Military sporran archive

[Toraba]

Hi everyone.
It was recommended that I start a new thread here. My goal is to build an archive of all the different military sporran styles. I'm not sure how it could be organized, but we can work that out later.

I have a large number of sporrans in my collection, images of which I will be posting up here for discussion.

For those that are interested you can read a bit about me in the Newbie section.

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/s...45#post1144145

Here are just a few of the sporrans I have to start the discussion with.


I'd like to start a deeper discussion with this sporran. Ideally it would be good if members could provide pictures of their examples of the same sporran style, information about the sporran and, or images of a particular style of sporran being used.

This sporran has been in my collection for over 20 years. I never really believed it was a legitimate military sporran however, as the cantle seems so oversized for the body of the sporran. I had always concluded that the cantle was remounted and that this sporran was a mock-up until I discovered a war time image that showed a piper of the Royal Scots wearing this style sporran. I later found another image (attached below) that shows the same style sporran again, which also shows that the embossed thistle like bells are correct, which were something else that I doubted the originality of on my sporran for many years.

Does anyone else have images of examples of this style of sporran or information about it? I'll give this topic a few days before we begin discussing another sporran.

Thanks,
Trevor

[Kilted Karl]

Dear Toraba,

I really like the Idea! I will not have much of anything to add but I will enjoy learning. All those sporrans above are works of art (and put my little modern horsehair sporran to shame....)

I really hope your Idea works out.

Your Obedient Servant,

:ootd: Karl

P.S. I almost forgot!

[OC Richard]

Great thread idea!

Starting with some pre-1881 sporran types

Early Black Watch Officers' (note the gold lace/braid edging)



93rd Highlanders



The 78th Highlanders Officers



The 92nd Highlanders ORs



Now for the more familiar post-1881 ORs sporrans

Gordon Highlanders



The Black Watch



Queens Own Cameron Highlanders



The Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders

[OC Richard]

In some regiments the pipers had different sporrans; here's the one the pipers of the Cameron Highlanders wore from the 1840s up until the regiment was amalgamated



The pipers of The Gordon Highlanders have changed sporrans several times over the years; this is one of the more recent styles



The pipers of The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards



Here's a Queens Own Highlanders sporran, Officers, post 1960



Now for some other battalions... here is ORs 5th Seaforths



The London Scottish Officers



Liverpool Scottish Officers

[Toraba]

Thanks for the images. The 92nd one is of course a early 20th century sporran converted to a mock-up. I have most of the other sporrans you posted. I'll put of some of mine for comparison. And it is good to note that pipers and especially pipe-majors often wore sporrans unique to their role.
I'll try to post my Cameron levee sporran tomorrow. I also have a couple of unique South African regimental sporrans.
Still note sure how we can make a logical and comprehensive database. Perhaps a unique thread for each regiment. Black Watch sporrans, Gordon sporrans et cetera.