Well done Paul

 

[oldtrousers]

Paul, thank you so much! That is fantastic, logical, information on the Highlander and the set as a whole. I have one more question. When you say 4th Seaforths, is that also a Territorial Unit? I do feel that , if not Canadian, then these all represent Territorial units, too.

 

[oldtrousers]

I should have posted this yesterday as well. I have one more of the silks which I received last year and which caused the subsequent gift of the five others. I do believe this is from the same set, and again, I think another Yeomanry officer:



The sabertache is interesting, possibly VR, or Queen Victoria?

 

[mick3272]

Hi Scott
My thoughts are the Middlesex ( Duke of Cambridge's Yeomanry) Sorry cann't find an officers uniform but the SNCO kit looks right, when you take into account the extra finary an officer would wear.
Mick

 

[billyturnip]

You just beat me to it Mick, I was just looking at that website.

http://www.uniformology.com/YEOMANRY-00.html

 

[mick3272]

You just beat me to it Mick, I was just looking at that website.

http://www.uniformology.com/YEOMANRY-00.html

Great minds think alike,

Looking at the top one, showing the Royal arms helmet plate, and the wavey lines on the cross belt I would put my money on it being an Vol Engineer.
Mick

 

[oldtrousers]

Oh my, that Yeomanry Uniformology site is fantastic. I'll be on there all day between grilling and celebrating. Thanks, gents!

 

[billyturnip]

I'll be on there all day between grilling and celebrating.

Why, what's happening today?