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3rd February 25, 07:03 AM
#1
I would so love to see this!
But sadly I'm five thousand miles away and in no position to make such a trip.
About sporrans being under-represented in the literature I fully agree.
I haven't seen anything very scholarly, accurate, or complete about sporran history on YouTube, so I'm planning on making a video soon.
Trouble is I don't have examples of some of the styles I'd like to represent, especially the c1700 Lord Duffus sporran.
About complex locking mechanisms, my wife and I visited sporran maker Alexander Robertson in the Inverness area in 1986 and he told us that a certain member of the aristocracy came to him for help in opening the family heirloom sporran which he intended to wear for some upcoming event.
I don't remember the specifics but various knobs had to be pressed or rotated a certain way in order for the sporran top to open. Robertson was able to figure it out teach the gent how to do it.
(Alexander Robertson made mid-18th century style sporrans with hand-made hinged brass tops.)
Last edited by OC Richard; 3rd February 25 at 07:23 AM.
Proud Mountaineer from the Highlands of West Virginia; son of the Revolution and Civil War; first Europeans on the Guyandotte
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3rd February 25, 09:07 AM
#2
 Originally Posted by OC Richard
I would so love to see this!
But sadly I'm five thousand miles away and in no position to make such a trip.
About sporrans being under-represented in the literature I fully agree.
I haven't seen anything very scholarly, accurate, or complete about sporran history on YouTube, so I'm planning on making a video soon.
Trouble is I don't have examples of some of the styles I'd like to represent, especially the c1700 Lord Duffus sporran.
About complex locking mechanisms, my wife and I visited sporran maker Alexander Robertson in the Inverness area in 1986 and he told us that a certain member of the aristocracy came to him for help in opening the family heirloom sporran which he intended to wear for some upcoming event.
I don't remember the specifics but various knobs had to be pressed or rotated a certain way in order for the sporran top to open. Robertson was able to figure it out teach the gent how to do it.
(Alexander Robertson made mid-18th century style sporrans with hand-made hinged brass tops.)
I have been fortunate enough to see and hande a number of 18th century sporrans with hinged-cantles, and they all seem to work on similar principles.
Essentially, they are not unlike the first versions of the MoD cantles, with a leaf-spring tensioned pull-up catch that engages with a hooked bar when the cantle is closed. This secure enough, but one of the complaints about the later push-down catch versions of the MoD cantles is that they open unintentionally - like when the wearer leans forward and presses against the release button. Ex-jocks who wore the 'Culloden' sporrans conplain of this.
The antique sporrans get around this in different ways, and the mechanisms I have seen involve a second external knob on the back of the cantle, that rotates on a ratchet to line-up a slot on an internal wheel that allows the hooked bar to slide out and so open the cantle - something in the way that a combination padlock works. Sometimes the second knob was a sprung slide action.
In practiacal terms, opening one of these sporrans is a two-handed operation that requires the sporran to be held stationary - which it is when hanging on a strap or belt.
The curious thing about these mechanisms is that, although they lock the sporran shut, the sporran is still only a leather bag that could be slashed by a robber to access the contents, but the wearer would most likely be armed with dirk and sword so the risks to the slashing robber is pretty high.
My view is that the mechanisms were there more as an inconvenience to potential pick-pockets (or pick-sporran if you like) or other quick-fingered folks, as the sporran was impossible to get into unobtrusively or would take too long. And the thought of a dirk in the ribs was probably enough deterrent.
Attachment 44150 Attachment 44151 Attachment 44152 
You can see in the pictures the spring release catch on this early 18th century sporran cantle, and the secondary ratchet turn-knob and hooked-bar on the inside, and the position of the knobs on the rear cantle plate.
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3rd February 25, 09:50 AM
#3
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There is an opening in the rear cantle plate near the ratchet knob, that was most likely the location of the new-missing release knob. That the slot is vertical suggests the release mechanism was a slide action.
Last edited by Troglodyte; 3rd February 25 at 09:55 AM.
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3rd February 25, 08:31 PM
#4
 Originally Posted by Troglodyte
The antique sporrans get around this in different ways, and the mechanisms I have seen involve a second external knob on the back of the cantle, that rotates on a ratchet to line-up a slot on an internal wheel that allows the hooked bar to slide out and so open the cantle - something in the way that a combination padlock works. Sometimes the second knob was a sprung slide action.
In practical terms, opening one of these sporrans is a two-handed operation that requires the sporran to be held stationary - which it is when hanging on a strap or belt.
Thanks for the insights!
Personally I want to be able to open my sporran without fuss. I'll pass on those contraptions.
I don't know if these goofy time-consuming ways to get a sporran open were cooked up in the USA, or Pakistan, or even Scotland?
But no thanks to one and all of them. To me Highland Dress is clothing, not costume. I open my sporrans in one efficent motion.

 Originally Posted by Troglodyte
My view is that the mechanisms were there more as an inconvenience for a potential pick-pocket (or pick-sporran if you like)
or, as Roald Dahl, put it, "fingersmith" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hi..._(short_story)
Last edited by OC Richard; 3rd February 25 at 09:30 PM.
Proud Mountaineer from the Highlands of West Virginia; son of the Revolution and Civil War; first Europeans on the Guyandotte
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4th February 25, 09:19 PM
#5
I say (tongue in cheek), "yes," to row two, center.
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5th February 25, 12:46 PM
#6
 Originally Posted by OC Richard
Thanks for the insights!
Personally I want to be able to open my sporran without fuss. I'll pass on those contraptions.
I don't know if these goofy time-consuming ways to get a sporran open were cooked up in the USA, or Pakistan, or even Scotland?
But no thanks to one and all of them. To me Highland Dress is clothing, not costume. I open my sporrans in one efficent motion.
My favorite daywear sporran has no fastener at all. The top of the flap is curved where it meets the back panel, which is effective at keeping it closed. I can reach in and take out anything I need with just one hand.
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3rd February 25, 08:18 PM
#7
 Originally Posted by OC Richard
I haven't seen anything very scholarly, accurate, or complete about sporran history on YouTube, so I'm planning on making a video soon.
Please do!
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