Types of sporran

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Traditionally people have tended to equate brass/gold (aka yellow metals) with daywear and silver/nickel (aka white metals) with evening wear, but I honestly think too much stock is put in this "rule" by most people. I wear white metal during the day and yellow metal during the evening pretty interchangeably and don't give it a second thought.

[Tom0878Holly]

There have been many posts in relation to the Badger head sporran. The sporran comes from the 93rd Sutherland Highlanders ( Thin Red Line 1854 ect ) and was adopted by the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in 1881 when the amalgamation or the 91st Argylls and 93rd Sutherlands took place. This sporran was worn by Officers and SNCOs up until the 06th of April 2006 when we all became the Royal Regiment of Androgenous Highlanders. We now wear the Old Black watch Officers sporran with the 2 Gordon Highlanders long Black Tassels ( MMMMMMMMMMMMM ).

The sporran produced by L & M Outfitters is a civilian version, It has an american badger ( Not British ) and sports 6 smooth Brass Cones. The military version is ornate with Thistles and leaves.

The other version is the volunteer or Territorial Army version which is done in white metal.

As indicated this sporran is noith: longer a military item so as such should be worn by all to retain the old traditions.

[BoldHighlander]

Thanks for your insights Tommy.

[OC Richard]

There have been many posts in relation to the Badger head sporran. The sporran comes from the 93rd Sutherland Highlanders.
The sporran produced by L & M Outfitters is a civilian version, It has an american badger ( Not British ) and sports 6 smooth Brass Cones. The military version is ornate with Thistles and leaves.

Two sidenotes on this issue:

About the badger mask sporran's connexion with the 93rd Foot:

I have in front of me a book Uniform of the Scottish Infantry 1740 to 1900 which has a painting with the following caption:

Black Watch 1790

The painting shows a soldier (probably a sergeant) wearing an animal mask sporran, not a badger however. It's interesting that in the formative years of regimental Highland Dress that not only the 93rd had Sergeants wearing animal mask sporrans.

There are numerous late 18th and early 19th century paintings showing civilians wearing badger mask sporrans, so it's clear that it never was a purely military style.

About North American v British badgers:
yes their faces look rather different. British badgers are black and white while North American ones are dark brown and beige.

When I visited sporranmaker Alexander Robertson at his home near Inverness in the 1980s he showed me a closet full of badger pelts which he could not use for sporrans due to a recently enacted law.

One result of this was the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders of Scotland apparently using North American badger sporrans (probably by L&M) sometimes. When the military band of the Argylls was here on tour in 1989 I noticed that one of the officers appeared to be wearing a North American badger sporran, and in other photos of groups of Argylls the odd North American badger face can sometimes be spotted.

[BoldHighlander]

When I visited sporranmaker Alexander Robertson at his home near Inverness in the 1980s he showed me a closet full of badger pelts which he could not use for sporrans due to a recently enacted law.

What a waste!

[Biathlonman]

L and M will do one in silver wire and cones if you wish. The illustrated sporran was worn by officers AND NCOs.

ORs had a different style - very nice but six tassels as well.

All gone now - and there is debate in Europe about badgers being a pest for farmers...

Canada's Calgary Highlanders and the A and S of Canada still perpetuate most of the UK Argylls traditions.

[OftKilted]

In looking at the examples mentioned in the Scottish Tartan Authority page pointed to by Artificer I noticed something interesting:

Both the Animal Mask Sporrans & the Historically Inspired Fergusson Britt Sporrans listed as being 'All Occasion.'

Having been told that an "Animal Mask Sporran is out of the question" due to a substantial dislike of them by my better half (otherwise known as 'She who must be obeyed'). (Apparently this is not something completely uncommon as Artificer and ShawnMaxwell have experienced this issue themselves ... (see X-Marks Thread Here.))

I'm curious what makes a particular sporran 'All Occasion' v.s. Daywear/Semi-Dress/Dress. Any insight would be appreciated ...

[artificer]

Both the full mask and the 'purse lip' style bag 'ala-Fergusson Britt both harken back to a time when you ONLY had one sporran, and therefore wore it all the time.

Today they are the Swiss Army Knives of the sporran world.

And, aye, my wife does indeed hate full masks. That isn't, however, stopping my experimentation in making them, just stopping my wearing them when she's around

[OC Richard]

What criteria define different sporran as being day, dress, semi-dress and hunting? As far as I have been able to discern, a day sporran is just leather with a flap that buttons over the front. A dress sporran is furry and has a cantle over the top. A semi-dress sporran is usually furry but has the flap over the front. For the hunting sporran, I have seen examples labeled as such though I am uncertain as to what distinguishes them.

Back in the 19th century these distinctions didn't exist and people wore long hair (goathair) sporrans both for Day Dress with tweed and Evening Dress finery. The difference was that the cantle would often be plain leather for Day Dress and silver for Evening Dress, but this wasn't always followed.
Occasionally animal mask sporrans and reproduction mid-18th century sporrans were worn but long hair sporrans were a vast majority.

The nearly universal look was more or less like this:





Then in the early 20th century Highland Dress became more compartmentalised or codified and new sporran styles emerged, both approximately the same shape: a plain leather pocket with flap for Day and short fur with a decorative silver cantle for Evening. Also, reproduction mid-18th century sporrans were popular for Day Dress and Hunting Sporrans appeared as well.

Day Dress (called "Outdoor Dress") and Evening dress became quite distinct with specialised jackets, sporrans, and footwear, as we can see here in the 1930s, first in the Henderson catalogue:



and in the Lawrie catalogue:



and in this 1950s Anderson catalogue:





Nowadays this all is breaking down somewhat. Hybrid sporrans have been made for years that combine elements from Day and Evening sporrans. And those lovely Britt sporrans fit in well with any form of Highland Dress.

And there are traditionalists like me who continue to wear 19th century long goathair sporrans for Day and Eve alike!

Here's the classic plain "outdoor" or "day" sporran that appeared in the early 20th century:



Here's an excellent Hunting Sporran by L&M.



Here's the sporrans shown in a 1930 catalogue:



and in the 1950s. Note the clear delineation between Day and Evening.

[Dale Seago]

Great descriptive summary and comparative illustrations!!