Vintage sporran exhibition

[Tomo]

Not sure if I will be running any tours this year, but I usually have a bit of free time before I pick up my group(s) in Edinburgh. If I am, I might need to see if I can extend my side trip, I've had plans to visit Coupar Angus for a while now and Glenesk isn't too much of a stretch...

[Troglodyte]

Not sure if I will be running any tours this year, but I usually have a bit of free time before I pick up my group(s) in Edinburgh. If I am, I might need to see if I can extend my side trip, I've had plans to visit Coupar Angus for a while now and Glenesk isn't too much of a stretch...

Glenesk is easy enough to get to.

Take the M9 north across the Forth, go onto the A90 where it splits from the A9 - that junction always reminds me of autoroute interchanges in the Alps - and sit back and enjoy the scenery. Give Dundee the go-by and hang a left (as cool dudes say) at Brechin, and there you are.

There's enough in Glenesk on its own to make a full day's tour, but add in the sporran exhibition and you're onto a winner.

If any XMarkers are thinking of visiting, let the museum know and we'll lay on the VIP treatment. There are things in the stores that are not currently on display which are well-worth seeing.

[bookish]

If anyone attends this exhibit, I would love to see pictures. Even better, if there is literature that accompanies the exhibit, I would gladly pay for shipping. I have been on the lookout for sporrans that are singular, and have considered commisioning a unique sporran and/or sporran cantle. I'd love to have examples of sporrans.

The books that I have on hand to reference highland fashions are 2 James Telfer Dunbar works and the National Museums Scotland book Highland Style, and sporrans are underrepresented.

I am a touch jealous that some of you will be able to see what I imagine are somewhat diverse examples of sporrans.

[kilted2000]

If anyone attends this exhibit, I would love to see pictures. Even better, if there is literature that accompanies the exhibit, I would gladly pay for shipping. I have been on the lookout for sporrans that are singular, and have considered commisioning a unique sporran and/or sporran cantle. I'd love to have examples of sporrans.

The books that I have on hand to reference highland fashions are 2 James Telfer Dunbar works and the National Museums Scotland book Highland Style, and sporrans are underrepresented.

I am a touch jealous that some of you will be able to see what I imagine are somewhat diverse examples of sporrans.

If there is any literature I’d be very interested as well. I’m assuming images of the sporrans won’t be available online?

[figheadair]

The majority of Ian Taylor's collection is military and so possibly not the best source for civilian inspiration. There are a few outliers and the STA is loaning a few early civilian pieces.

[Troglodyte]

The bulk of the sporran exhibition is essentially military, and refelcts more than 200 years of the various regements' history in sporran terms - which is fascinating enough in itself.

But part of the collection includes sporrans from other bodies, too, not just British regiments of the line - so original Balmoral Highlanders, Athole Highlanders, Lonach and Invercauld are also there to be seen in their full glory. Such as these -



It is not just military sporrans that will be on display, as examples from other private collections are also being shown. These include early 18th century hinged-cantle styles (what people like to call 'Jacobite-era' sporrans from pre-Dress Act times) and early 19th century hair sporrans from around the Highland Revival period. Georgian and Victorian, in other words. Some of the examples are exqisite in their quality and perhaps surprising in their construction, too.

Personally, it is a great treat to have the opportunity to study in detail the early sporrans, and see the internal workings of the cantle locking mechanisms, two-handed release methods, and the carefully constructed internal divisions and pockets in sporrans that are fairly plain and ordinary on the outside.

The MoD hinged brass cantle sporrans that we all love so much, seem poor substitutes for the look-alike originals - so much so that I feel inclined to take apart my own MoD cantle sporrans and re-make them in the way our Georgian forebears would approve!

In terms of publications and images available online or in print, that is still to be finalised, but Scottish Television has already shown an interest, along with other media. More on this in due course...

[OC Richard]

I would so love to see this!

But sadly I'm five thousand miles away and in no position to make such a trip.

About sporrans being under-represented in the literature I fully agree.

I haven't seen anything very scholarly, accurate, or complete about sporran history on YouTube, so I'm planning on making a video soon.

Trouble is I don't have examples of some of the styles I'd like to represent, especially the c1700 Lord Duffus sporran.

About complex locking mechanisms, my wife and I visited sporran maker Alexander Robertson in the Inverness area in 1986 and he told us that a certain member of the aristocracy came to him for help in opening the family heirloom sporran which he intended to wear for some upcoming event.

I don't remember the specifics but various knobs had to be pressed or rotated a certain way in order for the sporran top to open. Robertson was able to figure it out teach the gent how to do it.

(Alexander Robertson made mid-18th century style sporrans with hand-made hinged brass tops.)