History of seal skin sporrans

[Fit2BKilted]

Fit2,

I agree with you but please be careful...I sense a taboo in the offing. This is quicksand.

Indeed, I have been aware of treading the razor's edge with every posting; but, I could not suffer any myths to be perpetuated; so, I've been as sensitive as I felt I could be to both sides of the debate while presenting the facts as I understand them. I appreciate your concern and caution nonetheless. Thanks

Doesn't need to be, unless someone from the ranks of the "easily offended" rears their head. Fit2's posts have been very measured and informative, IMHO....

Thanks, Woodsheal, I'm glad I'm not just a 'voice crying out in the wilderness' It's nice to hear that one's effort has been appreciated.

BTW, as I understand it, seal meat is an acquired taste, and attempts to manufacture a 'southern' mass-market for it (canned seal) were about as doomed to failure as mass-marketing Shiokara to North Americans might be. Indeed, one of the common ways of eating it is warm ("tartar") from the freshly slaughtered animal, like Sashimi. If you were raised on seal meat, however, it seems to incite a very strong nostalgic craving that can only be properly satisfied in the Arctic Circle---since chefs who have attempted to present it in their trendy southern restaurants lately routinely received death-threats. I have yet to try it myself, although I would, given the opportunity---I can't stand to see good food wasted---just as I enjoyed stir-fried beetles at a local restaurant in Guang-Zhou when I visited friends in China last year.

[The Guy in the Kilt at UC]

Back to the topic: US sporrans seem to made with bovine hide as a substitute. I've even seen them printed to look like seal. Other than being on the slightly ridiculous side, is there an aversion to going this route? I mean, why not keep things looking natural and not print the hides? I also see a lot of rabbit as an alternative to the seal cub sporran. When exactly did seal sporrans become so popular?

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Back to the topic: US sporrans seem to made with bovine hide as a substitute. I've even seen them printed to look like seal. Other than being on the slightly ridiculous side, is there an aversion to going this route? I mean, why not keep things looking natural and not print the hides? I also see a lot of rabbit as an alternative to the seal cub sporran. When exactly did seal sporrans become so popular?

According to Ruvigny's Almanac of Jacobite Papers [N.B. the parenthetical comments are in Ruvign's hand] the unpublished manuscript of which is deposited in the archives of St. Oswald's Church, in Lewes, Sussex, one finds that:

On July 27, 1744, at his Palace at St. Germain-en-Ley, in Paris, James the VIII of Scotland, the de jure king of the United Kingdom of Scotland and England, held a meeting with his privy councilors to determine, amongst other things, the dress to be worn at Court following the defeat of the German usurpers in the up-coming planned invasion of Britain scheduled for the following April. In addition to determining what the king would have that day for lunch, the king and his privy council made the following determinations:

1) The cavalry would not carry umbrellas whilst mounted. (This wise bit of advise was later revived by His Grace the Duke of Wellington prior to the Battle of Waterloo. His Grace, of course, won the battle, which proves just how wise King James's military decisions actually were.)

2) White hose were to be denied to all but churls. (Which custom carries on to this very day.)

3) Because of his Majesty's fear that, in the event the proposed war against the German usurper should have an unsuccessful conclusion, reprisals in the form of mass clearances of His Majesty's Highland subjects from their traditional homes might take place, and the hills and glens be populated with a species of sheep mockingly referred to as "four footed clansmen, jawohl!" (the king had an excellent network of spies in "high places" in London, and thus was well aware of the German plans should he fail in his attempt to remove them) the king commanded that as and from August 19th, 1745 (old calendar) the wearing of sheepskin sporrans was to be abolished, and in their place only seal skin sporrans were to be worn. (Obviously it was the king's intent to first remove the sheep, thus making it impossible for the German poseur to retaliate should the king's planned invasion fail to reach its desired conclusion.)

* * * * *

Thus it can be seen that while the official roots of seal-skin sporran wearing can be dated, possibly with some contention, to July 27, 1744, the actual practice can not be said with any certainly to have been wide-spread (within, or without, the Jacobite circles of influence) until possibly sometime after August 19, 1745 (again, old calendar).

Generally speaking, and as has been pointed out in the very learned post #14 elsewhere in this thread, I think one can safely assume that while seal skin sporrans may have been worn as early as the 16th century, the vogue for wearing the hide of the aquatic mammal whose prowess only barely eclipse those of Michael Phelps, really dates from the mid-to late 19th century, and flourished in the century that followed.

[dfmacliam]

that is quite affordable.. makes one want to look for roadkill.. for a decent sporran....LOL

[Woodsheal]

A couple of days ago I drove past a dead red-fox on a two-lane highway, and not too mangled either. I SHOULD have stopped and grabbed it...!

[DWFII]

A couple of days ago I drove past a dead red-fox on a two-lane highway, and not too mangled either. I SHOULD have stopped and grabbed it...!

Some years back...I can't remember if it was in late fall or early spring...we drove past a coyote that had been hit. We stopped and went back. It smelled a bit...although there must have been a breeze...but didn't look mangled at all. So I grabbed a big plastic bag out of the trunk and slid it into the bag.

Soon as we got home I went to skin it. I don't believe I've ever smelled anything ranker in my life. It was bad! Just thinking about it makes my nose wrinkle. Nevertheless, I swallowed my gorge and finished the job, hastily dumping the carcass into an even hastier grave. The head had been crushed.

We had the pelt tanned at a local taxidermy and it ended up being one of the finest, thickest, silkiest furs I've ever seen. I believe my wife made a collar for a coat out of it.

just a curious anecdote...

[ForresterModern]

My wife and I cycle frequently and we are regularly passing fresh roadkill to which a regular comment is whether or not it would be in good enough condition or fresh enough to work for a sporran. Not that we have ever stopped and picked one up or anything.

[dfmacliam]

it would be interesting to see a cyclist with road kill strapped to the back of a bike.... you do that... you deserve a quality sporran!!!