Too plush or not too plush

**Laird_M** · 17th August 11, 06:50 AM

Ok, I'm looking at getting a full dress sporran, but am confused by those shown on websites.
In his e-book, "Kilts & Tartan - Made Easy", Nick Fiddes says that they generally have 'a body dressed in fur (or some other lush material)', and most searches indeed bring back fluffy sporrans.
A few have the same style of cantle but have decorated leather instead of 'plush' bodies.
What are peoples views on non-plush full dress sporrans?

**CMcG** · 17th August 11, 07:07 AM

Personally, I'm not too keen on the "fluffy" dress sporrans... especially the ones in bright colours!

But a nice sleek fur (eg. seal or, post-ban, cow) is OK and probably what Nick Fiddes means by "lush."

A dress hunting sporran (decorated leather with metal cantle) is an acceptable alternative as well.

**Laird_M** · 17th August 11, 07:14 AM

So that's what a dress hunting sporran is!

Had me totally confused!

**artificer** · 17th August 11, 07:15 AM

I don't mind "fluff" as in a fox, angora goat, beaver, badger or other nice fur or hair-

my problem lies with the "fuzzy bunny" sporrans. Rabbit fur just looks cheap to me, and there is too much fluff and not enough body to the hair for my taste.

Seal is gorgeous, but illegal to import into the US at this point, which is a pity.

ith:

**CMcG** · 17th August 11, 07:20 AM

Originally Posted by artificer

I don't mind "fluff" as in a fox, angora goat, beaver, badger or other nice fur or hair-

...

my problem lies with the "fuzzy bunny" sporrans. Rabbit fur just looks cheap to me, and there is too much fluff and not enough body to the hair for my taste.

Seal is gorgeous, but illegal to import into the US at this point, which is a pity.

ith:

Yes, exactly! Those nicer furs have a sleekness and body to them that rabbit doesn't.

I'd almost put angora goat in a different class though... the length makes it feel more like a horsehair sporran.

**artificer** · 18th August 11, 12:29 PM

Originally Posted by CMcG

Yes, exactly! Those nicer furs have a sleekness and body to them that rabbit doesn't.

I'd almost put angora goat in a different class though... the length makes it feel more like a horsehair sporran.

I suppose you're correct on the goat, but it is definitely PLUSH.

ith:

**CMcG** · 18th August 11, 01:45 PM

Originally Posted by artificer

I suppose you're correct on the goat, but it is definitely PLUSH.

ith:

Indeed, angora goat sets the standard for plush

Maybe I shouldn't be so hard on the fuzzy bunny sporrans either though, as I'm sure there are nicer examples than the red one I posted. Bugbear's, for example, looks nice as a 'semi-dress' sporran (the scare quotes are there because I know how much Jock hates that term).

Does anyone own a nice quality, formal, plush, rabbit sporran?

**Tobus** · 17th August 11, 08:58 AM

my problem lies with the "fuzzy bunny" sporrans. Rabbit fur just looks cheap to me, and there is too much fluff and not enough body to the hair for my taste.

My opinion on rabbit fur sporrans is that the issue lies not so much with the fur itself, but with the usual construction. The red rabbit fur sporran shown above does look a bit silly to me (aside from the color) because it's too round and has rabbit's foot tassels.

I would think that a natural-colored rabbit fur sporran could look decent if it had leather tassels, a body shape that wasn't so round, and a well-done custom cantle. Possibly even a leather cantle.

**Bugbear** · 18th August 11, 02:08 AM

Originally Posted by Tobus

My opinion on rabbit fur sporrans is that the issue lies not so much with the fur itself, but with the usual construction. The red rabbit fur sporran shown above does look a bit silly to me (aside from the color) because it's too round and has rabbit's foot tassels.

I would think that a natural-colored rabbit fur sporran could look decent if it had leather tassels, a body shape that wasn't so round, and a well-done custom cantle. Possibly even a leather cantle.

It's a daywear sporran, but I was wearing a brown, rabid fur sporran with leather sides, binding, and flap in the picture you commented on in the corduroy jacket thread, Tobus. It's just a Stillwater sporran, and has the same basic shape and size as their other daywear sporrans. Guess it has rabit fur tassels on chains, though.

I like the idea of the velvet sporran.

**Tobus** · 18th August 11, 12:17 PM

Originally Posted by Bugbear

It's a daywear sporran, but I was wearing a brown, rabid fur sporran with leather sides, binding, and flap in the picture you commented on in the corduroy jacket thread, Tobus. It's just a Stillwater sporran, and has the same basic shape and size as their other daywear sporrans. Guess it has rabit fur tassels on chains, though.

I went back and looked at it again. And while I'm not a huge fan of rabbit's foot tassels, I think the sporran overall looks very good. It's not even close to being a "fluffy" sporran. To me, your sporran is an example of rabbit fur looking good on a sporran because the sporran shape and construction is well suited to it.