Brass cantle for formal sporran?

[FossilHunter]

I don’t see it very often but occasionally I see fur sporrans for sale with brass cantled. Some are vintage so it doesn’t seem to be a new development.

How do folks feel about brass as a substitute for white metal in a dress sporran? Certainly I wouldn’t see it as equivalent to real silver but brass doesn’t seem any more “cheap” than chrome or other “fake” silver metals to me.

[Baeau]

During my sporran searching, I saw some (older) with brass cantles. If the brass wasn’t polished & the fur was the correct shade, I thought they looked good. The highly polished brass, against some furs.....looked cheap. Then again, ask anyone I’m related to & they’ll tell you what my opinion means. I’m curious, was brass ever used in days gone by?

[Wareyin]

I think that the MOD Cantles were brass, and they look quite good. I personally prefer a brass cantle to a cheap looking Pakistani Chrome one!

[MacRob46]

I think that the MOD Cantles were brass, and they look quite good. I personally prefer a brass cantle to a cheap looking Pakistani Chrome one!

I have been looking for surplus MOD cantles for several years and they do not seem to be available. I would like to make an antique sporran using one but I believe I have have to give up/

[figheadair]

Perhaps define first what you mean by 'dress' and 'formal'?

[FossilHunter]

Perhaps define first what you mean by 'dress' and 'formal'?

Quite simply; the fur fronted, metal cantled sporrans typically worn with black tie.



I often see them marketed as dress sporrans or formal sporrans but except for pipe bad style sporrans, I don’t see brass cantled examples very often but I do occasionally see them on used or vintage fur fronted seal skin sporrans.

So basically I’m asking after a sporran similar to he photo but with a brass cantle rather than “silver”. Would that be considered appropriate for black tie or would it be violating one of those unwritten sartorial rules we Americans have so much trouble with?

I recall an older thread about brass buttons and one of the Scots said something about looking like a footman.

[Jock Scot]

Perhaps define first what you mean by 'dress' and 'formal'?

Here lies the source of many trans-Atlantic misunderstandings on this website.

[OC Richard]

I don’t see it very often but occasionally I see fur sporrans for sale with brass cantled. Some are vintage so it doesn’t seem to be a new development.

How do folks feel about brass as a substitute for white metal in a dress sporran?

Now just talking about our 'traditional civilian Highland Dress' as it appeared in the early 20th century, "fur" does not equate to "dress".

Evening Dress sporrans and Day Dress sporrans both can have fur (generally sealskin). A Day Dress sporran with fur isn't any more formal than a Day Dress sporran without fur.

The main distinction between Evening Dress sporrans and Day Dress sporrans is that Evening Dress sporrans are fur with a silver top, while Day Dress sporrans are constructed out of leather (in the first half of the 20th century nearly always brown, usually pigskin) with or without added fur.

Generally Day Dress sporrans lacked metal altogether, but reproduction 18th century sporrans were popular, with a functional opening brass top and deerskin body. These were considered Day Dress sporrans, from the old opinions I have read.

So, in that strictly codified Evening/Day dichotomy no, one would not have normally worn a brass-topped sporran in Evening Dress. That being said, I don't think brass (or at least gilt) was considered any less "dressy" than silver, which I base on military usage: Levee Dress sporrans and Full Dress sporrans might be gilt or silver.

Anyhow to get a feel for the tradition as it was in the 1930s here's an old catalogue. Note the top-left sporran has a brass cantle yet is considered an Evening Dress sporran.



Here are the Day Dress sporrans from the same catalogue, all brown, some with fur. There are two reproduction 18th century sporrans with brass tops, two Hunting sporrans, an animal mask sporran, a Rob Roy sporran, and the pocketlike leather sporrans which were the typical 20th century Day sporran (with or without the fur front).



Here is a very elaborate sporran, studded leather with metal top, probably brown leather with brass, worn with Day Dress



Time marches on and Highland Dress nowadays seems to be more of an anything-goes thing.

[RichardtheLarge]

My understanding is that the inclination for matching metals is quite Lowland, and had little relevance in the traditional Highland style. I think that brass cantled and coned sporrans on a silver chain can look very nice worn formally, and several regiments have worn them for quite a long time in parade dress.

[CollinMacD]

I have looked around the Net and cannot really find any good suppliers of Cantles. I wanteded, well could not find anything that was not antique, or too expensive that was brass. I do not want to spend a small fortune to purchase a brass one, nor do I want military, or antique. As you see below, I am currently having a nice day brown leather Sporran made. Of course I would like to have it done with a brass cantle, stud tacks, and other parts for making this sporran in brown and brass, but could not find one. Any ideas were to look or links on line?Here is the one I am having made, would like to have had brass, but if I cannot find what I want. Guess I will have to stick to this one exactly shown below, but still love it. I like the Templar Cross, Celtic knots on the cantle, and the leather cross in the medallion with the silver stud tacks around the edges. This silver or pewter, not sure what it is, has a nice appearance, not loud but to my out classy looking. I guess the brass would make it louder, but different. When I first found it I fell in love with the look and thought to make it a little different the brass would be a great addition. Since I really do not have a nice day sporran, since I plan to go to Nova Scotia Games in July, I would like to have this. Getting made now.