Nice vintage sporrans

[OC Richard]

I've gone through a couple computer crashes and the loss and regaining of some photos etc and I thought I'd do a new post which includes some of the old photos and some newer ones, but more organised.

Here are wonderful vintage sporrans with sheetmetal hand-engraved tops:

[OC Richard]

And here, posted seperately (due to the ten picture limit) are some lovely cast tops:






(I own this one.)

Here's a rare find, all the matching stuff. I think by RG Lawrie in the 1930's.

[creagdhubh]

Those are truly exquisite. I bid on one of those myself when it came up for auction recently, alas it far exceeded my funds at the moment...

Here are a few more that you can add to the mix:

The photos of the vintage hair sporrans are quite nice Richard-I can easily tell that you are a big fan of the 19th-century, Victorian era, Highland "look". That is definitely something that we have in common, as I absolutely love that era for Highland dress, and also into the early 20th-century. I enjoy looking at old photographs, Highland attire catalogues, postcards, artwork, and diagrams depicting how Scots, particularly Highland Scots wore their traditional dress. It is always quite interesting and intriguing to see the variations, as well as the ever present, regimental influences. I am keen on knowing more about your ensembles, or I should say, your various outfits of Highland dress, as I am sure that you have put together an impressive Highland wardrobe-something that I have a rather good start on, yet still adding and building (I really don't think it ever ends!).

I would love to hear about some of your ideas for putting your Highland outfits together, whether it be for evening wear, day wear, fullest of full dress, etc, it doesn't matter to me! I have seen some of your photographs of yourself in different outfits and they look spot on! Just curious if you had anymore. Thanks so much for everything that you have posted, especially with photographs. It's nice to see another person on the forum with pretty much the same exact interest in Highland attire, as well as having a constant motivation, passion, drive, and enthusiasm for continuing research and development of your personal Highland wardrobe. I feel exactly the same and please correct me if I have this "assumption" about your feelings towards Highland dress and the manner of wearing it.

Cheers,

[OC Richard]

I've always loved those old sporrans.

When I got into piping and Highland dress in the mid 1970's the variety was pretty limited, major sporran makers all seeming to make the same stuff.

There's actually a pamphlet of photos of sporrans showing various designs, which lacked any info as to prices or maker, that several different sporran makers used in the 70's and 80's. I have at least one of those around somewhere. Seems like all the big mainstream sporran makers got their cantles from the same source.

Anyhow, the only horsehair sporrans these mainstream sporran makers offered were those two common old designs, the "six inch thistle cast top" and the leather cantle with metal rim.

So I'm blown away by the amazing variety of cantle designs made in the Victorian and Edwardian eras.

Luckily, the variety is returning nowdays and there are small makers doing interesing stuff.

[Kiltboy]

Wow. Love the metal work. Thanks for sharing.

[longhuntr74]

Agreed with all...I'm not a fan of the cookie cutter sporrans that most company offers. It's why Josh's work on the gentleman's hair sporrans vs. the standard military horsehair sporran copies and the typical hunting sporrans was so appealing to me. I will cherish my one of a kind goathair sporran my entire life. I will probably end up picking up a vintage cantle or two and creating some myself in the future...just too busy at the moment...and too many projects on my plate!!!